Colorado State University’s 23rd Annual Cans Around the Oval Aims to Collect More Than 90,000 Pounds of Food

A Colorado State University tradition since 1987, organizers of Cans Around the Oval seek to collect more than 90,000 pounds of food this year. This year, more than 140 university and community groups have signed up to participate.

Colorado State’s 23rd annual Cans Around the Oval will be held from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 20 on the historic CSU Oval. The event is sponsored by CSU’s Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement (SLiCE) office.

As the largest one-day food drive in northern Colorado, CSU partners with the Food Bank for Larimer County to raise food and monetary donations to help those in need in the community.

Last year, 13,000 students, faculty, and members of the community collected 90,000 pounds of food; enough to wrap around the Oval 45 times. A record $27,000 in donations also was received during last year’s effort.

Cans Around the Oval helps more than 40,000 people who depend on the Food Bank for Larimer County.

The four-week food drive began on Sept. 16 and will conclude on Oct. 20 with the collection day, when all of the donated food will be weighed. In addition to campus participants, there are various businesses and volunteer groups around the community that are collecting nonperishable items for the event.

For more information about Cans Around the Oval, visit http://www.slice.colostate.edu/cans-around-the-oval.aspx or contact Brett Rundle at (970) 491-3579.

Colorado State University’s Denver Alumni Effort

With the demand at food banks rising this year, Colorado State University’s Cans Around Denver, in conjunction with Cans Around the Oval, is a community service project in support of Metro CareRing.

CSU is encouraging companies in Denver to show their support for those in need. During the week of Oct. 18-22, companies can host a Cans Around Denver food drive at their business, property managers can request CSU Cans Around Denver canisters to have in their lobbies or employees can drop of donations at select Denver locations.

CSU is accepting food or non-perishable donations during the week of Oct 18-23 at the following locations. Metro CareRing or CSU will pick up all collection bins on Oct. 25.

CSU Denver Center
475 17th Street (corner or 17th and Glenarm)
Suite 100, Denver

CSU Global Campus
8000 East Maplewood Ave (lobby), Greenwood Village

Cherry Creek Farmers Market
CSU tents
Oct. 23 only, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Hometown Huddle
CB Potts, 6575 S. Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Greenwood Village
CB Potts, 1257 W. 120th Ave., Westminster
Whiskey Bar, 2203 Larimer St., Denver
Oct. 23, 4 p.m. kickoff

Metro CareRing is a hunger relief organization that operates one of the largest food pantries in Denver. Last year, Metro CareRing provided emergency and self-sufficiency services to more than 125,000 low-income individuals, offering food, utility and transportation assistance, and work readiness items, including tools, boots and identification documents.

For more information about Cans Around Denver, contact Traci McBee at (303) 376-2121 or rams@ar.colostate.edu.
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