Cans Around the Oval kicks off Sept. 14, collection day is Oct. 18

Contact for Reporters:

Jeff Dodge
970-491-4251
jeff.dodge@colostate.edu

Cans Around the Oval, the largest one-day food drive benefiting the Food Bank for Larimer County, celebrates its 31st anniversary this year.

The iconic Colorado State University fall event kicks off Sept. 14, and builds to collection day on Oct. 18. The goal is to collect the most non-perishable food in the history of the effort coordinated through the Student Leadership Involvement and Community Engagement (SLiCE) office.

Last year, more than 15,000 members of the Ram Family helped bring in enough food and cash donations to provide 41,670 pounds of food, worth about $57,714, to hungry families in Northern Colorado. The annual fundraiser has been able to provide over 2.3 million meals in the past 31 years.

“Cans Around the Oval has been a tradition at CSU for over 30 years and is a great way for students, faculty, and staff to support the Food Bank for Larimer County so that they can get food to people who need it most,” said Jenn Rieskamp, senior program coordinator for SLiCE. “Any amount of money or any contribution of canned goods can make a huge difference in the life of people in our community. ”

Groups and individuals can register to participate in the collection effort now at cans.colostate.edu. There, they choose the areas in the community where they want to collect cans and cash, and can pick up supplies to aid in their canvassing at the ASCSU Senate Chambers in the Lory Student Center on Sept. 14, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

CANstruction Oct. 11

Don’t miss out on one of the unique aspects of Cans Around the Oval on Oct. 11, when registered groups participate in CANStruction. The Lory Student Center Plaza will be filled with creative sculptures built out of some of the canned food items, and those participating are awarded 100 bonus pounds toward their collected total. Groups interested in participating can register at cans.colostate.edu.

Then, on Wednesday, Oct. 18, participants bring all food and monetary donations to the Oval, where they are weighed, totaled and collected by the Food Bank for Larimer County, before being distributed to families in Northern Colorado.

This year organizers hope to raise at least $50,000 in cash and 50,000 pounds of food. Last year’s results are available online.

CSU faculty and staff can pitch in to this CSU tradition by donating and getting the word out, especially sharing on social media. Friendly competition between units, departments and colleges is encouraged! Volunteers are welcome to help with sorting the food, on Oct. 21 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., as well as on Nov. 4, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information contact Rieskamp at jenn.rieskamp@colostate.edu.

For more information, go to the Cans website, or contact the SLiCE office, 491-1682.