ELON, N.C. – The Elon Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) will be hosting a food drive as part of the Colonial Athletic Association’s fourth-annual conference-wide Food Drive Challenge from Saturday, April 9 – Friday, April 15.
The project not only provides an opportunity for student-athletes to compete in a non-athletic realm across campuses, it also allows institutions to address the need for donated food throughout their communities in an effort to stop hunger. With the help of Elon’s Campus Kitchen, Elon’s SAAC will donate all food and monetary gifts collected to Allied Churches of Alamance County.
SAAC members will be on hand at the following home events to collect nonperishable food items and monetary donations.
Saturday, April 9
Softball vs. Hofstra (DH) – 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Women’s Tennis vs. South Carolina State – 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 10
Women’s Lacrosse vs. Towson – noon
Softball vs. Hofstra – 1 p.m.
Men’s Tennis vs. Furman – 1 p.m.
Tuesday, April 12
Baseball vs. NC State – 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 13
Softball vs. UNCG – 5 p.m.
Friday, April 15
Baseball vs. Towson – 6:30 p.m.
Women’s Lacrosse vs. James Madison – 7 p.m.
Fans who bring food or monetary donations to the women’s lacrosse game on April 10, baseball on April 12 and 15 and softball on April 13 will receive a raffle ticket for the chance to win a $25 gift card to Bojangles with the winner announced during the game. Additionally, those that donate during those games will receive a Bojangles Mystery Gift Card, valued between $1-$100 (limited to a first come basis).
Those with a Phoenix Card can also donate by allowing their card to be swiped for a monetary donation at any of the previous mentioned Elon Athletic events and College Coffee on Tuesday, April 12.
Fans who bring food items to the Elon baseball game on Friday, April 15, will receive $1 off the price of admission for every item donated. With tickets at $5 – five nonperishable food items will waive the price of a ticket.
Bins will also be placed in Koury Athletic Center and Alumni Field House during the dates of April 9 – 15 for donations at any time throughout the week.
Allied Churches most current donation needs include:
Breakfast items – grits, pancake mix, syrup, oatmeal, granola bars, etc.
Pasta – boxed, any type
Peanut butter – any brand and size
Fruit – canned
A CAA winner will be determined based on the number of pounds of nonperishable food collected by each institution. Monetary donations will be accepted and converted into pounds of food at a consistent rate as well. The CAA will announce the winner in April and CAA Commissioner Tom Yeager will present the winning institution with a trophy during a future event.
All 10 members of the CAA will participate in the Food Drive Challenge. Last year’s challenge resulted in 8,126 pounds of donated food along with nearly $4,268 in cash to local food banks.