October 6, 2009

LSU "Cans" the Bulldogs!

Recently the LSU Athletic Training Student Organization, Alpha Tau Sigma, was challenged by the University of Georgia’s Sports Medicine Club to a Food Drive Competition. The rules were to collect non-perishable food items in any manner that each organization chooses and then to donate what was collected to each school’s local food bank. LSU would donate to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and UGA would donate to the Northeast Georgia Food Bank. The winner would be decided based on the weight, in pounds, of food items collected, as this is how the food banks operate. Both schools were to collect for two weeks (September 13-27) and the winner would be announced at the LSU vs. UGA football game in Athens, October 3.

In an effort to “Can” the Bulldogs, the LSU Athletic Training Students came up with many different ideas on how to collect the most food items possible. In addition to collecting in our own Athletic Training Room, we teamed up with the CHAMPS/LifeSkills program at LSU and their annual food drive, and we also invited many local high schools that have Certified Athletic Trainers to participate as well. With a total of 11 high schools collecting, we would like to offer a HUGE thank you to Denham Springs High School for collecting the most food!!

The final result…LSU WINS! With the combined efforts of all the LSU Athletic Training Students and Staff, the CHAMPS/LifeSkills Program, and the 11 local high schools, LSU was able to collect 7,417 pounds of food items! The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank has informed us that this is equivalent to 9,889 meals! Georgia was able to collect 844 pounds, making LSU the winner of the 1st Annual LSU vs. UGA Food Drive Competition.

The LSU Athletic Training Student Organization would like to offer a big thank you to the following organizations that participated in this competition: The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, Jade Jenkins and all who helped with CHAMPS, Denham Springs High School, Parkview Baptist High School, Ascension Catholic High School, Central High School of Baton Rouge, The Dunham School, East Ascension High School, Istrouma High School, Plaquemine High School, St. Amant High School, St. Joseph’s High School, University Lab School, Walker High School, and White Castle High School.

We would also like to thank Troy Prevot and LUBA Workers Comp for their support as well as generous donation to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.

Please read articles before and after the competition from LSU's Daily Reveille.