As a lifelong LSU Tiger fan, I’m not one to speak kindly about anything in Tuscaloosa or Auburn. However, the University of Alabama and Auburn University have turned part of their longtime in-state rivalry into a friendly competition to help out the less fortunate in Alabama.
Since 1994, the two universities have gone toe-to-toe to see which university’s on-campus organizations “can raise the most pounds of canned and nonperishable food,” according to a press release from Auburn.
The “Food Fight” was created by Alabama’s Community Service Center and the West Alabama Food Bank. The two universities and their area’s respective food banks collect the food in the four weeks leading up to the Iron Bowl, the annual football game between the two rivals. Most students donate through different student organizations and drop-off points throughout their campuses.
Although it is a point of contention among us “real” Tiger fans as to who our rival is, it shouldn’t stop us from making an annual game into an event that could benefit the poorer people in our community.
According to Richshell Smith, the Chair of Civic & Social Awareness for Volunteer LSU, the service organization planned to have a canned food drive between the LSU and the University of Arkansas this year. Smith said an adviser from the Homecoming Committee had suggested the food drive to Volunteer LSU. The organization wanted to hold the drive in conjunction with Homecoming and the LSU v. Arkansas game Nov. 23. However, the drive didn’t take place because “we weren’t getting responses from [Arkansas] in a sufficient amount of time in order to plan the food drive,” Smith said.
This has not deterred Volunteer LSU from aspiring to hold the drive next year, however. Smith said the organization is hopeful they will be able to have the food drive with Arkansas in time for the Nov. 29, 2008 showdown between the two universities.
Volunteer LSU is finding other ways to bring a giving spirit to another University rival football game. “Volunteer LSU is assisting a student who is planning a blood drive competition between Alabama and LSU next semester,” Kyle Homan, director of Volunteer LSU, said.
These charitable competitions are a great way for us to turn our fanatic love of football into a way to benefit those who are less fortunate in our communities, whether it be through food or blood drives.
Alabama may have lost the Iron Bowl this year, but they won the “food fight” by donating 241,336 pounds of food to beat Auburn’s collection of 183,017 pounds of food. Those pounds of food will benefit countless families in Alabama. As Martha Faupel, executive director of the East Alabama Food Bank, said, “Even though the food fight is a competition between Alabama and Auburn, the winners are the needy throughout our community.”
One of the most important lessons in college is learning compassion and a sense of responsibility for our community. If the University were to follow in the footsteps of our SEC peers, we would be much higher than our national ranking in the eyes of the needy in Baton Rouge.