10 Broadcaster Press USD Food Fights On games asking for donations and giving away T-shirts and bags for cash donations. The University of South Da- Milica Pavlovic, Elise Van Zijst kota (USD) athletic department and Yuliya Sidenko of the USD Tennis team were stationed is in the middle of a competiat HyVee Saturday. “It’s nice tion to benefit the Vermillion to do something good for the community. The Food Fight is an annual food drive where all community,” said Van Zijst, universities in the league fight Freshman psychology major from Holland. “We’re trying to collect the most food for to raise as much money as their local food pantry. we can. People really want Jamie Oyen, Associate ADto donate money. Sometimes Compliance for USD Intercolyou get people who already legiate Athletics, is heading the drive this year. “It’s always donated.” Junior Graphic Debeen the Summit League initia- sign major, Sidenko of Ukraine remembered doing the drive tive that our conference does in previous years. “It’s a good with all nine schools within the league,” she said. “We have experience to help people get money for donations,” she to pick two weeks throughout said. “I feel like we’re doing a the winter basketball season. We can do them in succession great job. We did it in the Dome last year before basketball or we can do them separated. games. We did the same thing All cash and food we collect with t-shirts and bags.” will go to Vermillion Food USD hopes to surpass, or Pantry. The school that raises at least come closer to their the most money will become the Summit League Food Fight major competitor in the Food champion.” This year the drive Fight this year. “SDSU has was planned the 20-26 of Janu- won the trophy four of the last ary then the 18-24 of February. five years with USD coming USD Athletics has certainly in second the last few years,” Oyen said. “We really want to covered all their bases for collecting the food. During the beat state. They’re the ones we first week, athletes were set up chase every year in the food at HyVee and home basketball fight. They’ve got great supBY SARAH WETZEL For the Plain Talk SARAH WETZEL/FOR THE PLAIN TALK Members of the USD Tennis team (L-R Yuliya Sidenko, Milica Pavlovic and Elise Van Zijst) were among USD Athletes stationed at HyVee last week collecting items and cash for the annual Food Fight canned food drive to benefit the local food pantry. port up there and every year port the food pantry,” Oyen we gain a little more ground. I said. “We’ve got businesses think one day we’ll get there so in Vermillion that have been hopefully this year we catch up putting their business up to do a little bit more.” a food fight day or food fight Local businesses have night where a percentage of also chipped in. “We’re really sales from that business that appreciative not only of the day goes toward the food fight. businesses in Vermillion that It’s great to see those businesshelp in a huge way but also es help us. It drives business members of the community to them but also helps the food that come out and help suppantry.” The athletes hope to February 2, 2016 www.broadcasteronline.com continue to see a high level of community support during their second week of the drive in February. If possible, cash donations are encouraged according to Oyen. “For cash donations, a $5 donation equals 13 pounds,” she said. “You certainly can’t buy 13 pounds of food for $5. Often for the competition, the cash donations add up a lot quicker for us. Last year we had 13,000 pounds of food that we collected and we’d like to get over 15,000 pounds this year. Having the support of both the cash and the cans is great because ultimately it goes to the food pantry and helps stock their shelves.” Vermillion residents don’t even have to leave their house to donate to the Food Fight. “We will be putting bags out on doors February 18 and collecting them February 20,” Oyen said. “If residents have Vermillion have a plastic bag on their door with a note asking for a can donation we’d just ask if they’d be willing to put a few cans in and stick it back on their door that Saturday and our athletes will be going around from 10 to noon that day picking up any cans that people leave on their front porch or their door. We wanted to make it as easy as possible.” Ultimately it is not only the community but also the athletes that benefit from this act of service. “Our athletes actually deliver the food once the drive is over every year,” Oyen said. “For us to be able to bring that in and see how much it refills their shelves and helps so many people in the community, it’s very rewarding for our student athletes to help with that and see the impact.” Upcoming community collection events are as follows: Basketball games on February 18, 20 and 21. Tuesday, Feb. 23: Food Fight Night at Buffalo Wild Wings in Sioux Falls (Louise Ave.) from 5-8 p.m. (10 percent of all sales at the Louise Ave. location between 5-8 p.m. will be donated). Wednesday, Feb. 24: Food Fight Day at Mr. Smith’s in Vermillion (10 percent of all sales will be donated to the Food Fight). Buy Local! Shop the Classifieds!