Be a Fan, Bring a Can
September 4, 2009 - Canadian Football League (CFL)
Calgary Stampeders News Release
The Calgary Stampeders and Homes By Avi are joining forces with the Calgary Food Bank for the 19th annual Be A Fan, Bring A Can food drive at Monday's Labour Day Classic against the Edmonton Eskimos. Fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items or cash donations, which will be collected by the wives and girlfriends of Stampeders players and coaches who will be stationed at the McMahon Stadium gates, along with volunteers from Homes by Avi and the Food Bank.
This year, the Food Bank has seen a 40 per cent increase in demand from this time last year. Due to this increase, Homes By Avi created the Chili Cook-Off to further grow the Be A Fan, Bring A Can program and to help create awareness and raise donations. The three-week Cook-Off event featured members of the Stampeders cooking their famous chili recipes and competing against members of the media. Global Calgary's Bruce McAllister will be serving up samples of his winning chili in the Festival Zone - located on the east side of the stadium. Fans are encouraged to make a minimum donation of $2 in exchange for the chili serving.
Another important extension of this year's Be A Fan, Bring A Can initiative was the appearance of Stampeders players Barrick Nealy, Keon Raymond, Jon Cornish, Marc Calixte and Derek Armstrong this week at Safeway locations in Shawnessy, Westhills and Crowfoot to create awareness for the program and collect food and cash donations along with volunteers from Homes by Avi and the Food Bank.
More than $72,500 worth of food items and cash donations was raised during the 2008 version of the program, including $58,384 at the McMahon Stadium gates on the day of the game. The one-day total collected on game day was the most in the history of the program. The 18-year total of the food drive now stands at approximately $425,500.
"The Labour Day Classic food drive continues to play an important role in our goal of not letting Calgarians go hungry," said Kristen Brown, development coordinator of community initiatives with the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank. "It has been a great partnership and we appreciate their effort."
"This is a great initiative that brings the Stampeders football club and the community together to provide something substantial for the Food Bank and it's great to see our partner Homes By Avi embrace this in such a large way," said club spokesperson Peni Hufnagel, wife of head coach/general manager John Hufnagel. "I'm proud to be involved with the program."
Canadian Football League Stories from September 4, 2009
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