The war between the Sun Devils and Wildcats has been ongoing since 1897, but in the two universities’ latest fight, food is involved. The Food Fight is a food drive competition between the two schools that began this semester and will carry on during Thursday’s football game in Tucson. ASU collected 75 pounds of nonperishable food items and raised more than $700 at Friday’s UCLA football game as part of the competition, said aerospace engineering senior Sam Lipman, ASU4Food vice president. ASU4Food is the club on campus that puts on food drives, including the Food Fight. ASU collected food last year, but UA just joined the cause this year, Lipman said. ASU collected a total of $7,553.28 and 4,603 pounds of food last year and is on track to surpass last year’s numbers, Lipman said. The club has already collected $2,594.71 and has raised 1,256 pounds of food this semester, not including the large amount it raised during homecoming. He predicted they collected about an additional 4,000 pounds during their homecoming drive. Each school can collect food throughout the yearlong competition that ends in May 2011, but the two universities are allowed to hold specific fundraising events, including one home football game and one home basketball game collections. The school that raises the most money and pounds of nonperishable food items throughout the school year is the winner, said Gus Miranda, a State Farm public affairs representative. The insurance company has sponsored the Territorial Cup Series for the past two years. The series keeps track of the rivalry and awards one point to each sport for every time one school beats the other. State Farm just decided to add this community awareness project in the competition this year, he said. “For State Farm, we are very proud to help address issues that are within the community,” Miranda said. Lipman was impressed with the number of donations from the last football game, he said. “I was kind of surprised but very happy also,” he said. “A lot of people just forget [to donate].” Many students, including aeronautical management and technology freshman Sean Morrow, value charity projects and food drives. “I don’t think it’s a sense of need to donate but almost a sense of right because I’ve been blessed by opportunities and family,” he said. “I feel that I am obligated to those who have less or are less fortunate than me.” Morrow did not participate in the drive at the last football game, but he and his family have donated to ASU’s food drives for years because his dad is an ASU alumnus. ASU4Food and State Farm both want this effort to bring in as much food and revenue as possible because every dollar donated can feed up to seven people, Lipman and Miranda said. All of the proceeds and donations go to St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix, Miranda said. “It’s not political, it’s just that everyone needs food,” Lipman said. “It’s just a general requirement that everyone deserves a meal.”
Reach the reporter at cottens@asu.edu
