Constant Center Employee Collects Nearly 1,000 Cans for Governor’s Holiday Hoops Food Drive
December 05, 2012
Anthony Jones always does something to give back during the holidays.
The retired Air Force jet engine mechanic and part-time worker at the Ted Constant Convocation Center has found the perfect outlet this year - to help the less fortunate, and support his love of Old Dominion University.
Jones has collected an incredible 964 cans of food (so far!) for the Governor's Holiday Hoops Classic Food Drive, a competition where the ODU community collects food and donations in competition with fans of the University of Virginia.
That competition was all it took for Jones to go all-in. "I fell in love with this university when I started working here," Jones said. "I also work at the Greenbrier Country Club, and a lot of their members are alums of Old Dominion. So I've been the guy asking all of them to bring canned goods!"
The food drive actually features four teams, the four schools competing in the Governor's Holiday Hoops Classic on Saturday, Dec. 22, at the Richmond Coliseum. The event will benefit the Federation of Virginia Food Banks, and Gov. Bob McDonnell has challenged the participating teams to raise as much in cash and food donations as possible.
Between Nov. 15 and Dec. 15, the schools will work with their local food banks to collect goods on campus. The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia will keep a record of ODU donations of food, as well as online donations, for a final amount. A winner between ODU and UVa, and between the University of Richmond and George Mason University, will be announced between the games of the Governor's Holiday Hoops Classic.
Collection bins for the food drive have popped up like mushrooms all over campus, as the ODU community has embraced the competition against UVa.
The ODU Chapter 200 of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi embraced the challenge as well, raising $750 among its membership, which counts as 3,000 pounds of food in the food drive.
Aramark and Monarch Dining have added a button to all cash registers in campus-affiliated food service businesses, where diners can make a $1 donation at the register.
The competition runs until Dec. 15, and every donation counts, so the ODU community is encouraged to give generously.
Around the ODU campus, there are dozens of containers to drop off food donations. The master list includes Webb Center, Koch Hall, Rollins Hall, Dragas Hall, Kornblau Alumni Center, Gornto Center, Oceanography and Physics Building, Kaufman Hall, Education Building, Batten Arts and Letters Building, Health Sciences Building, Constant Hall, Student Recreation Center, Perry Library and Learning Commons, Jim Jarrett Athletic Administration Building, ODU residence halls, and the higher education centers in Virginia Beach, Hampton and Portsmouth.
The businesses on Monarch Way have also pledged to collect donations, including Jimmy John's, La Herradura, Zero's Subs, Tropical Smoothie Café, Creative Hairdressers, Perfectly Franks, YNot Pizza, Borjo, Mojo Bones and the ODU Police Public Safety Building.
Other community partners collecting donations for the food drive include Lambert's Point Community Center, AOC Salon, Garden Gazebo, Pelon's Baja Grill, Running Etc. and Westside Provisions.
Food drive participants wishing to drop off food directly with the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia should make sure to ask that the food donation be added to the ODU total for the Holiday Hoops food drive.
Monetary donations are also encouraged. Here is the link for ODU's Hoops Classic donation page - http://fbseva.convio.net/site/Donation2?1462.donation=form1&df_id=1462 - where food drive participants can donate to add to the ODU total. A $1 donation equals four pounds of food.
The Governor's Holiday Hoops Classic features two games between teams representing three athletic conferences. In the first game, GMU will take on Richmond. The second game will feature ODU against UVa. That game will tip off at 5:30 p.m.
Ticket prices for the doubleheader are $70 for club seats, $50 for seats in the lower bowl, $35 for seats in the upper level and $20 for seats in the 300 level. Student floor seats will be sold for $10.