Before Saturday’s battle against Illinois, the wives of the Ohio State football coaches will not sit chatting in the stands. Instead, they will collect non-perishable food items and monetary donations at various locations around St. John Arena to support the second annual Buckeye Battle Against Hunger.
Gilda Spencer, wife of OSU running back coach Tim Spencer, organized the Buckeye Battle Against Hunger. All of the food and money collected during the hunger drive will be donated to the Mid-Ohio FoodBank.
“Our goal is to double last year’s donations of 5,000 pounds of food to 10,000 pounds,” Gilda Spencer said. Aside from food, the women also raised about $1,500 in monetary donations last year.
The two-week food drive began Nov. 4 and will continue until Nov. 17. According to Evelyn Behm, associate director for the Mid-Ohio FoodBank, the best foods to donate are non-perishable items such as peanut butter, pasta dinners and canned items such as soups, stews, fruit, vegetables and meats.
The Mid-Ohio FoodBank distributes food and other items to more than 450 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other charities throughout central and eastern Ohio. More than half of the people served by the food bank are children and people over age 65.
According to Behm, the monetary donations will buy necessary perishable food and other needed items, such as diapers and formula. Some of the money may pay for the cost of transporting food to certain locations.
The wives have been working hard to drop off information and food boxes in residence halls on campus as well as to fraternities and sororities. Local churches are helping as well. The food drive includes two 90-minute food rallies, where the women collect food outside a grocery store. The first was held Nov. 4 at the Big Bear at the corner of Powell Road and Sawmill Road. The second rally will take place at the Kingsdale Center Big Bear located at 1775 Tremont Rd. from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. today.
Becky Dantonio, wife of defensive coordinator Mark Dantonio, said they have joined forces with the Ohio Staters. This group is composed of students, faculty and staff who work to promote OSU traditions. The Ohio Staters conduct an annual food drive in Upper Arlington, and this year they are working with the coaches wives, donating all of the food to the Mid-Ohio FoodBank.
The wives are confident that the community will help support the Buckeye Battle Against Hunger.
There are many charities in Columbus trying to raise money because of the Sept. 11 attacks, but Gilda Spencer does not think it will distract from the food drive. “People are in a charitable mood right now and this is an easy way to give without having to stretch the budget.”
Behm said national donations were down this fiscal year prior to Sept. 11, and she attributes that to a weak economy. National donations come from food industry donors who give surplus and non-marketable items. However, she said people are responding more generously on an individual level.
OSU is the only Big Ten school with a program like the Buckeye Battle Against Hunger. “Once we get this program off the ground, we would like to help it expand,” Gilda Spencer said.
