Ohio University’s third Battle of the Tongues canned-food drive will continue among language departments until Nov. 2.
All food donations will be divided among Good Works Inc., the Athens County Food Pantry and United Campus Ministry.
The language department that contributes the most food will win a pizza party. Last year, Little Italy Pizza in The Plains donated the pizza.
“After collection, we will make individual arrangements with each organization to find out what foods they need most, then give the rest to the Athens County Food Pantry,” said Adi King, assistant professor of German.
The food drive is held in the fall so that the organizations can distribute the food before Thanksgiving, King said.
“It is important to bring the issue of poverty to the forefront,” King said. “Many people, especially students, don’t see what life is like outside of the university.”
King was inspired to begin The Battle of the Tongues after watching a Dateline NBC special about poverty in 2010 that focused on Southeast Ohio.
“This is a major issue and it’s happening in our own backyard,” King said.
In 2010, The Battle of the Tongues collected 3,500 items for donation and more than 4,000 in 2011.
Last year, the winning French class collected more than 800 items — an average of 40.5 items per student.
So far, more than 300 items have been collected this year.
“We are still only in the beginning of donations this year,” King said. “Hopefully we can break last year’s record.”
There is a food drop-off location in Gordy Hall or students can take the food to professors in the Department of Modern Languages.
“Our pantry could not survive without the help we receive from generous Ohio University teachers and students,” said Susan Kaneshige, corresponding secretary for the Athens County Food Pantry in a thank-you letter to OU in 2010.
hr332511@ohiou.edu
