Minnesota State University, Mankato and Winona State played their Harvest Bowl game this past Saturday. Not only was this game one of the largest due to the rivalry between the two schools, it also marked the finale of the first annual food drive competition.
Within a weeks notice, both schools shared the idea of having a food drive with its school population. This food drive would be to benefit both schools’ local campus cupboard that help students facing food insecurity. For the week of September 24th to the 28th, each school was given instructions to collect as much food, toiletries, and monetary donations as possible with the winning school recieving ulitmate bragging rights and a small trophy. The final total was to be announced during halftime at the football game Saturday afternoon.
On Friday afternoon at 4 pm, the official donation drive ended. Here at MSU, a group of students spent nearly 7 hours counting and sorting all of the items that were donated to various locations around the school. The day was ended with an estimate total of what MNSU students raised themselves but the competiton results would not be known until the next day.
Come Saturday following the first quarter, Maverick Football lead the game ahead of the Winona Warriors.
At half time, with the Mavericks still in the lead, the announcement came to the student body about who won the food drive. MNSU, Mankato raised nearly $900 in monetary donations and had over 2,200 items donated to various offices around campus.
At the end of the game, the Mavericks beat the Warriors 20 to 6. Not only did they win the food drive, but they won the game as well.