Tuesday, October 4, 2011 twitter.com/@msureporter
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Minnesota State University, Mankato
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WEDNESDAY
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THURSDAY
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For full Homecoming football game coverage, see page 9 shannon rathmanner • msu reporter
A record-setting crowd watches the Mavericks prevail over the Winona State Warriors.
Building community and sculptures Homecoming Can Drive benefits Mankato JENNA WENDINGER
staff writer
jenna wendinger • msu reporter Students participate in the annual Homecoming Can Drive and Sculpture Contest
inside: Voices.............................................4 A&E.................................................7 Sports.............................................9
The Homecoming Can Drive and Sculpture Contest has become an annual event at Minnesota State University, Mankato reminding students how important the University is to the Mankato community. Once again MSU teamed up with Echo Food Shelf to donate food for people in need. Their goal this year was to raise 2,000 pounds of food. “Homecoming is not always about a campus celebration but a community celebration. Echo Food Shelf is a wonderful opportunity for us to connect [with the community],” said Associate Director of Student Activities Gregory Wilkins. Twelve of the 23 Homecoming competition teams used their creative thinking skills to design and construct Homecoming-themed sculptures built out of the dona-
tions they collected. Donations were secured through door-to-door soliciting, local business donations and monetary donations from team members. “Homecoming is all about school spirit, but it’s important to bring it back and focus on making a difference,” said Sigma Sigma Sigma member Christina Miller. While the Greek community remained a large part of Homecoming events, smaller groups also made their presence known. “Our university can give back to the community as well as promote our organization,” said Hmong Student Association President Jeff Lee. Kayla Lynam and Paul Creger, members of Mav Upper, said their group was just there to have some Homecoming fun while helping out a good cause. “It’s not so much about winning as helping people out,“ said Lynam. Sculptures were judged on
creativity, presentation and overall thoroughness of design. Teams were eligible to win up to 200 points to contribute to their Homecoming event totals. This year, points were based on a tiered system to encourage a variety of donations. Teams were rewarded for including canned fruits and cranberries in their sculptures. ECHO Food Shelf requested these items because they are in short supply with Thanksgiving quickly approaching. Monica Oberle and Macia Olavson, Echo Food Shelf board members and volunteers, helped judge the sculptures in addition to representing Echo Food Shelf at the event. Echo Food Shelf serves approximately 50 – 100 individuals and families per day and with this number on the rise, donations from Homecoming will be gone in no time at all. Olavson stressed that it
Can Drive / page 2
MONEYBALL, 50/50 AND DRIVE REVIEWS FROM THE REPORTER’S MOVIE GURU CHRISTIAN HAGEN - PAGE 8