Posted By Andra Holbrooks on Nov 16, 2010

A campus-wide canned food drive called Cru Can takes place annually for providing goods to a local charity, Helping Hands.

The Student Government Association, heads up this week-long drive for students to get involved and serve a community in need.

Last year, UMHB and Hardin-Simmons University competed to see who could raise the most canned goods.

Alumna and former SGA member Lauren Allen remembers the hours of work that went into organizing the first Cru Can drive.

“I helped with putting out all the collecting receptacles and helped count the cans,” she said.

“Because I worked with Kristy Brischke in the student organizations office, I had to take all the items that weren’t cans and take them to Hope for the Hungry so they could give those things to the community,” she said.

The event is worth getting competitive about, and this week it takes a different spin from last year. Sophomore Christian ministry major Ryan Murphy said this year HSU wasn’t able to participate.

“This is our second annual Cru Can,” he said. “It differs from last year in that we are competing student organizations and residence halls.”

Over 2,000 pounds of canned goods were given to Helping Hands last year.

“I came up with the idea to have a campus competition because I knew Helping Hands appreciated the food drive last year,” he said. “And this year it’s based off of the number of cans, so I would love to see over 1,000 cans collected among the organizations.”

Youth ministry major and senior class president Bethany Carter knows the importance of reaching out and giving to the community.

“It’s very important …. This is a chance for students to do something together to impact someone’s life,” she said. “It’s an amazing way to get involved and feed someone who may not eat otherwise.”

She questions if the university wants to be known as a community “who gathers together for the good of those around us.”

Carter said, “Without student involvement, this won’t be successful.”