Trick or treat, or Trick or Eat?

by Sandee Nho

The St. Clair College Student Representative Council is giving to those in need while helping to raise students’ awareness of poverty.

“Trick or Eat” is the St. Clair’s SRC’s annual food bank fundraiser. People in the community have an opportunity to give to students in need by donating canned goods. On Oct. 22 and 23, 1,000 brown paper bags were delivered to the doorsteps of homes in different neighborhoods by members of the council and volunteers. On Oct. 29 and 30, members and volunteers returned and collected the canned goods which neighbors were instructed to leave on their door step in the brown bags. The cans were donated to the campus food bank which is available to full-time students at St. Clair.

The organizer of the campaign was Keri Bagley, president of the SRC.

“Organization of the fundraiser took about a month,” said Bagley. “I had to get volunteers, write the letters, order the bags, print the letters, staple the letters to the bags and map out the areas. It’s a lot of work, but more than worth it.”

Students are encouraged to donate canned goods throughout the year to keep the food bank running year round. With the help of the SRC’s board of directors and volunteers, the campaign was able to collect more than 4,000 cans.

Cierra Bray is enrolled at St. Clair College in business administration marketing.

“I believe can drives are always a great way to help less fortunate in the community. Can drive fundraisers also involve the community a bit more than just collecting money. There’s a story to a can of soup that will help someone stay nourished and alive,” said Bray.

Students at the college say that support the can drive.

“I think [Trick or Eat] is a good idea because it’s helping out college students who are in school full time,” said Lexii Moreland, a tourism and travel student at St. Clair.
“Sometimes they aren’t able to afford their necessities so the Student Representative Council is helping them out with that.”

The SRC has several other events coming up including their Movember campaign and Christmas Toy and Food Drive. In January 2013 they will be having their first Mental Health Awareness week.