Campus groups are competing throughout the week to build structures out of donated food.
By Anna Kayser
Building structures out of cans has never been so competitive or for such a good cause.
Fraternities and sororities pairings on campus had the chance to gather nonperishable food items and compete against other teams for the best structure on Monday afternoon at the IMU.
Can-Struction is a weeklong event that showcases themes of University of Iowa Homecoming while gathering food items for the UI Food Pantry.
Efe Ayanruoh, the community service director of the Food Pantry, said the service is available to all students and staff who can’t afford food or are in need of food. The pantry started in May and is open year-round. It provides food as well as raises awareness about hunger issues.
Alpha Delta Pi member Kelly Gerlich said her group built an old-fashioned camera out of 523 cans that the members collected, mirroring their theme of “the legacy of cinema in Hollywood, the impact it has, and how it can be transferred over to real life.”
Structures receive points and are judged on creativity, use of theme that represents some aspect of the UI and university life, and number of food items, said Lauren Bogle, who represented all student organizations at the event.
Other forms of structures included a map of the Pentacrest, various Greek letters of the fraternities and sororities, the Old Capitol, simple towers and buildings, and a single can.
One group, whose theme surrounded the life and work of UI alum Gene Wilder, built Willy Wonka’s top hat in his honor, Bogle said.
Bogle and Ayanruoh, along with other members of the Homecoming Council, helped facilitate the event while keeping track of time and rules. At the end of the allotted time, judges were brought in to count up points to determine the first-, second-, and third-place teams of each group.
Jenna Heeren, a member of Chi Omega, said she built a wall featuring the Olympic Rings with her group, whose theme focused on the Olympic games for Iowa Shout. They collected 258 cans for the wall and Greek symbols of their respective groups.
Groups could sign up for the event prior to Sept. 15, with each organization or residence hall allowed one team made up of 10 members. In total, 10 sorority and fraternity pairings competed against each other Monday. Later this week, residence halls Rienow and Petersen will compete against each other, along with one other student organization.
Out of all the groups — Fraternity & Sorority Life, residence halls, and student organizations — the first-place team will receive $500, the second-place team $250, and the third-place team $100.
“But mostly it’s just for bragging rights,” said Kelsey Lox, the person in charge of the fraternity and sorority groups.