UA athletes, businesses team up to fight hunger
Posted on Sunday, January 28, 2007
The Arkansas Fight song and a Hog call kicked off a donation ceremony at the Broyles Athletics Complex on Saturday.
The University of Arkansas athletics program, Tyson Foods, Interstate Batteries and Lift Up America teamed up to distribute a large amount of batteries and 30, 000 pounds of protein to help fight hunger in Northwest Arkansas.
About 30 athletes, Razorbacks and Lady'Backs, helped load various food agency trucks with meat and batteries. Notable players present included Darren McFadden, the Heismann runner-up tailback; Ben Cleveland, tight-end; and Robert Johnson, wide-receiver.
Heather Thordsen, Ozark Food Bank executive director, helped coordinate with all the distribution agencies in Northwest Arkansas. She brought 22 agencies from across Benton, Washington, Madison and Carol counties together to help distribute the food and batteries.
She said it may not look like it, but Northwest Arkansas has a lot of people who go hungry.
"90, 000 people in Northwest Arkansas are at risk of hunger every day," Thordsen said.
Thordsen said events like the donation ceremony make her proud to be a part of the Northwest Arkansas community.
"This is what we adore about Northwest Arkansas," she said. "Whenever we ask for help, they step up. Not just for a pat on the back, but because they care about their neighbors. "
Lift Up America has partnered with corporations and professional and college sports teams all over the nation to bring food to the hungry. Tyson Foods has been partnering with Lift Up America for the past three years. Archie Schaffer III, Tyson Foods senior vice president, said Tyson has been focusing on hunger relief for the past six years and has donated 41 million pounds of protein all across the nation, but that donating in Northwest Arkansas was special. "We have such close relations with the area, and we wanted to do something for Fayetteville and do something with our home team," Schaffer said. "We're honored to be here to make the donations."
Razorback players ended the ceremony by going into the sleeting rain to load up trucks with meat and batteries. Cleveland said it was a great opportunity for the team to thank their community.
"It means a lot to us when they come out and support us on Saturdays," Cleveland said. "So we just wanted to get out and support them."
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
