For the City Times

The South Wood County Hunger Coalition will be holding its Fourth Annual “Strike Out Hunger” United We Can event on Wednesday, Jun. 15 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Witter Field.

Following the event, the food sculptures will be on display at the Wisconsin Rapids Rafter’s game against the Madison Mallards starting at 7:05 p.m.  United We Can is a canned food sculpture contest using cans (or other basic needs items) donated by co-workers, employers, etc.

During the game, fans can bring along a canned food item to donate and be entered into a drawing for a gift basket.  Additionally, fans can vote for their favorite food sculpture in the “Community Choice Award.”

This year, participating organizations who are constructing a canned food sculpture include:  Aspirus Riverview Hospital, Central Wisconsin Literacy Council, Creative Community Livings Services (CCLS), ERCO Worldwide, Grace Lutheran Church, Nekoosa Academy, Ocean Spray, Solarus, and United Way’s 2-1-1.

The sculptures are disassembled on Thursday, and food will be distributed to local food programs.  Last year the event leveraged 8,200 lbs. of food for five area organizations:  Christian Life Fellowship’s Food Pantry, Rapids Family Backpacks, South Wood Emerging Pantry Shelf, The Family Center Shelter Pantry, and The Neighborhood Table.

“ ‘United We Can’ helps build awareness and strikes out hunger and food insecurities in our community,” said Stefanie Drexler, United Way of Inner Wisconsin’s Director of Office Operations and facilitator of the South Wood County Hunger Coalition. “This event is more than a food drive; it helps teams practice leadership, teamwork, creativity, and philanthropy all rolled into one project that will benefit local food pantries and help our friends and neighbors. Every sculpture is bringing a meal to a family that is struggling. And with 8,200 pounds of food collected in 2015, ‘United We Can’ fed a few families for the year. So let’s rally together, strike out hunger and make a difference around food insecurity and hunger.”