Students prep for food fight

January 20, 2010

BY STANLEY B. CHAMBERS JR., Staff Writer

The Durham News

The resident assistants were going through dorm themes like water, and Hannah Wyatt's dorm was tapped out.

Greek Gods. Pokemon. Desserts. Items "As Seen on TV."

Suddenly Wyatt, 18, a senior from Thomasville at the N.C. School of Science and Math, got a new idea. She wrote it on a piece of paper and passed it around. Everybody loved it.

She wanted her dorm to set a world

"Who doesn't want their name in the Guinness Book?" she said.

The group's first idea was to set a world record for the largest gathering of nerds. Everyone could wear glasses and pocket protectors, Wyatt thought.

Guinness said no.

"It was a let down because we were so excited at the time, but it was also fortunate in that it allowed us to think of something bigger," said Sue Anne Lewis, the lead organizer for the group's eventual project.

Lewis was talking with Kevin Cromwell, director of student services, when he suggested a food drive. The idea made sense to Lewis: each student at Science and Math has to do 60 hours of community service during the summer.

There are two world records for the most food collected in 24 hours: one at multiple locations and one at one location, which was set by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 2008.

Lewis sent another application, this time to break the single-location record. She screamed upon receiving an acceptance letter two weeks ago.

"Adding Guinness to it has set an excitement level that's out of control," Wyatt said.

The school must collect over 509,147 pounds of food to break the record. The non-perishable items will benefit the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.

Participants will receive a raffle ticket for every 10 pounds of food dropped off at the school March 20. Prizes are expected to include sports memorabilia and gift certificates.

Excitement is building, but the 20 student volunteers say they'd be doing a food drive even without the world-record attempt.

"In the end there are more kids out there who are not getting food daily, but we're getting fed three times a day," said Daniel Choi, 18, a senior from Goldsboro. "Our main point is to do the food drive so we can give the food to the community."

schamber@nando.com or 932-2025