On the eve of the Ducks’ and the Buckeyes’ battle on the football field for Rose Bowl supremacy, fans of both teams banded together to help the less fortunate.
Volunteers from the two schools rolled up their sleeves at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to put together care packages with food and blankets for the needy on New Year’s Eve.
Ohio State University spokesperson Shelly Hoffman said before the event that she expected about 250 people to show up — a “combination of alumni, students and friends of the university chipping in, along with our friends from Oregon.”
Hoffman said the event was “part of a long tradition of giving back to the community.” Ohio State has organized service projects for their last 11 consecutive bowl appearances, mostly at food banks.
University President Richard Lariviere attended the event, as did ASUO President Emma Kallaway. They were joined by Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee and members of Buckeyes football coach Jim Tressel’s family.
Kallaway said about 100 people from the University and about 200 from Ohio State attended.
“If we had a lot more notice, we could have gotten more people, but I think we held our own,” Kallaway said. “We were pretty happy about that.”
Kallaway said the volunteers assembled 21,000 kits during the event.
Ducks and Buckeyes intermingled as they put together food baskets in a long assembly line. The schools’ mascots and cheerleaders were also on hand to pump up the crowd.
Kallaway said she was paired up with the undergraduate student body president from Ohio State, and the two broke down pallets of cereal boxes and compared notes on their
student governments.
Phil Weiler, University senior director of communications,  said the school was looking for a service project to get involved in before the Rose Bowl and “jumped at the chance” when Ohio State invited them to participate.
“We were on the lookout for a good opportunity,” he said. “We wanted to show there’s more to sports than just the rivalry. There’s an opportunity to do something good, as well.”
The Holden Leadership Center organized the University’s involvement. The leadership center coordinates many such projects for students, such as alternative spring and winter break trips and neighborhood clean-ups.
The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank distributes food to needy children, families and
individuals. According to its Web site, volunteers distributed 39 million pounds of food
in 2008.
Kallaway said the service project was not only a way to help the needy, but also say thank you to the city.
“The community in Los Angeles was amazing,” Kallaway said. “Everyone was very courteous and accommodating while we took over their town for the Rose Bowl, so this was the best possible way to return the favor.”
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