Durham Wants You to Show Them Your Cans!

People in Durham take care of one another - that fact is evidenced throughout the community. People in Durham are so intent on taking care of one another that this Saturday is the first anniversary of the Marry Durham event where people married the city.

Now Durham’s vibrant entrepreneurial community is being called upon once again to supply up to 20 teams for the second annual CFD {Creative Food Drive} to benefit the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina on Saturday, September 22, 2012.  The event and competition will take place at North Rigsbee (Motorco, Fullsteam, and the adjoining block).

“The Durham community is so active and creative we thought, ‘Why not put this energy to good use?’” said George Hining of MHAworks Architecture, one of the organizers of the event.

According to Hining, roughly 500 people are expected to turn out for this year’s competition, which is taking the form of a block party with live music, games, and local food and drink vendors.  The event will be free to the public and the competitors.

So what is the competition about?  Each team (formed between now and the end of August) will compete by designing and constructing any type of stand-alone “sculpture” they can conceptualize out of non-perishable food items in 90 minutes.  These items have either been purchased or solicited and will be donated after the event to the Food Bank.

One of last year’s sponsors, ReverbNation, is back in the mix providing CFD with three bands for the second year in a row.  King’s Red and White Super Market has also jumped in to show its support as a partnering grocery store, providing teams with an easier way to stock their structures at wholesale prices.  Food Trucks from last year like Will & Pops, Pie Pushers and The Parlour are back, and so are competing teams, such as Semprius and LeChase Construction. “The whole experience was great.  At the end of the program, we had employees looking to the next year, throwing out ideas to make the sculpture even better,” said Joseph Carr, CEO of Semprius, the 2011 Winner of the Best Overall Award.

“It’s a great way for the Durham community to learn about our branch in the city and to provide meals for families who may need our help,” said Linda Fisher, Special Events and Food Drive Manager for the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.

“The idea of building sculptures out of non-perishable foods is a fun way to resupply our shelves and help us get food out to the families that need it,” she added.

“Last year the Creative Food Drive was very successful, with 16 competing teams, we were able to raise over 8,160 meals for the Food Bank” says Brittany Guarino, of MHAworks, another organizer of the event. “With overwhelming positive response to our first CFD, this year should be even bigger and better than it was back in October.”

Learn more about other exciting events occurring in Durham by looking at the Durham Event Calendar.

See Also:
Marry Durham Celebrates One Year