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If You Go

What
Block party to benefit Minnesota State University’s Campus Kitchen program
When
10 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday
Where
On the university’s campus mall area next to Centennial Student Union
The band Key Lime Special will perform from noon-1 p.m., and the event will include a bean-bag toss tournament, a Toppers Sticks-eating contest, hot dog stand, prize wheel, free cotton candy and popcorn, games and prizes.
All proceeds will go directly to Campus Kitchen.

April 10, 2011

Block party to benefit Campus Kitchen

By Robb Murray Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO — An on-campus block party will be held at Minnesota State University this week to benefit the Campus Kitchen program.

The event, open to all, will be on the university’s campus mall area next to Centennial Student Union from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday.

It comes together as a result of a partnership Campus Kitchen has struck up with the College of Business, students from which have organized the event.

Denise Billington-Just, assistant director of community engagement at MSU, said the College of Business’ efforts have been instrumental in helping keep Campus Kitchen alive and thriving.

“They’ve been huge,” she said. “They do so many different things that bring in money, things that bring word of the project throughout the community.”

The band Key Lime Special will perform from noon-1 p.m., and the event will include a bean-bag toss tournament, a Toppers Sticks-eating contest, hot dog stand, prize wheel, free cotton candy and popcorn, games and prizes. All proceeds go directly to Campus Kitchen, a non-profit organization that rescues prepared but not served food primarily from the university’s dining service. It then distributes that food — roughly 250 meals weekly — to the community’s hungry.

Billington-Just said that, in addition to the party, Campus Kitchen has a fundraising event in the fall that coincides with National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, which typically falls in November.

For now, Billington-Just said they’re hoping to add more community volunteers to the ranks. Starting in May, she said, they’ll need help packaging meals on campus from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays. And from 1-2 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays they need help with deliveries. Call her at 389-5783 to volunteer.

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