CÉLINE GRIMARD

University of Saskatchewan students have a great excuse to dress up for Halloween and go door-to-door trick-or-treating this year. But instead of building their own personal candy collections, students will be collecting non-perishable food donations through the U of S Students’ Union Food Centre Trick or Eat program.

The event is part of a national initiative put on by Meal Exchange, an organization that collects food donations for local food agencies. Meal Exchange is an advocate for long-term solutions to hunger and also provides donations to support students working towards a Canada with zero hunger.

In collaboration with the USSU Food Centre, which is a branch of the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre, university students have been volunteering and dressing up for this event for a number of years.

Taletha Bennett, third-year nutrition student, is the on-campus co-ordinator for the Food Centre and has participated in Trick or Eat for the last five years. In past years, it has been a concern of those involved with the initiative that student volunteers may be difficult to come by on a weeknight, however Bennett is hopeful for this year’s turnout.

“Because it’s a Saturday this year, we actually get the whole day to do the event instead of a few hours that night. I thought at first that it might be a challenge as a co-ordinator to just get everyone together or get everyone organized, but I think it will be an advantage to us just because students can start earlier and will still have time to go out to different events,” Bennet said.

The event starts at 4 p.m. on Oct. 31 in room 110 of Upper Place Riel, but students can also fundraise beforehand by accepting non-perishable food donations and cash donations.

Students will choose their route on the day of the event, from a map of Saskatoon. According to Bennett, routes are based on the size of the team and the duration of time they plan to be outside.

Once a team has their route, they can pick up their supplies which include grocery bags and optional thank-you cards for the donors.

“It’s kind of more of a legitimacy thing …  people like to look and see what the actual campaign is and where it originated and just some facts about it,” Bennett said.   

The Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre also supplies informational sheets which indicate items that are presently in short supply.

Bennett encourages students to get involved and notes that signing up ahead of time is not required but helps the organizers keep track of the number of participants.

The event is not exclusively for students either; Bennett says all are welcome but she admits there is a particular incentive for those who register under their college.

“The college with the most donated bags at the end of the night wins the candy cup, a large trophy cup full of candy that your college can have on display until next Halloween.”

Last year, The College of Arts and Science won the cup and the event itself raised 5,000 pounds of non-perishable food items for Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre. 

Once the team bags have been counted for, the Food Bank picks up the donations and brings them back to their warehouse to be weighed all together. According to Bennett, the USSU Food Centre’s record is 7,000 pounds, so the group is trying to surpass that figure this year.

If students cannot make it to the event itself and want to take part, the USSU Food Centre will have donation barrels set up in the Arts Tunnel and in the Health Science Building from Oct. 26–30. The USSU Food Centre’s main office also accepts non-perishable donations or people can simply donate cash online.

Bennett insists that Trick or Eat is a valuable part of the U of S campus community initiatives and encourages students to do their part.

“This event helps us to replenish the food stores that keep our students fuelled all year. It’s a great way to give back to the organization that gives to us all year long.”