College team rivalry prompts food drive

Co-workers at a local accounting firm have turned a friendly college team rivalry into a catalyst for charity.

Employees at the accounting firm WIPFLi will use the rivalry between the Montana State University Bobcats and University of Montana Grizzlies as an excuse to gather food and hygiene products that will be distributed to three local food banks: Havre Food Bank, Feed My Sheep Soup Kitchen and the Havre High Food Pantry.

WIPFLi employee Julie Smith said there are as many MSU Cats fans in the 14-person office as there are those of the UM Griz.

Smith said it was a fellow co-worker, Shardae Hankinson, a Bobcat fan, who suggested the idea to see which fans can collect the most weight in food. Smith is a Griz fan. Smith said Hankinson got the idea because it was something that was happening in Bozeman.

WIPFLi employees would like the public to get involved and donate to the office on behalf of their team, Smith said. Anyone who donates more than 20 pounds will have their name put into a drawing that makes them eligible to win two tickets to the Nov. 19 game, the Brawl of the Wild, between the two Montana college football teams. Winners may also be eligible to win an autographed football, the flyer for the food drive says.

Smith said office employees are excited to be part of the drive.

“We’ve been wanting to do something for the community,” she said. “Everything you can do to help the community makes it more fun.”

One group who’s happy to help the WIPFLi food drive is the Havre Key Club, which started the Havre High Food Pantry, their advisor said.

Key Club Adviser John Ita said the Havre High Food Pantry was recently started after a speech therapist assistant, Virgina Cole, expressed concerns about some of her students.

“She came to us with concern that some people she was helping were going home hungry,” Ita said.

Ita said Cole asked him if there was anything he could do, and thus the Havre High Food Pantry was born.

In exchange for help getting the word out about the Griz-Cats food drive, the WIPFLi office will give some of the food they raise to the Havre High Food Pantry.

WIPFLi employees ask that people bring donations — nonperishable food items, personal hygiene products, monetary donations — to 300 Second Ave. or call 265-3201 for pickup. The food drive will run from Nov. 1 through Nov. 18.