Malone, Walsh Universities team up to "Tailgate Against Hunger"

While crosstown rival Malone and Walsh University athletes passionately battle it out on the football field at the on Benson Stadium on Saturday, November 10 at 1 p.m., the institutions' business students will join together on the sidelines to pitch in for a common cause: fighting hunger in their own backyard. 

Along with the Jackson and GlenOak high school Key Clubs, the Kiwanis Club of Belden Village, the Stark County AKTION Club (a Kiwanis service leadership program for adults with disabilities), Malone's Enactus team and Walsh's Business Club will host the ninth annual "Tailgate Against Hunger." 

Food and/or cash will be collected by the volunteers, and donated to the Stark County Hunger Task Force (SCHTF). Every dollar provides up to seven pounds of free groceries. According to the SCHTF, one in six Stark County residents is hungry; 15.9 percent struggle with food insecurity. The Task Force is an emergency line of support for those in need of food assistance by providing food to one of more than 30 local food pantries. Learn more at starkhunger.org. 

Malone's committee includes students Bradley Bowers, George McCartney, Nicholas Chaplik, Katie Corbit, and Tyler Harroun. The committee has expanded their efforts this semester to include other athletic teams as well, and have raised money at sporting events by holding raffles. They also have donation bins and collection banks in each residence hall and academic building.

“Through our partnership with Walsh University and the collection of monetary and physical donations, we have been able to raise more than 90,000 pounds of food over the past few years, and we have plans to continue to add to that contribution,” said Bowers. “All of these collections support the Stark County Hunger Task Force, an amazing organization that fights hunter within our local community. We are proud of our partnership and look to continue it next year and beyond.”

Bowers and co-president Kaylor Schuttinger will be on air with Gary Rivers on WHBC Friday, November 9 at 10:35 a.m., along with Walsh’s Business Club co-presidents.

 “This is the ninth year for Malone’s participation in the event, but early on, food was collected for other football games. Several years ago, the event was changed to be held during the Walsh game to further benefit Stark Countians, and donations increased significantly,” said Lyndon Thomas, a Malone graduate, trustee, and Belden Village Kiwanis officer.