It looked like Indiana University was going to be the winner of the 4th annual WSLM IU-PURDUE FOOD CHALLENGE as food was collected earlier this afternoon at the Washington County Family YMCA.
They collected 49 items of food for IU and only 33 for Purdue.
Next stop was Rebecca Marshall and the Salem Apothecary. Purdue was trailing the friendly challenge to help predict the winner of the annual Oaken Bucket game each year 2-1, having lost the past two years to Mid Southern Savings Bank, who collected food for IU.
“I’m feeling good about this year,” Marshall said when the drive kicked off a the end of October.
Marshall and her fellow Boilermakers collected 351 cans and $775 in cash donations, including a matching donation from a department store.
Unloading items from the 57 Chevy out in front of the Apothecary, Marshall asked about the collection at Eddie Gilstrap Motors – “Have you counted up their food yet?”
Gilstrap’s was the final stop where IU out-canned the Boilermakers with 855 total items. However, when the cash was added in, Purdue took the victory, $1159 to $904.
WSLM uses the similar method of counting as is done during the annual Feinstein Challenge, valuing each item donated as $1.
The total food and money raised during this promotion was $2,063.
Becky White, owner of WSLM said this brings the total amount raised in food and cash for the Washington County Food Bank over the past four years, to just over $8,000.
“I’m extremely happy to be encouraging our college football fans to donate to the food bank in honor of their favorite team,” said White. “We try and predict the outcome of the game with this friendly competition, but the real winner each year is the food bank and the people we’ve helped.”
Marshall will claim the WSLM Oak-urn Bucket for the coming year and bragging rights. IU along with Eddie Gilstrap Motors will no doubt be on the hunt to collect the trophy next year and break the tie in the series, which now stands at 2-2.
Tune in to find out who wins the real game this Saturday at 2:30p on WSLM 97.9 FM and WSLM 1220 AM. Don Fischer will call the game on FM and Tim Newton will have the Boilermaker’s call on AM.
