This year’s rivalry between Oregon State University and Washington State University will extend beyond the football field, with the real winner being the local food banks. The Oregon Potato Commission (OPC) and the Washington State Potato Commission (WSPC) are teaming up to tackle hunger via a friendly wager on the outcome of Saturday’s matchup in Corvallis, Ore., between the Beavers and Cougars.
“We have been proud sponsors of OSU football for the past few seasons, and each year we have one game where we set up a potato bar outside of the stadium and serve potatoes while collecting donations for Northwest Farmers Fighting Hunger,” said Bill Brewer, executive director for the OPC. “This year we wanted to see if we could do a little more for our local food banks and so we extended the invite to Washington’s potato growers to see if they were up to the challenge and to test their confidence in their team’s abilities.”
In addition to once again having a potato bar and collecting donations for Farmers Fighting Hunger before the game, this year the action on the field will also determine whether a food bank in Washington or Oregon is also victorious. For every point scored in Saturday’s matchup, 500 pounds of potatoes will be donated to a food bank in the winning team’s state. The donation will be made by the commission and growers whose team ended up on the losing end.
“That could be a lot of potatoes going to food banks. The last three seasons when OSU and WSU have played, the teams have combined to score an average of 55 points per game,” said Chris Voigt, executive director for the WSPC. “So if that trend holds true then you would be looking at 27,500 pounds of potatoes heading to one of the states. The organization from the winning state will select the food bank to send the potatoes to. The delivery will be made in the upcoming weeks just in time for the holiday season, one of the busiest times for food banks in our region.”
“The need for food assistance in Washington and Oregon and beyond is real, and even though this is a fun way to raise awareness, the opportunity to do our part and help with the demand food banks face this time of year is why we are most interested in having the wager,” said Brewer.
“Whether you are a fan of the Beavers, Cougars or any other team, everyone has the opportunity to root for food banks this weekend and hoping it is a high-scoring game,” added Voigt. “And with potatoes being one of the best whole-food sources of nutrition available, that is a win-win for all.”
Those fans who will be attending the game have the opportunity to stop by the potato bar served by local growers, make a donation, and enjoy a great tasting meal before kickoff.
Those who are unable to make it Corvallis but would still like to help can visit http://www.farmersendinghunger.com to make a donation.