(SEDALIA, Mo.) – Visitors to this year’s Missouri State Fair can help support the fight against hunger by participating in the Fair’s fifth annual food drive. Fair Director Mark Wolfe announced today that the food drive will also include a Canstruction® display, which will depict a John Deere tractor and consist of more than 8,000 cans of food.
“Last year the Missouri State Fair food drive and Canstruction® project resulted in 18,783 pounds of food being donated to Missouri families,” Wolfe said. “Many people think hunger only affects other countries or big cities, when in fact there are people in our own neighborhoods and communities in need. Hunger is a growing problem in Missouri and we hope our efforts can shed light on the issue, while helping to alleviate food insecurity.”
Canned food will be collected every day of the Fair, Aug. 13-23, with a special discount gate admission promotion offered in exchange for canned food donations Tuesday, Aug. 18. The promotion, Missouri Farmers Care Food Drive Tuesday, is being sponsored in cooperation with Midwest and St. Louis Ford Dealers and Missouri Farmers Care, and will benefit Feeding Missouri.
Fairgoers will be able to exchange a canned food item for a $1 off gate admission coupon at the Centennial Gate on Aug. 18. The discount may not be combined with other offers and is restricted to a $5 maximum savings per adult ticket (regularly $10), $3 maximum savings per senior ticket (regularly $7) and $1 maximum savings per child ticket (regularly $2). Coupons are valid Aug. 18 only and may be redeemed at gate admission ticket booths.
To further raise awareness about hunger, a Canstruction® project will be on display in the center of the Agriculture Building Aug. 13-23. This year, the project will be a John Deere tractor and include more than 8,000 green, yellow, black and white cans donated by Bing’s Grocery Stores of Sedalia. John Deere is the official equipment provider for the 2015 Missouri State Fair and this year’s display supports their patronage while also recognizing innovation in agriculture.
Fairgoers will also have the opportunity to purchase a can of food at the Missouri Farmers Care booth and place the can in an unfinished element of the tractor. Feeding Missouri will receive these monetary donations and will be able to provide seven meals for every $1 donated.
Canstruction® is a trademarked professional design/build competition and community service project. Mid-Missouri’s architects, engineers, contractors and students create giant structures built with canned food. The events showcase the ingenuity of the design community, while benefiting food banks in Missouri. The Fair’s exhibit is being designed and directed by PWArchitects, Inc. and project engineer Patrick Earney of THHinc McClure Engineering Co. of Columbia. A rendering of the exhibit can be seen at the Fair’s website.
The 113th Missouri State Fair, themed “Show Offs Welcome!” will be held Aug. 13-23 in Sedalia. For more information about concerts, events and other Fair activities, visit mostatefair.com or call 1-800-422-FAIR (3247).