Marching Virginians to hold 16th annual Hokies for the Hungry food drive
Virginia Tech’s own Marching Virginians, along with the New Life Christian Fellowship, will sponsor a massive canned food drive at the Nov. 8 football game against Florida State.
The goal of the 16th annual Hokies for the Hungry drive is to collect 66,233 cans of food — one can from every fan. Collection sites will be at each entrance to Lane Stadium. In addition, several smaller pep bands will travel to various tailgate locations to collect donations prior to the game.
The event benefits the local non-profit Montgomery County Christmas Store, which helps low-income families with food, clothing, and toys. Last year, the drive collected more than 5,000 cans and $6,272 in donations.
“We do this because it is a great way to support the Montgomery County Christmas Store and help them feed the hungry,” said Kayla Dottery of Manassas, Va., a senior majoring in communications and Spanish in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, and spokesperson for the event. “With 330 devoted members of the Marching Virginians, in collaboration with New Life Christian Fellowship, we understand the power we have to help those less fortunate.”
Known as “The Spirit of Tech,” the Marching Virginians are under the direction of David McKee and Polly Middleton. Since 1974, the group has performed for hundreds of nationally televised football games and parades, including the 2009 Chick-Fil-A Bowl and the 2008 and 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl games. In 2007, the band was featured in an article in "ESPN The Magazine."
For more information, contact Kayla Dottery, public relations officer for The Marching Virginians at 703-930-5112.
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.
