FOREST, Va. --- ODAC tradition continued during the fall semester with member school Student-Athlete Advisory Committees (SAAC) completing the annual conference-wide canned food drive through various events on their campuses and within their communities. This venture has become an annual feature of ODAC SAAC initiatives with an intra-conference competition showcasing the efforts of each athletic department.

For the second straight year, Averett University won the friendly competition among league schools with the Cougars collecting 10,371 items to nearly match their total from a season ago. Guilford College finished second with 9,762 items donated, followed by Randolph-Macon College with 4,730 items.

“We are so thankful for everyone who helped us reach beyond our goal, and give back to our community, which pours so much into us,” said junior Brenda Light, a women’s volleyball student-athlete and Averett SAAC’s public relations coordinator. “It’s truly an amazing experience to witness student-athletes going above and beyond for a greater purpose. Thank you to everyone who helped make giving back to our community possible.”

The drive, which ran from September 1 through November 22, was a great success, with SAAC working to collect food for local food parties and shelters. In total, ODAC members collected more than 39,000 non-perishable items, surpassing last year’s total of 38,635. These donations were distributed to organizations chosen by each school.

Commissioner Brad Bankston commented, “Our student athlete advisory committees have continued to make an impact in their local communities. This food drive is one of the many ways they give back. Over the last six years the conference collectively donated nearly 140,000 canned goods to local organizations. This cooperation goes to show what a difference we can make together.”

While not officially a SAAC driven event, the 23rd Annual Gate City Soup Bowl competed between crosstown rivals Guilford and Greensboro College also benefits local charities with non-perishable goods. The early season game features fans using donations as their entry to the contest in lieu of ticket fees. This resulted in the collection of more than 9,100 items.

The local organizations where the ODAC institutions donated their collections are listed below. The next conference-wide initiative will take place as part of Division III Week, which is held April 7-13, 2025.

• God’s Storehouse
• Blue Ridge Area Food Bank - Verona, Va.
• St. James Community Center
• God's Provision Food Pantry 
• Second Harvest Food Bank 
• Roanoke Homeless Shelter
• Blue Ridge Area Food Bank - Lynchburg, Va.
• Hurricane Relief - Asheville, NC
• Hanover Safe Place 
• Bright Futures 
• Neighbors Helping Neighbors
• United Methodist Church
• Rockbridge Area Relief Association