(FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.) – The holidays are a time to give thanks and appreciate the blessings in one's life. The members of the USA South Athletic Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) realized that not everyone is as fortunate as they are and wanted to do something to help make it a happier holiday in their communities. And so Cans Across the Conference was initiated in 2004.

SAAC organized the canned food drive as a community service competition amongst the ten institutions in the USA South.  Each campus SAAC collected cans and other non-perishable items at their school from mid-October through November 18 to benefit a local charity. It was up to each institution to decide how they wanted to collect and to which group the donation would go. The institution with the most items collected would be crowned the Cans Across the Conference Champion. 

Overall, the USA South institutions collected 17,387 items! Over the four-year history of the program, USA South Conference institutions have donated 62,117 items to various organizations. With an grand total of 4,740 items, Greensboro College is the Cans Across the Conference Champion for 2007. Last year's champion, Christopher Newport University came in second with 3,243 items while Ferrum College totaled 3,057 items which was good for third place. The Pride, winners of the can drive in 2005 as well, will be presented the Cans Across the Conference Trophy at a later date.

The institutions got creative when finding ways to collect cans. Methodist University and Ferrum made it an intra-collegiate affair by having a competition amongst all the teams in the athletic department to see who could collect the most cans. Averett University and Christopher Newport each went Trick-or-Treating for cans during Halloween while several schools, including Meredith College and Shenandoah University, asked local grocery stores for donations.

Each institution donated their items to various organizations in their local communities. Averett University donated its 1,578 cans to God's Storehouse, a food bank for the less fortunate in Danville, Va. Christopher Newport made its large donation to the Peninsula Food Bank in Newport News, Va. Ferrum College made its donation to the St. James Community Center, which offers members of the Franklin County community clothes and food. Greensboro made their winning donation to the Greensboro, N.C.  Urban Ministry. Mary Baldwin College donated 444 cans to the The Valley Mission, a location that welcomes the homeless for meals. Meredith gave 1,570 cans to North Carolina Food Bank in Raleigh, N.C. Methodist donated 1,509 items to the Fayetteville, N.C. Urban Ministries. N.C. Wesleyan College donated its 513 items to the United Community Ministries Shelter in Rocky Mount, N.C.. Peace College donated its 117 cans to Urban Ministries of Wake County, which services more than 13,000 families and individuals in the Raleigh, N.C. every year. Shenandoah gave its 516 cans to the Community Congregational Action Program (C-CAP) which is a local agency in Winchester, Va. that aids the needy in a variety of ways. Finally, the USA South Conference Office sent its 100 cans to "Save The Babies" which is an organization helping unwed mothers in Fayetteville, N.C.

"Our SAAC initiated the "Cans Across the Conference" food drive three years ago to assist those less fortunate in their communities," stated USA South Commissioner Rita Wiggs. "I am glad to see that our student-athletes, coaches and administrators recognize a need in their communities and support this initiative to enhance the holidays for our fellow citizens."

2007 USA South "Cans Across The Conference" Final Results

Rank	Institution	Cans
1.	Greensboro	4,740
2.	Christopher Newport	3,243
3.	Ferrum	3,057
4.	Averett	1,578
5.	Meredith	1,570
6.	Methodist	1,509
7.	Shenandoah	516
8.	N.C. Wesleyan	513
9.	Mary Baldwin	444
10.	Peace	117
11.	Conference Office	100
Conference Total		17,387