Since 1897 there has been an intense football rivalry, called the “Brawl of the Wild,” between the Montana State University (MSU) Bobcats in Bozeman and the University of Montana (UM) Grizzlies in Missoula. There have been years the game was not played: From 1905-1907 MSU abolished its football program. The game was cancelled in 1911 because of the death of an MSU player. In 1918 the game was not played because of World War I, and was not played from 1942-1945 because of World War II. This coming Saturday, November 22, will be the 113th Brawl of the Wild. The Grizzlies have thus far won 70 games, the Bobcats have won 37, and five games ended in ties.
For the past 15 years, there has also been an off-field rivalry (called “Can the Griz” in Bozeman, and “Can the Bobcats” in Missoula) to raise much-needed donations and awareness for local Food Banks. Last year, Bozeman “canned the Griz” by gathering 100,937 pounds of food and raising $47,445 in cash for the Gallatin Valley Food Bank. Missoula gathered 54,656 lbs and raised $60,000 in cash for the Missoula Food Bank.
The real winners, of course, are the estimated one-in-seven people in Montana who struggle with hunger.
I can relate. A few years ago a combination of economic downturn, personal struggles and unemployment brought me to a point where I could no longer afford even bread, milk or a jar of peanut butter. (See "Helping the Hungry: Missoula Food Bank a Friendly, Helpful, Nourishing Place.") I felt frustrated, desperate, guilty, sad, embarrassed, anxious, stressed and scared all at once - a burdensome bundle of humbling and conflicting emotions. And like many people, I don't particularly like asking for help. That is, until I finally got hungry enough to reluctantly head for the Missoula Food Bank.
There were a diversity of people there of all ages from all walks of life, all in a similar situation as myself. No one is turned down, and it's a pretty friendly place thanks to the helpful volunteers who work there. The place is like a mini grocery store -- several aisles of canned and packaged goods, a frozen foods section, and dairies and produce. I loaded up my shopping cart with bread, beans, chicken, milk, eggs, bacon, cheese, tuna fish, cereal, rice, peanut butter, hot dogs, potatoes, onions, carrots, salad, yogurt, a frozen pre-cooked steak dinner and lots of other good food. After barely stuffing it all in my big backpack, I rode my bike home and enjoyed the best, most healthy meal I had eaten in a long, long time.
The Gallatin Valley Food Bank and the Missoula Food Bank are partner agencies of the Montana Food Bank Network, a statewide private nonprofit working to eliminate hunger in Montana through food acquisition and distribution, education and advocacy. The organization solicits, repackages, stores and transports donated food and distribute it to charitable programs that serve needy families, children and seniors -- distributing food to all 56 counties in the state of Montana and on all seven reservations. They also assess the needs of the hungry and work diligently before the state legislature to raise awareness and seek assistance for those most in need. It's Montana at its finest: farmers, ranchers, food processors, businesses, organizations, politicians, individuals and volunteers all over the state working together to provide safe, healthy, good food for those who need it.
An overwhelming majority of the customers I ask at the store donate a dollar or more to help the Food Bank and “Can the Cats.” Many say they’ve already donated elsewhere. A dollar may not seem like much, but according to the Montana Food Bank Network, $1.00 enables them to provide three meals to the hungry.
So if a friendly store clerk happens to ask, “Would you like to donate $1.00 to help the Food Bank and ‘Can the Bobcats?’” please say yes!
(To learn more about how you can help, and the locations of donation sites and food drop off locations, please click here: Can the Bobcats.)
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