 "Photo: Alex Dumke photo")
Campus Security partnered with Sodexo on Nov. 12 in their annual food drive in an effort to break the Guinness World Book record for food colleced in one day.
“It gives students an opportunity to clear parking fines and help the community at the same time,” said Sheron Ruffner, office coordinator for Campus Public Safety and Security.
Campus security is asked every year to participate in Sodexo’s event.
“They happily partner with us,” said Charles Wesley, general manager for Sodexo.
Students took advantage of the opportunity to use food for payment against their fines.
Campus Security’s event, “Food for Parking Fines,” collected nonperishable items through Nov. 12, accepting items as payment toward outstanding parking fines. After three days, 70 nonperishable food items were collected, according to Ruffner.
These items were used as payments against fines and given to Sodexo’s event, “Gonzaga’s Helping Hands Food Drive.”
All items are donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank in Spokane. Second Harvest takes the donated items and distributes them throughout the Spokane community, helping families in need.
This is the third year Sodexo’s hosted this event. Wesley said every year they attempt to break the record set for the most food collected in one day.
“The current record is 388,381 pounds. We have not broken the record yet but have high hopes this year,” Wesley said. Wesley said Gonzaga’s total contribution was 6,627 pounds of food.
GU is just one school included in this competition. They have joined with other schools in Spokane, the west and across the U.S. to break the world record.
Other participating schools in the area included Whitworth, Spokane Community College, Spokane Falls Community College and Walla Walla University. Participating schools across the country included Seattle Pacific University, Carroll College, Westminster, University of Idaho, and UC Davis. Wesley said there are hundreds more across the U.S.
Sodexo tries to involve as many organizations on campus as possible, and is willing to ask for support.
“The more groups we get to participate the more we get every year,” Wesley said.
Student participation was helpful. Students not only donated items but also assisted in the collection and delivery process.
“There was a tremendous amount of student participation,” Wesley said.
Even resident halls, new to the effort, donated goods, holding a competition to see which hall donated the most goods. This was also Plant Services first year in the event.
Wesley said Sodexo received continued support from employees, clubs and organizations, and “most of all, individual students.”
Although, Sodexo’s event ended Nov. 12, campus security’s event is accepting canned items through today. Ruffner said the items are still donated to Second Harvest, serving the same purpose. However, they are not used toward breaking the record.
Ruffner also manages parking services and offered suggestions for students to prevent the issuing of citations.
“Purchase a campus parking permit. Properly display the parking permit, and follow campus parking rules and regulations,” Ruffner said. No citations will be issued then.
The most common parking violation on campus is “no current permit.” Students frequently park on campus without a Gonzaga issued permit. Ruffner said the fee for this violation is $25. After seven days the fee doubles to $50 if no payment is received.
Parking fines are submitted to the student’s account if left unpaid. After a period of time unpaid citations are sent out to a collection agency. Students with a number of citations may receive additional fees.
Generally, tickets issued on campus are by students employed by Campus Security, said John Van Sant, director of campus public safety and security. Security officers occasionally issue citations. The city is responsible for all parking citations on city streets.
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