By Chris Casey | University Communications
AURORA, Colo. - Almost 2,000 items were collected in a recent food drive conducted by students in the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
The Holiday Drive is a tradition in the School of Pharmacy, and students in the P1-P4 classes compete to see who can collect the most food. The drive, Nov. 7-16, was sponsored by the school's Student Council and food was donated to the Colfax Community Network. The CCN assists low-income families living in transient housing on Colfax Avenue.
Natalie Berner, a doctoral candidate 2014 and this year's Holiday Drive committee chair, said she enjoys the annual giving campaign.
"Ever since I've been a student here we have been pairing with the Colfax Community Network. They provide their services free of charge to families in need," Berner said. "They do after-school activities which include food, and they have many other activities in place that include the whole family."
Berner is in the P1 class, which collected 1,069 items for a total of 2,478.5 points. Points were assigned to each food item collected, and the team with the most points at the end of the week-long drive was named the winner.
"We try to balance the points with the items that CCN needs most," Berner said. "Some people bring stuff during the week, but the majority is brought on the final day."
A total of 1,902 food items were collected by the four classes. The P3 class collected 507 items, P2 brought in 306 and P4 collected 20.
"It feels good helping a cause so near to campus!" Berner said.
(Photo: The P1 Class in the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences won this year's Holiday Drive in the school. Pictured are (back row, from left) Michael Ortega, Edward Van Matre, Tara Makker, Anuj Shah, Ferras Bashqoy, Rommel Fontanilla, Geremi Boom and Colleen Lonac; and (front row, from left) Kimberly Won, Natalie Berner and Ralph Ong.
###
Contact: christopher.casey@ucdenver.edu