By By Janet Little Cooper
The 283 students at Huxford Elementary have been cleaning out their mother's kitchen cabinets this past week in an effort to bring in the most canned foods in support of their favorite college football teams, Alabama or Auburn.
Each class of the kindergarten-sixth grade school, have been collecting canned goods since last week as part of an annual food drive the school holds in conjunction with the Iron Bowl.
Teachers make the event more competitive by decorating a drop off area in their classroom for either Alabama or Auburn. The classes keep up with how many cans each college collects.
"It really helps boost the spirit with Mrs. Betty (principal) being a big Auburn fan," Carol Middleton, school counselor said. "She hams it up with them over the intercom and they love it. The funniest thing to see is when the students bring in their rooms tally sheet and hand it to Betty letting her know that Alabama is ahead."
Middleton started the food drive seven years ago after hearing the idea at a counselor's convention she attended.
"We start two weeks before the Iron Bowl," Middleton said. "I send a letter home to the parents explaining the drive and the students do the rest."
The food that is collected is boxed and delivered to local individuals for Thanksgiving. According to principal, Betty Warren, last years drive produced at least 12 hefty boxes of canned goods.
Miss. Warren admits to placing Auburn in the lead of the collections in her intercom announcements 'even if they're not', to boost the competitive spirit.
This years winner was the school's Alabama fans with a total of 1,167 cans collected and Auburn falling behind with 846. The grand total of items came to 2,013.
A.C. Moore Elementary students held a similar food drive this week. Again, Alabama won with 397 cans collected and Auburn with 248. A.C. Moore is donating their food drive items to Atmore Area Christian Care Ministry.