This Halloween, varsity athletes, members of the Community Service House and other Whitman College students will help collect food for the Blue Mountain Food Bank by “trick-or-canning.”

“Trick-or-canning is when you get dressed up and go trick-or-treating, but instead of collecting candy, we ask people to donate canned food,” said senior Sarah Reichardt, the R.A. of the Community Service House.

The Community Service House has organized this event for several years in a row and has been successful in collecting large amounts of food for the food bank.

Reichardt notes that most people have some food in their kitchen that they would be wiling to donate to support the cause.

“Most people have canned food in their pantries that they never use, so almost every house we stop at will donate at least a can,” Reichardt said.

The varsity athletes are participating in the trick-or-canning as part of Athletic Service Day.  According to senior Jenele Peterson, who is organizing Athletic Service Day, over 40 varsity athletes are signed up to participate in the event.

“Varsity Athletes are helping out because this is our Fall Athletic Service Day. This is the first year that we are doing a Varsity Athletic Service Day and we are volunteering with two events: the YMCA Spooktacular and Trick-or-Canning,” Peterson said.

This event will happen on Sunday, Oct. 31 and any Whitman students are allowed to join.

“Any Whitman students can join us: just come over to the Community Service House at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 31.   It is a great way to relive your childhood, meet people in the community and support an important cause,” Reichardt said.