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Students and police battle for worthy cause

Nov. 19, 2004

KALAMAZOO--Generosity erupted on the campus of Western Michigan University this week as hundreds of students began battling local police in what has become an annual occurrence at the university.

WMU's student-run radio station, WIDR 89.1 FM, was cited as the main instigator of the "Cops vs. Students Food Drive," although about one dozen student organizations already have come out publicly in support of the effort. Significant numbers of faculty and staff also are supporting the students, according to Wendy Wise, general manager at WIDR.

The annual competition pits WMU students against Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety officers to see which side can collect more canned and nonperishable food for the Greater Kalamazoo Area Holiday Food Drive. The students won the competition in 2003, and the police won in 2002.

Last year, the Greater Kalamazoo Area Holiday Food Drive provided one week's worth of food for 1,350 Kalamazoo area families in need of assistance. This year, the goal of the drive is to deliver food to 1,500 families for the week of Christmas.

Drop-off locations can be found in all WMU residence halls, at the Bernhard Center Candy Counter, in fraternity and sorority houses, Faunce Student Services Building, Kanley Chapel, the Student Recreation Center, Waldo Library, and on East Campus in the third-floor lobby of university relations in Walwood Hall.

The campus food drive runs through Friday, Dec. 10. For more information, contact Wendy Wise at (269) 387-6396 or <widr-gm@groupwise.wmich.edu>, or visit the Web at <www.widr.org>

Media contact: Thom Myers, 269 387-8400, thom.myers@wmich.edu

WMU News
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