ODS workers tackle local food drive

ODS College of Dental Sciences employees load some of the items they collected in a fall food drive into a pick up. The employees are assisting Neighbor to Neighbor Ministries volunteers. The ODS employees from right are Jon Franklin, Emily Blake and Robin Davis. Submitted photo

Employees at the ODS College of Dental Sciences are tackling Union County hunger with the gusto of an All-American linebacker.

The ODS employees recently collected 3,972 pounds of potatoes, juices, canned goods and other items in their fall food drive, one with football game elements. 

The items were collected by four teams of ODS employees. Their success was charted on a model football field board. Each time a team collected three pounds of food it advanced one “yard” on the board. Each time a team advanced across the board it was awarded a touchdown.

The 3,972 pound total included 1,800 pounds of potatoes. The employees also collected 949 hygienic products, including toothpaste, brushes and shampoo.

The four teams did so well that their combined effort more than doubled the original ODS goal of 1,500 pounds, said Tanya Hively, an ODS supervisor who directed the food drive. Some of the food was donated by ODS dental hygiene students. 

The ODS College of Dental Sciences has about 50 employees. 

All the food the employees collected was given a food bank run by Neighbor to Neighbor Ministries. 

Hively originally planned to give the winning team one day when they can dress casually at work. All four teams did so well that she decided to let the entire staff dress casually one day and the winning team to dress casually an extra day.