VLPRA Press Release:
Rev up your engines for the annual Stocked Cart Race: a food drive for Hungry at Home. It’s happening Saturday, November 4th at Lowes Home Improvement Center on St. Augustine Road.
Registration and check in is at 9:00 AM. Teams of two or more are given a shopping cart at check in. They then decorate their cart and at 10:00 AM, the races begin. Team members push the carts in head to head 50-yard dash races until the fastest cart wins. Businesses, schools, community groups, churches, families, neighborhood associations and groups of friends are welcome to enter teams. The only requirement is that they bring decorations for their cart and a minimum donation of $25 of kid-friendly food. The more food, the better and no money is accepted.
All the donations will go to “Hungry at Home”, a program that sends backpacks full of food home with children who don’t have enough to eat. A pair of Lake Park Elementary School teachers started the charity when they realized some students were coming to school Monday mornings hungry because they weren’t getting enough to eat over the weekend. The teachers jumped into action, creating backpacks filled with food that children take home on Fridays and bring back empty on Monday mornings. The program is now active in five school systems in four counties including Valdosta City Schools and Lowndes County Schools.
The Stocked Cart Race is not a canned food drive and donations must meet Hungry at Home requirements. The foods should be kid-friendly, individually wrapped, and can’t require a stove or can opener. The best items are pop-top meat products such as Vienna sausages and microwaveable ravioli. Hungry at Home also looks for individual applesauce servings, Pop Tarts, peanut butter, small boxed cereals, granola bars, raisins, and fruit cups. There is a full list at their website, www.hungryathome.org.
Teams are encouraged to register in advance online at www.vlpra.com. Race day registrations will be accepted. Check in and registration starts at 9:00 AM; the races start at 10:00 AM. There will be awards for the fastest cart, the best decorated cart, and the team with the most food donations.
WHO: Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority (VLPRA) and Lowes
WHAT: VLPRA Stocked Cart Race
WHEN: Saturday, November 4th
WHERE: Lowes Parking Lot (1106 North St. Augustine Road)
HOW MUCH: At least $25 in food, no money accepted
