Bull-ride event to help fight hunger

“Hold on Tight.” There couldn’t be a more appropriate tag line for a Facebook event. Dedicated to the Hoosier Hills Food Bank, the Bull Riding Challenge will be hosted from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Kappa Sigma house, 1411 N. Jordan Ave. The event, which is co-sponsored by Kappa Sigma fraternity and Delta Gamma sorority, is the culmination of a student-organized Little 500 food drive.\nSeniors Emily Jablon, Anna Burke and Steven Hall first came up with the idea of a mechanical bull-riding competition for a service learning project in their business leadership class, Z442: “Leading and Motivating Individuals and Teams.” \n“The goal of our project was to change a group of people or organization for the better. We chose to benefit the Hoosier Hills Food Bank,” Burke said. “We met with the directors, and they expressed the need for private donations. The poverty level in Bloomington is high, and not many students are aware of how many people go without food.”\nHoosier Hills Food Bank is an organization that delivers food to impoverished individuals in six counties across South Central Indiana. According to the Web site, 13.5 percent of the total population in the bank’s service area lives in poverty.\n“The Hoosier Hills Food Bank is the primary food distributor in the area. There are people not only in Bloomington, but in surrounding communities who need our help,” Jablon said. “My teammates and I are putting up boxes around dorms on campus with C-stores. When students go to buy food they can easily drop off an extra can or two. If we can reach residents as they’re buying food, it makes it convenient.”\nThursday’s Bull Riding Challenge will offer students another way to donate while tackling a mechanical bull.\n“The bull-riding competition sprang from the idea that Little 5 is a week where people are all out having fun and doing things,” Burke said. “If we can spark awareness when a lot of students are out, it would be great way to get donations.”\nParticipants in the competition are encouraged to bring three canned goods or $3 to the event to get their turns to ride the mechanical bull. Prizes will be awarded for the longest ride and best style. Food will be provided by Smokin’ Jacks Rib Shack, which plans to donate a portion of the proceeds to the Hoosier Hills Food Bank. The event also includes free entertainment by a live band, 2 Greasy Hogs and a Mandolin.\n“It’s Little 5. Three 6 Mafia will be playing across the street, and we wanted something to grab the attention of people walking by. We’re really trying to incorporate philanthropy into the excitement of Little 5,” Hall said.