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Jayhawks 'Can'struct for charities

By Kevin Kampwirth

Thursday, October 16, 2003

Andy Warhol himself might have been proud.

Yesterday, 14 student groups converged on Wescoe Beach for the 2003 homecoming Canstruction Contest.

Each group had to create something out of canned food cans and other non-perishable food items that corresponded with this years Homecoming theme, Jayhawk Generations: Bringing Back the Classics. There were 12 teams of fraternity and sorority houses, along with a team of Lewis Hall residents and one representing Student Union Activities. This year marked the third year of the Canstruction Contest.

For its third year its doing pretty well, said Richard Johnson, dean of students. The contest seems to grow in size every year. Groups were required to collect the cans themselves that they would use in the contest.

The third place team, Sigma Kappa and Delta Chi, trick-or-treated for some of the cans the group used to build a replica of Memorial Stadium and the Campanile.

We felt that these were two things that are really monumental in KU history, said Lauren Jesse, Overland Park sophomore.

Team Kappa Kappa Gamma and Theta Chi took a different approach to the theme and constructed a facsimile of the original Jayhawk mascot.

We thought wed really get to the heart of the classic theme and bring the old Jayhawk back, said Bethany Taylor, Prairie Village junior.

Team members also threw in a reference to a character they considered one of our generations classic movie heroes, Indiana Jones, by building a model of Memorial Stadium and putting a sign in it which read, Memorial Stadium will be Baylors Temple of Doom. The winning entry, from team Kappa Alpha Theta and Sigma Alpha Epsilon, was a model of Allen Fieldhouse that the group built with cans purchased at a local grocery store. The building looked simple enough at first glance, but the project contained a hidden surprise.

We figured that putting a fog machine inside would add some extra effect, Greg Masenthin, Overland Park junior, said. It goes along with the whole Beware the Phog saying. Entries were judged under the same criteria as Tuesdays chalk drawing contest, for adherence to theme, creativity and appearance.

After the contest, all cans and food items used were donated to charity. The Center for Community Outreach delivered the cans to local food pantries throughout Lawrence to help feed the underprivileged.

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