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You don’t have to be a civil engineer to participate in The Olive Tree’s second annual Canstruction competition.
“This is an event where businesses, local groups, charities and non-profits can come together and collect non-perishable food items and then make a structure out of it,” said the Olive Tree’s assistant executive director Jana Thompson.
The non-profit’s first go at Canstruction took place in 2019 when a total of 10,000 lbs of food was brought in to support the Olive Tree Food Bank.
“There isn’t a theme, per se, and at the end, the structures are voted on through Facebook,” said Thompson.
“There is a trophy and a number of other prizes up for grabs for the winners of the event, but the real winner is the food bank as all of that food is being donated to the Olive Tree food bank.”
Thompson explained how generally, donations in the spring and summer go down quite a bit, and with this being a slower time of the year for them, every little bit helps.
“That first year we did it was a lifesaver because we actually had food, and we were actually able to save some of it and give it away in our Christmas hampers as well.
“This is a slow season, so having Canstruction is great for filling our shelves.”
There were 16 participating businesses in the 2019 competition, but Thompson is hoping to see that number go up this year.
“If there is a late entry, we would definitely still love to have them as every little bit helps,” she said.
“We actually just got a message on Facebook asking if a group of friends or family can participate, and we’re totally welcoming everyone.”
The competition officially launched on April 15 and the deadline for entries is May 6. The collection of canned goods and the building process begins on May 9 and the competition closes on June 2 with formal judging taking place on June 3.
Thompson explained participants can use their office/business front, or home to house their creations.
The corporate entry fee is $25 and is free for non-profit organizations.
For Thompson and the rest of the team at The Olive Tree, hosting events like this gives a sense of normalcy after two-plus years of shutdowns and restrictions.
“It’s exciting and a relief,” she said.
“Between fundraising and helping the food bank out with donations, it’s a relief because it relieves a lot of the financial stress on us if we can actually bring in food donations.”
For more information on Canstruction, visit Canstruction Lloydminster on Facebook.
