Staunton-Augusta Family YMCA serving as drop-off location for MBU student-led food drive

Mary Baldwin University senior softball player Alli Bascunan loves getting to home plate.

The chairperson for MBU’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee, Bascunan is also focused on plates in homes.

She and other MBU athletes are collecting non-perishable items for the Cans For the Conference food drive.

“Every year for the fall and the spring we have two different fundraisers that we do,” Bascunan said. “In the fall, we do Cans of The Conference … we donate all of our proceeds to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.”

Last year, MBU athletes were able to contribute 5,835 non-perishable food items to the food bank.

“That exceeded our goal of 4,000,” Bascunan said. “That put us third in the conference of 19 schools.”

A lifeguard at the Staunton-Augusta Family YMCA, Bascunan designated the Y as a drop-off location.

“Everyone at the Y is also so generous and giving,” Bascunan said. “I thought, ‘I could take our drive from the school into the community. I figured what better way than to go your work and see if they would help out?’ Sure enough, they did. And we got a lot of proceeds from the Y last year.”

Bascunan is partnering the YMCA again this year for the food drive.

“It would be awesome if people could donate non-perishable items,” Bascunan said. “We will have a huge barrel that will come here.”

Financial donations are also important.

“I will have a canister that will come here,” Bascunan said. “Every dollar donates four meals at the Blue Ridge Area Food bank, so we can really help out the (Shenandoah) Valley by donating.”