Fill the Dome raises 97 tons of food

Area students saw their efforts to feed the hungry come to fruition Tuesday on the Fargodome floor, as the annual Fill the Dome event came to a celebratory end.

High school, middle school and elementary students set goals this year to raise 110 tons of nonperishable food and $110,000 for the region’s food shelves and soup kitchens.

During a morning press conference, Fargo South senior Jennifer Storm announced that $75,000 had been raised. The food donations, which covered much of the dome floor, weighed 97 tons (193,600 pounds).

“No matter what number we reach, this project is always going to be a success because this community is doing something amazing for its citizens,” Storm said.

Steve Sellent, program director at the Fargo-based Great Plains Food Bank, said the donations will play a “critical role” in ensuring enough food is available for the 17,000 residents of Cass and Clay counties who seek food assistance.

Fargo Shanley senior Dan Jordan said the Fill the Dome effort, now in its fourth year, will keep area food pantries stocked for six or seven months.

“It does make a big difference, and we do make a huge impact,” he said.

Seventy percent of the food is distributed to rural communities in North Dakota and Minnesota and 30 percent stays in the Fargo-Moorhead area, Jordan said.

Fargo Oak Grove Lutheran School senior Joe Burgum reflected on what students have accomplished since they launched the first Fill the Dome food drive in 2007.

“With the food we’ve raised today, I am positive we’ll pass half a million pounds in four years,” he said. “That’s profound.”

After the press conference, about 200 students flooded the dome floor to “drain the dome,” boxing up the food and placing it on pallets to be hauled to the food bank.

Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker, Moorhead Mayor Mark Voxland, North Dakota Lt. Gov.-designate Drew Wrigley and Congressman-elect Rick Berg of Fargo all heaped praise on the students for their efforts, as did representatives from premier sponsors Hornbacher’s Foods and Gate City Bank.

Storm announced the results of the competition to see which metro-area schools could collect the most food. The winners were Oak Grove, Sheyenne 9th Grade Academy in West Fargo, Horizon Middle School in Moorhead and Robert Asp Elementary in Moorhead.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Mike Nowatzki at (701) 241-5528

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