BYU, Utah end rivalry over food drive, launch different efforts

UVU kicked off its awareness campaign with a corn maze in Payson at the beginning of the month. BYU had a major event Tuesday at its new broadcasting building at BYU on Nov. 13.

The biggest activity, however, is the one set up for the end of the drive, on Nov. 28 at the Wilkinson Center on BYU's campus, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

With the help of BYU dining services, the Alumni Association is creating the world's largest Cougar Tail, usually a two-foot-long maple bar sold only at basketball and football games, Isaak said.

"We are going to create a Cougar Tail that is a quarter of a mile long, and anybody who wants to come by, for $1 they can get a piece of the Cougar Tail."

The Alumni Association has contacted the Guinness Book of World Records.

"If the entire donut is sold, with the money made from it, Community Action Services will be able to provide over 50,000 pounds of food for Utah Valley families," Isaak said. "We're very excited about this event."

"We are working hard to cooperate with other organizations on campus to promote service in Utah County, to provide an avenue for students to give during the month of Thanksgiving," said Jared Colton, president of the BYU Student Alumni Association. "UVU has been excellent to work with, their volunteers are enthusiastic, they are wanting to make a difference and work with (us) to give back to the community."

Head hopes to instill a long-term spirit of giving at UVU.

"My hope is that people will be more aware of what they can do. I know a lot of people want to help, that's why BYU and UVU are working together on this, to show anyone can give," Head said. "Family members and kids, not only a UVU college student can do this. BYU alumni and their kids — everybody has an opportunity to give, every age, every gender, every lifestyle."

The website for online donations is fooddrive.byu.edu. Food can be dropped off at the Wilkinson Student Center at BYU.

Thomas Betar contributed to this report.

Mandy Morgan is an enterprise intern for the Deseret News, reporting on values in the media. She is a true-blue Aggie, studying Journalism and Political Science at Utah State University, and hails from Highland, Utah.