A Follow Up on Canned Goods

by Jen Kulman

This year marks the the 16th anniversary of Canstruction, a construction competition that aids in the fight against hunger. Teams must assemble their structures in a single night, made entirely from full cans of food. At the end of each competition, all canned food used as building materials is donated to local food banks.

New York City's exhibits will be shown today through December 2, followed by one hundred cities across North America who will hold their own competitions in the coming year. The price of admission for the general public to view these amazing creations? Why, canned goods, of course!

The creativity in these structures knows no bounds. Yet even more amazing is their charitable impact - millions of pounds of food are donated to needy families through the food banks. Aren't these things unbelievable? Check out more photos here, including the national winners.

In related news, a local library is also doing their part to assist with local hunger. The Fraser Public Library is accepting food donations in lieu of late fees. The Food for Fines project allows patrons to donate one can of food in exchange for having fifty cents waived from their library fines. This is a great way to get the reading community active in solving the hunger crisis.

Isn't it uplifting to read stories of the creative ways in which communities are helping their local food banks?

On the Road Again

I leave this weekend for a quick trip to Canada. Feel free to send me warm wishes as I visit with our neighbors to the North - the cold, snowy North.

My day begins early Sunday morning when I head to Atlanta. Yes, I realize that this is not the direction I'm supposed to be heading but you know how airlines can be. I hang out in the airport for a few hours there before flying into Buffalo, New York. From there, I will take my rental car and drive across the border. I have a feeling that it will be much more difficult to get in and out of Canada than it is to drive South to Tijuana from here (and vice versa). My hotel is in Niagara-on-the-Lake which I hear is quite a pleasant little town.

On the Road
by Susan Steggall

Monday, I will meet our Canadian Distributors for a Sales Presenatation of our Spring 2008 titles, followed by a lunch with author and illustrator, Tina Burke, who recently moved to Toronto from Australia. I'm not sure where I will end up that afternoon, but I meet the crew from H.B. Fenn for a dinner meeting later that evening.

Tuesday morning I have an early lunch with an editor from a Canadian magazine before heading back to Buffalo to try and make it home by 11pm that night. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the flights are not delayed but at this time of year, one can never be sure.