In early November, the Wheeling University Athletics Department ran their second annual Stuff the Truck event. This year, the event spanned two weekends, with the Kroger on Mount de Chantal Road serving as the host site for one weekend, and the Alma Grace McDonough Center hosting the other.

On Tuesday, Wheeling University Assistant Athletic Director for Communications and Engagement Zack Zeigler and Director of Catering David Burns took the donations  to Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center in Wheeling. The organizations combined to donate 710 pounds of food to help local families in need in Ohio County and the surrounding area.

"It is an honor to be able to be a part of this event and to help those in need right here in Wheeling," said Zeigler. "We set a goal this year to donate at least 700 pounds of food and we not only met, but exceeded that goal. We want to send a big thank you to Kroger, and their staff on Mount de Chantal Road, for helping to spearhead this effort and join us in our mission of life, leadership, and service with and among others here in the Wheeling community."

Last year, the event collected 534 pounds of food for Catholic Charities. Zeigler and Burns loaded up the truck and drove to the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center in East Wheeling, where the donations were unloaded and weighed. They were then sorted and made available in the Center's food pantry, which serves those in need around Wheeling and the surrounding community. Those in need can visit the Center every Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and helps to ensure that no one in the Wheeling community goes hungry. The University and Kroger helped to keep this mission alive, with the biggest Stuff the Truck Event ever.

This year's Stuff the Truck event took on a first, with the event running two weekends thanks to a partnership with Kroger. The first weekend of the event ran from November 7 – 9 at the Wheeling Kroger. Donation bins were placed at the front of the store, and shoppers were encouraged to drop off non-perishable food items. Thanks to the generous donations of the Wheeling shoppers, two pallets full of food were loaded into the back of the truck. The truck then made its way to Wheeling University, where the second weekend of the event unfolded.

The truck was stationed at Alma Grace McDonough Center November 14 – 15 for a doubleheader weekend. It began on Friday, November 14 when the Wheeling Women's Basketball team and the Wheeling Volleyball team were both at home. It continued into Saturday, when the Women's Basketball team was back in action in the afternoon, followed by the Women's Rugby team's National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) semifinal game. Fans who attended both games were encouraged to bring in canned food and other donations, adding to the donations picked up from Kroger.

Wheeling Athletics would like to thank Kroger for the partnership, and all who donated for their support of the event on both weekends.