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FOOD-BALL was started in 1981 by Jill Smith Bellis to take the place of the Annual Aberdeen vs. Hoquiam Turkey Day Football Game
which was discontinued in 1973. The Aberdeen vs. Hoquiam rivalry is the longest standing high school football rivalry in the State of
Washington. When the Thanksgiving Day game was no longer an option and the wood products industry was suffering from the Supreme
Court's decision to protect the Northern Spotted Owl, thus shutting down tens of thousands of acres of timber harvest and thrusting the
Grays Harbor & Pacific County areas into an economic spiral, FOOD-BALL was born!
The students of both Aberdeen and Hoquiam embraced the challenge, the entire community stepped up and the local food banks
were filled with enough food to last through the Holiday season and beyond!! For 29 years this "friendly competition" has ignited a great
deal of community spirit and pride. Local businesses have allowed students to "take over" their operations for a set period of time and
then donate a portion of their proceeds to the FOOD-BALL cause.
The students comb their neighborhoods looking for donations of non-perishable food items as well as cash donations. Each dollar
collected is converted to 10 pounds of food! This can cause the totals to add up very rapidly and the excitement builds as the competition
nears the final weigh-in! This year, as in years past, the final weigh-in will be held at the Grays Harbor PUD on November 14th at 5 PM.
The totals are certified by local CPA Harold Warren and as each school's semi truck & trailer "race" to the finish, the local high school
bands and student bodies are there to cheer them on!
Last year the FOOD-BALL numbers were astounding with the combined total of 973,738 pounds of food being collected!
Hoquiam won the "competition" with 548,441 pounds to Aberdeen's 425,297 but as both student body presidents and Jill Smith Bellis
will tell you, the REAL "winners" are the people of Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties who rely on the Coastal Harvest Food Distribution
Warehouse to help them feed their families.
The Daily World has been there every step of the way, raising awareness and publishing a schedule of events to keep the community
informed of what's happening and where! This year, we at the Daily World wanted to step up our efforts to help these students be as
successful as possible and thus fill the Coastal Harvest Warehouse to capacity! With your participation and support, we can help
make the 2011 Holiday Season one of wonderful memories of family, friends and loved ones sharing meals together.
The donation portal will be opened at the beginning of the "competition" on November 4th at 12:01 AM. You can cast your vote and submit
your guess anytime during the competition but be aware, the contest will close on November 13th at 12 Midnight in order for us to tabulate
the donations and get them to the CPA to be counted in the totals.
The Daily World wants to wish you and your loved ones a Happy Holiday Season.
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