CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Seven teams are set to unveil their structures made of canned goods Monday in hopes of winning bragging rights as well as benefit a local food pantry.
Canstruction kicked off Friday at the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences of West Virginia, with more than 19,000 cans ready to be set up in designs such as rocket ships and recognizable culture figures.
This is the 13th Canstruction event to be held, which has resulted in more than 233,000 cans of food — nearly 210,00 pounds and almost 252,000 meals — going to Covenant House Food Pantry.
“It’s a big need,” said Angie Douglas, development coordinator with Covenant House. “When we used to have the competition years ago, the food would last in our food pantry for six months. Because of the situation with the coal fields and people out of jobs, the food only lasts for three months now, if that long.”
The teams order the cans for their designs; Stephanie Donahoe, contract project manager at Pickering Associates, said her team ordered around 5,000 cans for its design: Snoopy of the comic strip “Peanuts” taking on the Red Baron.
“We’ve got the dog house, then Snoopy sitting on top of the dog house and then we’ve got a wall with the Red Baron flying through the clouds,” she said.
Teams will be judged in multiple categories, including best design, best use of labels and most cans used. Douglas said it is all in fun to help people in need.
“It’s basically an art exhibit that will help the community,” she said. “It’s just a nice art exhibit for people to come out and see.”
The judges will evaluate the sculptures on Monday with awards presented that evening. The designs will be on display in the Clay Center through Thursday.