Food fight will benefit charities and Oxford’s food trucks

Published 6:00 am Saturday, August 20, 2016

The Oxford community is bracing itself for a food fight.

Leadership Lafayette has created a new event that pairs local charities with food trucks to raise funds to support programs that directly impact Lafayette County.

The Food Truck Fight will be held Sunday, Aug. 28, from 3-7 p.m. in Oxford at the Old Armory on the corner of Bramlett Boulevard and University Avenue.

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Proceeds from the food trucks, beverage sales, ticket sales and donations will benefit the charities. The food truck and charity that raises the most funds will be declared the Food Truck Fight champion.

Leadership Lafayette Group 3 team members Allison Garner, Rebecca Phillips, Mike Gooch, Reggie Clayton, and Andy Miller came up with the idea.

“We thought an event that allowed families to have an evening of entertainment, while knowing that the money they spent supported a local charity, was a great way to call people to action,” Project Manager Garner said in a news release. “By creating a community event that people will attend just because it is a fun evening out, attendees will learn about local charities and their mission.”

Participating food trucks include: YoknapaTaco, Smoke Shop Oxford, Small Time Hot Dogs, Breakfast 2 Lunch, Sweetwater Bleu’z Creole & Cajun Cooking on the roll. PoPsy will also participate as a food item at the event.

“We recognized that many of our local charities struggle with fundraising,” Garner said. “They are experts at fulfilling their mission and serving the community, but taking time away from their mission to raise funds is a challenge.”

The family-friendly event will feature food, live music, games, activities, and the chance to learn about five organizations that make a difference in the community.

The Food Truck Fight will benefit Lafayette Oxford Foundation for Tomorrow, the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, Horizons, Crime Stoppers, and Rotary Clubs of Oxford.

Leadership Lafayette is a program of the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce. The program provides leadership training to encourage local businesses and community leaders to work together. Each year, members of the class complete projects that impact the local community.

To learn more, visit https://www.generosity.com/community-fundraising/food- truck-fight or email aagarne1@yahoo.com.

To purchase tickets to the event or make a donation to one of the participating charities, visit https://www.generosity.com/community-fundraising/food-truck-fight

You can also find more information on the Food Truck Fight event’s Facebook page.

About LaReeca Rucker

LaReeca Rucker is a writer, reporter and adjunct journalism instructor at the University of Mississippi's Meek School of Journalism and New Media.

A veteran journalist with more than 20 years of experience, she spent a decade at the Gannett-owned Clarion-Ledger - Mississippi's largest daily newspaper - covering stories about crime, city government, civil rights, social justice, religion, art, culture and entertainment for the paper's print and web editions. She was also a USA Today contributor.

This year, she received a first place award from the Mississippi Press Association for “Best In-Depth Investigative Reporting.” The story written in 2014 for The Oxford Eagle chronicles the life of a young mother with two sons who have epilepsy, and details how she is patiently hoping legalized cannabis oil experimentation will lead to a cure for their disorder.

Her website is www.lareecarucker.com.

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