St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School and Brookstone School may be rivals on the football field, but on Friday, October 16, the two school communities will come together for a shared purpose: helping local families facing food insecurity.

Families and fans attending the Pacelli Vikings vs. Brookstone Cougars “Broocelli” football game are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items to support a community food drive benefiting St. Anne Outreach. Collection bins will be located at the entrance to St. Anne-Pacelli's Deimel Field, where the game will be played. Fans can conveniently drop off donations as they arrive for the game.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for two school communities that enjoy a spirited rivalry to come together for something much bigger than football,” said St. Anne-Pacelli Director of Advancement Emily Sutherland. “Service is an important part of who we are at St. Anne-Pacelli, and we want our students to see that being a good neighbor means recognizing a need and doing what we can to help.”

Meghan Blackmon, Director of Servant Leadership and Blanchard Leadership Institute at Brookstone School, echoed that spirit of collaboration. “Our schools may be rivals on the football field, but we share a commitment to our community and to serving others,” Blackmon said. “We’re proud to join Pacelli for this food drive, giving our students and families the opportunity to come together, put that commitment into action, and make a meaningful difference for our neighbors.”

St. Anne Outreach provides food assistance to individuals and families in need throughout Columbus and Phenix City. Donations collected through the food drive will help stock its pantry and support its ongoing efforts to address food insecurity locally.

Director of St. Anne Outreach Kelly Tolman said support from the community is especially meaningful because every donated item directly helps the organization serve local families. “Food insecurity affects thousands of people right here in our community, including families who may never have imagined they would need assistance,” said Tolman. “When organizations, schools and families come together to fill our shelves, they allow us to continue being a source of help and hope for our neighbors.”

The October 16 initiative is a reminder that competition and community can go hand in hand.