Nov. 18, 2004

BALTIMORE, MD -- The Johns Hopkins University Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) will be conducting a food drive to benefit needy families for Thanksgiving at this weekend's ECAC Football Championship Game at Homewood Field and the Blue Jay Invitational Basketball Tournament on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Newton White Athletic Center. This is the second consecutive year the SAAC has organized the food drive and the group has established a goal of surpassing last year's contribution of over $500 and 500 pounds of food that was donated to the Maryland Food Bank.

Individuals attending the Johns Hopkins-Waynesburg ECAC Southeast Championship Football Game on Saturday at Homewood Field are asked to bring a donation of a non-perishable food item or make a cash donation in lieu of an admission fee. Under ECAC rules, Johns Hopkins was given the right to charge admission to the game, but athletic administrators opted for the food drive instead. Kickoff at Homewood Field is scheduled for noon on Saturday.

In addition to the efforts at the football game, the SAAC will be in attendance at all eight games of the 2004 Blue Jay Invitational (men's and women's basketball) and will be taking similar donations at the main entrance of the Newton White Athletic Center. Johns Hopkins does not normally charge an admission fee for its basketball games, but is parlaying its efforts at the football game into a weekend-long event. Game times for the basketball games are as follows:

• Friday (11-19-2004): 6:00 pm (M), 8:00 pm (M)

• Saturday (11-20-2004): 1:00 pm (W), 3:00 pm (W), 6:00 pm (M), 8:00 pm (M)

• Sunday (11-21-2004): 1:00 pm (W), 3:00 pm (W)

For more information about this weekend's activities at Johns Hopkins University please visit the official web site of Hopkins athletics at www.HopkinsSports.com.

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