It’s the football game the community is talking about — Trinity High School vs. Wheatmore High School. While athletes prepare for the face-off, three booster organizations are planning a project to unite the schools.

The THS and WHS athletic booster clubs and the Trinity-Wheatmore Marching Band Boosters have kicked off a food drive to benefit Community Outreach of Archdale-Trinity, a food pantry ministry. The culmination of the three-week drive will be on the field at the Oct. 23 game at Wheatmore.

“There’s no contest or competition, just an excellent opportunity for the two high schools to come together for a good cause,” said Richard Guilliouma, a member of Wheatmore Athletic Boosters.

Game time is 7:30 p.m., but when the gates open everyone is asked to bring a nonperishable food item. Food containers will be placed at the stadium. The collected food will be presented to a representative of COAT at halftime.

The reason for the food drive is a united war against hunger.

“No one should go to bed hungry in our community,” said Stephen Charron of the Trinity-Wheatmore Marching Band Boosters. “If we can help, we are just happy to have the opportunity to do it.”

Robbie Walker, Wheatmore Athletic Booster president, hopes that the food drive becomes a community tradition. He said that his group is planning a tailgate party.

“We will be serving barbecue sandwiches, chips and drinks for $5,” he said. “Food will be available at 5 p.m. We want everyone, both Trinity and Wheatmore fans, to come out early and enjoy the fun.”

COAT Executive Director Rita Walker applauds the timing of the food drive.

“Our pantry is down 75 percent,” said Walker. “In the last three weeks, we have had multiple 15-family days. Each family of four gets a large grocery cart filled, so we have recently put out 45 full grocery carts worth of food, which has drastically depleted our food supply.

“We are quickly depleting all of our resources, but we are grateful to have the food to give.”

Items most needed are nonperishable items such as pasta and spaghetti sauce, crackers, canned meats, vegetables and fruits, canned and dry milk and macaroni and cheese.

“Recently, we have been out of cereal, peanut butter and jelly, soups, powdered milk and fruit,” said Walker. “These are things that are given to every one of our clients for nutritious value and variety, and we can’t keep enough of those to go around.”

All three booster clubs representatives believe that pulling together for one effort will help to unite the community.

“We feel like that is the right way, not only to unite our kids but to connect with the community as well,” said Charron.

Steve Hyder, president of Trinity High School Athletic Boosters, hopes people will make announcements at their churches and other places, too.

“We plan to set up bins at the high school and surrounding businesses,” Hyder said.

Merchants who wish to place a receptacle at their business may contact Gilliouma at 905-7954. Boxes will be donated by Carolina Container Corp.

Folks who can’t make it to the football game may drop off food items at the COAT office at First Baptist Church of Archdale, 10607 N. Main St.

For more information contact Steve Hyder at 259-9190, Robbie Walker 345-7788 or Stephen Charron at 906-7570.