Running for a Cause: Area Schools Collect Nearly 3,000 Cans in Annual Cross Country Food Drive
October 7, 2026
Student-athletes across the Upstate proved that competition and community service make a winning combination this season, rallying together to collect 2,948 canned food items to support local families in need.
The effort was part of the annual high school cross country canned food drive benefiting the Center for Community Services (CCS), a Fountain Inn–based nonprofit dedicated to providing vital resources, family support, and emergency food assistance across the Golden Strip.
Leading the charge once again this year was Fountain Inn High School, whose cross country team took top honors for gathering the most donations among all participating area schools.
While the runners pushed for donations across their campuses and communities, the Golden Strip Sunrise Rotary Club provided essential muscle and logistical backbone behind the scenes. Continuing their long-standing partnership with the drive, Rotary members went far beyond race-day cheering—supplying trailers, coordinating transport, and rolling up their sleeves to load and unload thousands of pounds of non-perishable goods so the drive could run seamlessly from drop-off to the pantry shelves.
The nearly 3,000 cans collected will go directly toward stocking the CCS food pantry ahead of the busy fall and winter seasons, directly supporting neighbors facing food insecurity throughout southern Greenville County.
Organizers extended a heartfelt thank-you to the Golden Strip Sunrise Rotary Club, the student-runners, coaching staffs, families, and community members whose teamwork turned race day into a major victory for the entire community.
