Visitors to free CANstruction exhibit asked to donate food
Enterprise file photo — Michael Koff
The CANstruction exhibition will return to Crossgates Mall this year. Visitors to the free exhibit are asked to vote for their favorites by donating cans of food, which will go to The Food Pantries of the Capital District.
GUILDERLAND — Structures made of cans will be displayed at Crossgates Mall from May 6 to 19, to benefit The Food Pantries for the Capital District.
This is the 14th year for the Capital Region CANstruction, and its third year at Crossgates. This year’s theme is “Lights CANmera Action!”
Visitors to the free display are encouraged to bring canned goods (tuna, beans, canned vegetables, soups/chilis, and fruit), which are used as ballots to vote for the winner of the People’s Choice award. Donation receptacles will be stationed at each structure.
Last year, nearly 4,000 cans were collected at Crossgates from the public.
A jury of designers, local business owners, and local dignitaries will also judge the structures. Awards include Best Original Design, Best Meal, Best Use of Labels, Structural Ingenuity, Honorable Mention, and Jurors Favorite. Additional awards include Largest Cash Donation and Best Signage.
Capital Region CANstruction is part of an international program organized by the Society for Design Administration with events held annually in over 250 cities around the world including North America, Australia, South America, Europe, and Asia.
Since its inception in 2011, the local event has donated over 900,000 pounds of food and raised more than $400,000 to help fight hunger, according to a release from Capital Region CANstruction. The goal this year is to break an all-year donation total of 1,000,000 pounds of food and $500,000 to The Food Pantries.
All of the cans used in the displays were purchased with support from Market 32 and Price Chopper, the presenting sponsor, and will be donated to The Food Pantries for the Capital District.
The 12 participating teams include AOW Associates with Envision Architects, CSArch, Exyte, kW Mission Critical Engineering, Labella, MJ Engineering & Surveying, Mosaic Associates, Ryan Biggs Clark Davis Engineering, Stantec, C.T. Male Associates, and newcomers Colliers Engineering & Design and New Leaf Energy.
An additional structure will be part of the exhibit, constructed by the Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York in support of Girls CAN Do, an annual program the Girl Scouts participate in that encourages not only STEM, but service to their community.
“CANstruction is a powerful example of how much we can do when we come together in the fight against hunger,” said Natasha Pernicka, executive director of The Food Pantries for the Capital District, in the release. “We are incredibly grateful to the region’s design community for helping heighten awareness of the need for our programs and services.”
