Six years ago, in an effort to spotlight girls soccer, a local high school girls soccer coach decided to play a soccer match for charity in a football stadium.  The concept has since than grown countywide and the stadium games have raised and donated tens of thousands of dollars to local charities.

The 2011 edition of stadium games is underway, and on May 16, John Glenn will travel to Central to play in the Fill the Shelves for Area Food Banks game.  These students will be accepting food donations at the game.  Any cash donations will be donated to the Bay County Food Council to help establish a Food Hotline for individuals to get connected to local food pantries.

The need for food is great.  One in seven adults and nearly one-quarter of all children are hungry and not receiving the basic nutrition they need.  Moving into the summer months, 22 million students are at risk of going hungry when the school year ends.  For many children, school meals are the only complete and nutritious meals they eat.

Jennifer Carroll, United Way CEO and Chair of the Bay County Food Council states, “The students should be commended for their efforts to help others and I encourage the community to attend.  It is a lot of fun to see these lady soccer players compete, all for a good cause.”