Community event part of Orientation Week for new McGill students
MONTREAL, Aug. 28, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The McGill community will attempt to break a Guinness World Records® title today by creating an 11,000-pound fruit salad, the largest fruit salad in the world. New and returning students will join volunteer members from all parts of the McGill community to create the gigantic salad, a large majority of which is destined to local charity organizations. The event, led by McGill Food and Dining Services, in collaboration with a myriad of partners, is part of the revamped McGill Orientation Week, held from Aug. 25 to Sept. 2.
The challenge will consist of chopping more than 5,000 pounds of watermelon, 1,300 pounds of cantaloupe, 1,000 pounds of honeydew, 2,250 pounds of pineapple, 220 pounds of apples and 360 pounds of strawberries, among other components. More than half of the fruit will be harvested from McGill's Macdonald campus, home of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition.
The event aims to promote community engagement, sustainable practices - such as buying local products - and healthy eating. It will benefit a number of the city's charities including Moisson Montréal, The Old Brewery Mission, Dans la Rue, Welcome Hall Mission and Meals on Wheels, who will be receiving over 60 per cent of the fruit salad. In addition, about 300 portions of the salad will be sold in McGill cafeterias, the proceeds of which will be donated to Centraide.
McGill's composter on campus, Big Hanna, will be composting between 500 and 1,000 pounds of the rinds and peels from the challenge. The remainder will be composted by the City of Montreal.
Many of McGill's food suppliers are participating in the challenge, including Aramark, Hector Larivée and GFS. Tzanet, Bertoldi and Balance GTR will be supplying select equipment, such as knives, cutting boards and the official scale for the event.
The Guinness World Records title for largest fruit salad - at 10,440 pounds - is currently held by California State University at Fresno.
This event will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 28 on McGill's downtown campus, under the Parents' Tent starting at 12:30 p.m. The weighing of the fruit salad by a Guinness World of Records official is scheduled to be held between 4:30 and 5:45 p.m.
This year, Orientation Week consists of traditional events, such as Discover McGill, the campus-wide welcome and "kick off" day, also held today, and over 75 new events hosted by the Students' Society of McGill University clubs and services and McGill offices and departments. New events include a Quidditch practice with the defending national champion McGill Quidditch team, on Lower Field at 1 p.m. on Aug. 29, and The Amazing Library Race, a test of wits and skill in a race against time on Aug. 30 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. starting at the Cyberthèque e-classroom. A full list of events can be found at www.mcgillorientation.ca/events.php
SOURCE: MCGILL UNIVERSITY
Orientation Week: http://www.mcgillorientation.ca
Orientation Week Welcome Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd2vvMfneis
Discover McGill: http://www.mcgill.ca/firstyear/undergrad-students/week/schedule
Discover Macdonald campus: http://www.mcgill.ca/macdonald/studentinfo/orientation/schedule
Media wishing to attend the event are asked to please contact:
Cynthia Lee
Media Relations Office
McGill University
514-398-6754
514-793-6753 (cell.)
[email protected]
Julie Fortier
Interim Director, Media Relations Office
McGill University
514-398-6751
514-884-1587 (cell.)
[email protected]
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