By JENNIFER MOLK - For The Outpost

It is called the most unusual food charity event in the world, and it is coming to Billings for the first time ever.

Canstruction is an annual international competition that brings together architects, engineers and students to design a structure strictly out of cans of food. Once constructed here in Billings, those cans of food will be donated to the Billings Food Bank to feed the homeless and those in need.

Dr. Karen Beiser of Rocky Mountain College is spearheading this year’s inaugural event in Billings, with the aid of dozens of area architects, engineers, and faculty members and students from Rocky’s rival down the street, Montana State University Billings.

“Both colleges within a few days of each other approached us to do this project and we’re just delighted that the two universities are doing this as a team effort,” said Sheryl Shandy, executive director of the Billings Food Bank. “Hunger and homeless are never a turf issue.”

Dr. Beiser is an adviser and teacher for SIFE, Students in Free Enterprise, at RMC. One of her former students approached her in early December and suggested she look into the competition.

“I’d never heard of it before,” she said.”I went to Canstruction.org and thought, we can do this! So I started the process of looking into it. We had to get the charter from the national organization. My class purchased the right to do this.”

Dr. Beiser’s class consists of about 13 students who are partnering with MSU Billings and the Circle K Club, a service organization in Billings. SIFE is designed to help students get more active in their community and try to figure out ways to improve their community.

From there, the students have spent the past few months enlisting sponsors from around the area.

“Our group specifically has been focusing on homelessness and poverty this year,” Dr. Beiser explained. “All of our projects in some way, shape or form are related to homelessness and poverty in our community.”

At least five teams have been formed and will assemble their structures this Saturday and Sunday in the lobby of the food bank, followed by a public viewing beginning Monday. The public is encouraged to attend and vote on their favorite structure through Thursday, March 18. On Friday, March 19, there will be a gala celebration and judging. Photos of the winning structure will be sent to the national competition.

“Doing visual art adds a fun flavor to the effort, and in the end it turns into food for the food bank,” Ms. Shandy stated.

Ms. Shandy is also excited to show off her own new structure, that of the new Billings Food Bank building at 2112 Fourth Ave. N., which was completed last year.

“It will be a really great time for the community to come in and take a peek at the new food bank, and to take a look at the structures,” she said.

Canstruction has been in existence for nearly two decades and raised around 10 million pounds of food during that time to fight hunger. There are more than 140 cities in the United States and Canada participating this year, including Great Falls and Missoula, which are representing Montana.

A single Canstruction project can consist of thousands of cans of food, up to 5,000 in some cases, to produce life-size images such as sailboats, panda bears, a giant globe, and even a portrait of the president of the United States. Here at home, the theme is a conventional one.

“You won’t believe the crazy things people have built,” Dr. Beiser said. “But we are suggesting a Montana or Billings theme. We want to keep it home-focused in that sense for this year.”

Dr. Beiser offered a hint of a possible structure that has already been considered, that of Sacrifice Cliff.

“That would be very cool,” she said.

Bradley Feeley, a project manager with CTA Architects and Engineers in Billings, is lending his abilities to the project.

“I am very excited to be a part of the event and look forward to participating as well as viewing the displays from the other teams,” he said. “No matter how good or bad or indifferent the designs are, the true benefit comes from providing the cans to the Billings Food Bank to help supply the needy.”

Ms. Shandy averages the retail value of each full-size can of food at about $1. “For us, that converts to 2,000 meals that can be provided,” she said. “It converts to a lot of meals. It’s a lot of boxes of food going out to families.”

The Food Bank’s senior program has been its fastest growing program, with just under 2,200 seniors enrolled right now in six counties, predominantly Yellowstone. “On a monthly basis, that is around 2,500 families being served,” she said. “It’s a great thing, it’s a fun thing,” she said of Canstruction. “It reminds people what we’re here for.”

Mr. Feeley agreed. “That in itself is the main goal of this event; however, the displays in the competition provide a fun and creative way to generate community involvement and may inspire future support for donations to the food bank. From a community perspective, we could not do it without their support.”

Dr. Beiser said there is still time to get in on the fun. “Anyone who wants to participate can,” she said, reminding people that you don’t need to build something to help out.

“There is no such thing as too small of a donation,” she said. “We’ve had people who can contribute $10 and, God bless them, we’re thrilled.”

Ms. Shandy recognized the tough times of late as a struggle for everyone.

“Even though it’s been really hard times, this community really supported us and Canstruction is another indicator of the support from the community and we really, really appreciate it and do not take it for granted at all.”

Contact Dr. Karen Beiser at 657-1170 if you can help.