The 2nd annual canstruction Belton event is rapidly approaching!  Mark your calendar and save the date.

This year’s event will again take place at the Campus Mayborn Center located on the campus of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.  Eleven teams from the community have entered the competition.  The Jurors Panel includes KCEN’s Chief Meteorologist, Andy Andersen, UMHB Chancelor, Dr. Jerry Bawcom, Bell County Judge, Gregory K. Simmons and the Temple Cultural Activities Center’s Visual Arts Director, Marilyn Ritchie.

This year, the public will be invited to view the structures as they are being built (from 5-8pm) on Thursday, February 2nd.  Suggested donation for admission is $5.

All structures will be on display to the public for free on Friday, February 3rd (from 9am-8pm) and Saturday, February 4th (from 9am-4pm).  Canstruction Belton invites all who come to bring a a non-perishable food item or a $1 donation as admission.  All who visit to see the structures on display will be able to vote for their favorite exhibit.

The apex of the event weekend will be Saturday evening, as the teams will be awarded for their efforts.  The winning teams (the categories are: Jurors’ Favorite, Best Meal, Structural Ingenuity, Best Use of Labels, Community Favorite-voted by the public, Most Cans, Best Theme and the CANtagious Spirit Award) will be announced and keynote speaker, Dr. George Harrison of UMHB, will address the audience and teams.  Tickets for the Gala & Awards Dinner are limited.  The cost per person is $30 or $200 per table (8.)

Click to make your reservation for the Gala & Awards Dinner: 6pm, Saturday February 4th. (Seating is limited, so make your reservation today!)

At the completion of canstruction Belton, all of the cans of food will be taken down and transported to Helping Hands Ministry of Belton.  The food will be used to bolster the food pantry of Helping Hands.  All other funds raised from the weekend will be used to purchase food for those in need in our community.

In addition, a silent auction will take place throughout the weekend; beginning at 5pm on Thursday, February 2nd and closing at 7pm on Saturday, February 4th.

HOW IS THIS ACCOMPLISHED?
A competing team is a group of five official members and at least one designing mentor.  The teams can be architectural, engineering or building firms, church, civic or school groups or simply neighbors and friends.  Teams enlist a “supporting cast” whose job it is to fund raise, design and acquire cans for the competition.  All canned goods from the competition are used to help stock the food pantry of Helping Hands Ministry in Belton. The team mentors may be builders, engineers, architects or interior designers.  (The mentor may or may not be an official team member.)  During the time of the 3 hour competition five people may build at one time but may also substitute members from its supporting cast to build.  The teams are completely responsible for providing all cans needed for their canned structures. The structures built by the teams must have a minimum of 1,000 cans.  The space provided is 10’x10’x8’.  At the competition’s conclusion, the structures will be judged by a celebrity jury.

LAST YEAR
The 2011 event, canstruction Belton, was a great success for Helping Hands Ministry!  More than 15,000 pounds of food and more than $20,000 were raised!  All of the food and funds went directly to the food pantry to help the hungry in our community.

‎”One CAN Rat Out Hunger” won Most Cans, Best Meal, People’s Choice &Honorable Mention. “U 2 Can Help” won Best Use of Labels, while “Isn’t it aMAZEing what One Can Do?” won the CANtagious Spirit Award.

“King TunaCANmun” won Structural Ingenuity &Juror’s Favorite, the overall winner.  A special congratulation for Architecural Edge’s ‎“King TunaCANmun” is in order as it is the 2011 winner of Juror’s Favorite in the International Competition!  Hundreds of winners from competitions on four continents were entered into the International Competition!

PRESS SELECTIONS
KCEN News Clip
YNN News Clip
International Winner from Belton Competition
Canstruction Inc. Press Release of 2011 Winners

Photos are from the 2011 Belton competition.