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Students, faculty and staff, along with representatives of CBS Radio and
Second Harvest Food Bank, worked together in the shadow of the Intimidator
roller coaster, taping cans together before adding them to the construction –
drawing spectator questions and creating an opportunity to talk about Second
Harvest and The Art Institute of Charlotte as the car took shape.
In total, Second Harvest Food Bank reaped more than 2,100 pounds of
donated foods from amusement park attendees in addition to almost 13,000
cans of food donated from the build by CBS Radio. Kay Carter, executive
director of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, was very pleased with
the event.
CHARLOTTE STUDENTS
“intimidate HUNGER” BY BUILDING
RACING CAR OF Canned FOODS
In a tribute to NASCAR, the region’s homegrown and internationally known motor sport, Graphic Design students
at The Art Institute of Charlotte partnered with CBS Radio’s Charlotte affiliates and Carowinds amusement park to
build a replica race car that would encourage the public to “Intimidate Hunger.”
“We are always thrilled to receive 13,000 cans of fruit and vegetables. Nutrition
in the food we provide our agencies is important to us, and we never have
enough fruits and vegetables,” Carter said. “Thank you, CBS Radio, plus the
opportunity to work with the wonderful volunteers from The Art Institute and
the great exposure at Carowinds – this was a win-win-win!”
Despite it being one of the hottest days in a long summer, the
students found the work rewarding. And once their labor was complete,
they headed over to the gigantic Intimidator roller coaster to get an
aerial view of their masterpiece.
Approached by CBS Radio about the project, The Art Institute of Charlotte’s Graphic Design program tapped
alumnus Ryan Drye, owner of Charlotte’s District Design Studio, to help out. Drye, a 2007 graduate, designed the race
car and supervised its construction in mid-July at Carowinds.
Almost 12,000 cans of foods donated by grocer Food Lion, another partner in the project, were used to build the racing
car replica.
Upon its completion, the Intimidator replica, named for the late legendary NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt and for
the park’s fearsome Intimidator roller coaster, encouraged park visitors to “Intimidate Hunger” by donating canned
goods to Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, which services other food banks and nonprofit agencies in 11
counties in the Greater Charlotte region. The cans used to build the Intimidator also were donated to the food bank.