Each month, more than 26,000 people in North Dakota seek and receive assistance from charitable feeding programs supplied by the Great Plains Food Bank. One in 12 North Dakotans seek emergency food assistance each year. In an effort to educate people about the hospitality industry and raise awareness for the Great Plains Food Bank, the North Dakota State University Hospitality Student Association has planned the third annual Pineapple Days celebration Sept. 15-16. The events include networking opportunities for hospitality students to meet prominent local employers and to show other students what the hospitality industry is all about.
According to Kara Wolfe, Hospitality Student Association adviser, Pineapple Days will help the future leaders of the hospitality industry see the great opportunities available in the Red River Valley.
Local chefs will compete in "Chopping Out Hunger" on Tuesday, Sept. 15, from noon to 1 p.m. on the East patio of the Memorial Union. Chefs from the Holiday Inn, NDSU Dining Services and NDSU Hospitality students will participate in a challenge to make the best dish from items found in a food bank. Judges for the event include student body president Amber Altstadt and Food Network TV challenger and assistant professor of architecture Stevie Famulari. Grilled hamburgers and hot dogs will be for sale during the event with proceeds going to the Great Plains Food Bank. The event is open to the public.
The Hospitality Student Association has planned a networking event on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m. at Thunder Road. The event will include a business meeting and time to socialize with new members. On Thursday, Sept. 17, at 2 p.m. in FLC 124, an industry panel will discuss their careers and tips for success. Panel members include a hotel general manager, convention and visitor's bureau director, human resources director, event planner, restaurant owner and resort manager.
According to Wolfe, the pineapple has been a symbol of hospitality for centuries. There are many tales of the history of the symbol, but most agree, that pineapple represents welcome, warmth and good cheer. "Whether it was the Caribbean Indians welcoming Christopher Columbus and the Spaniards or the seafarers marking their return to the American colonies or hostesses trying to impress their guests, they all used the pineapple as an expression of hospitality," she said.