Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – On Wednesday, June 17, Witter Field hosted the third annual South Wood County Hunger Coalition United We Can “Strike Out Hunger” sculpture contest, raising 8,200 pounds of canned foods and non-perishable food items for five local charities.

Grace Lutheran Church, Solarus, Rapids Family Backpacks, The Family Center, ERCO Worldwide, Riverview Hospital Association, United Way's 211, City of Wisconsin Rapids, Daily Tribune Media, Mid-State Technical College's Health and Wellness Promotion Program Student Group and Paper City Savings were the 12 local groups who built the sculptures underneath the Witter Field grandstands from the donated goods.

The sculptures were on display during the Rafters’ game on Wednesday and fans in attendance voted on various awards, including Most Creative, Most Nutritious and Community Choice. Rapids Family Backpacks won Most Creative for their R2-D2 lool-alike (picture above), while Riverview Hospital took the other two awards with a replica Rubik’s Cube made of cans.

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The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website.  For more information, visit www.raftersbaseball.com.