Courtesy: Courtesy Photo CMU student-athletes collected and donated over 5,400 items to the Isabella County Red Cross.

MOUNT PLEASANT – Central Michigan University student-athletes collected more than 5,400 food items during the annual Holiday Food Drive on Sunday, Oct. 29.

The food drive benefits the Isabella County Red Cross. The 5,400 items collected and donated by CMU’s 287 student-athletes marks the largest donation CMU has made to the Red Cross during a single food drive.

The Chippewa football team broke its own record, collecting 1,879 items. The group of Ronnie Ekdahl, Casey Droscha, Alan DeLano, Trevor Weeks and Vince Khoury collected 260 food items.

The women’s track and field program (1,035) and baseball program (552) posted the second-highest and third-highest single team totals, respectively.

CMU student-athletes take part in the Holiday Food Drive each October. After canvassing the Mount Pleasant community for two hours, the student-athletes return to the Isabella County Red Cross to stock the shelves with the items they have collected.