Since 2007, the Broadcast Communications Club, led by Greg Powers, has conducted an annual food drive on Lake Land College (LLC) campus.  Anyone can contribute non-perishable food items, meaning that it does not need refrigeration, to the food drive. Powers has been the main instructor for Broadcast Communications as well as being the Station Manager for the on-campus radio station, WLKL-FM, 89.9 The Max Alternative, since 2006, when he took over for Ken Beno.

Located in the Northwest Building on campus, 89.9 The Max is staffed by students enrolled in Broadcast Communication courses on campus. The 1300-watt station reaches an approximate 30-mile radius of the main campus in Mattoon and gives listeners news updates on local events, campus activities and weather forecasts. They also play alternative music hits in addition to broadcasting local and on-campus sporting events.

Powers mentioned, “The food drive will continue until the end of November, and we (Broadcast Communications club members) will be going around campus collecting all the boxes and giving students a chance to participate.” The boxes are located at the Northwest Building, Luther Student Center and the Library, officially known as the Virgil Judge Center. The main area is outside Room 131 at the Northwest Hall, where both the Broadcast Communication and Introduction to Speech courses are located.

Powers stated, “We are not making any money off of it. It is a collaborative effort for club members to work together to provide for local food banks. For the past few years since Lake Land College has its food bank, we have assisted them in providing for their needs. We take a lot of the food there but also if we have some other food that the food bank does not need, we will take it to the other local food banks. We have conducted this endeavor since 2007, the year after I became a full-time faculty member on campus. I forgot exactly how we came up with this idea except brainstorming with student back then on how we can contribute on campus. There wasn’t a food drive and that was what we landed on.”

He referenced, “The most memorable part of the food drive is when you bring the food to the local food pantry or to the Lake Land pantry and you will see the excitement on the individuals who run the pantries. Their eyes light up when they see a couple of truckloads of food since there is a great need out there.  I see it every year and the broadcast members see it maybe twice. I get used to it after a while but you really don’t because it’s a new group and it gives the (broadcast communication club) members an opportunity to make an impact on people’s lives.”

He concluded that, “Anyone (student, faculty, staff and non-Lake Land people) is free to contribute to the food drive. If there is a specific need that anyone is aware of, feel free to let us know.”