Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum News


	For Immediate Release: April 21, 2009	Contact: David Blanchette (217) 558-8970
	Yes we can Canstruction food drive to create Lincoln-themed structures at Presidential Library April 27 - May 3 Springfield, IL — Giant Lincoln-themed art sculptures made from canned food will be created and publicly displayed during the Canstruction® food drive event being held April 27 through May 3 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in downtown Springfield. The design winners of the canned food structures will be announced during a ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 27. Three area architectural teams will use donated food items to create the sculptures in the atrium area of the Presidential Library, where they may be viewed daily free of charge. The event benefits Central Illinois Foodbank. Schools, groups, and individuals are encouraged to bring canned food as a donation on the day they view the designs, and those who make a donation receive one dollar off admission to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. The Presidential Library is challenging all schools to participate in their own food drives, with the top school receiving a special Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Assembly presented at the school by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. To register or to receive more information, contact Kristy Gilmore (217) 522-4022 or visit www.centralilfoodbank.org. The Canstruction® goal will be to collect 35,000 pounds of food in an effort to help feed 100 local families for an entire month. The Canstruction® event is sponsored by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, AIA Illinois, News Channel 20, 93.9 ABE-FM, and the State Journal Register Newspapers in Education. A foundation of the Society for Design Administration (SDA), Canstruction® is a design/build competition currently held in cities throughout North America. Teams of architects, engineers, and students mentored by these professionals compete to design and build giant structures made entirely from full cans of food. The results are displayed to the public as magnificent sculpture exhibits in each city where a competition is held. At the close of the exhibitions all of the canned food used in the structures is donated to local food banks for distribution to emergency feeding programs that include pantries, soup kitchens, and elderly and day care centers. Since its inception, ten million pounds of food has been donated to aid in the fight against hunger. Design and Construction Industry professional associations that have partnered with the SDA in organizing local competitions include the American Institute of Architects, the Society for Marketing Professional Services and the International Interior Design Association. Visit www.canstruction.org for more information. ###