Go hungry

Muslims aren’t the only ones fasting this time of year. On Monday, VCU students and staff of all denominations will choose to “get hungry for a change” at the fifth annual Ramadan Fast-a-Thon.

Organized by the VCU Muslim Students Association, the Ramadan Fast-a-Thon will raise money for the Central Virginia Food Bank. For each person who pledges to fast, participating local businesses will donate $2.

“In Richmond alone, as many as 200 calls for emergency food may be placed in a single day to area food pantries, soup kitchens and other emergency food providers,” the MSA Web site says. “Hunger is not something that only happens ‘over there’ in some faraway land. It happens right here in our city, right now.”

The participants will fast the way Muslims do during Ramadan, abstaining from all food and liquid during daylight hours. The pledge form encourages also refraining from negative thoughts and speech.

“I’m fasting because I feel I’ve become too complacent in my daily life when others have it much worse than I do,” said Casey Canady, an undeclared major and first-time Fast-a-Thon participant.

“One of the main reasons for fasting is to call attention to those who go hungry every day, not as an exercise of religious expression, but as a fact of life,” the MSA Web site says.

Once the sun goes down, participants will join together to break their fast by eating fruit, snacks and a dinner of cultural food provided by local Muslim families and businesses.

The Hunger Awareness Day banquet will be held Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the Commonwealth Ballroom and Richmond Salons in the University Student Commons.

Last year, the Fast-a-Thon had 1,800 participants and raised $3,600. The funds were donated to the Baton Rouge Food Bank because of the devastation Hurricane Katrina caused along the Gulf Coast.

Founded by the MSA at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, the Ramadan Fast-a-Thon is an international event. High schools and colleges from the U.S., Canada and South Africa participate.

Around 250 schools were part of the fast last year. So far, 230 schools have registered for this year’s event. Internationally, the Fast-a-Thon has raised more than $30,000 annually.