Authored by Linda Sandusky, Project Manager / Associate, Juan Angeles, P.E., Project Engineer, and Kelly Teenor, APR, Director of Marketing / Associate
The 4th Annual Orange County CANstruction competition involved 14 teams from the local architectural, engineering, and construction industry coming together one night to build structures with 70,000 cans of food at the South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, California. The structures were on display for a few weeks before being dismantled. For this event, the Orange County Food Bank was the recipient of all the cans.
Canstruction®, is a unique charity committed to ending hunger. The philosophy involves using ‘one can’ as a catalyst for change and to help put an end to hunger, one can at a time.
This event builds pride and camaraderie among the firms that participate. They get to showcase their creativity and ingenuity while giving back to the community. If you’re considering participating, Team Hall & Foreman says “Go for it. You CAN do it!” We hope our experiences inspire you and help you become a successful CANstruction participant.
Our 2011 entry was inspired by the Orange County I-5 Gateway sign. The entry titled, “Orange County CAN Stop Hunger,” paid tribute to CANstruction’s efforts to end hunger in Orange County and it honored our Orange County-based roots.
Hall & Foreman’s CANstruction® entry was inspired by the Orange County I-5 Gateway Sign. Photo Courtesy of Brian Carter of Pixel That! Photography.
The structure was made of approximately 3,500 cans. It used six different types of cans including Bush Baked Beans, Chicken of the Sea Pink Salmon, Chunk Light Tuna, Chunk White Albacore, and Bumble Bee Solid White Albacore and Chunk White Albacore.
As a multi-year veteran of this competition, we’re happy to share our preparation plans:
- Select the design early – about 6 months before the competition. The design should be meaningful to your firm and to the community.
- Create a detailed layout. We used a CAD program to layout our concept.
- Select the cans. Consider the structural aspects of the cans as well as the label’s aesthetic value. It’s the labels that create the visual impact.
- Determine the specific type and number of cans needed.
- Get sponsors and donations. Encourage your business partners, clients, employees, and friends of the firm to support your team. We’ve found it easiest to collect cash donations so we can buy the specific cans we need. Also, use your persuasive skills to get donations or cost reductions from the canneries or distributors.
- Do a pre-build. It’s critical to test build the structure, in advance, to see how the cans work together.
- Build Night. You’ve got limited time to build your structure. For this event, all structures had to be built at night during the 12 hours the mall was closed. To be successful incorporate the lessons learned from your pre-build test, get plenty of volunteers, be organized, get your cameras ready, and have fun.
Good job to Team Hall & Foreman which included the families and employees of Juan Angeles, Tom Cannon, Lucas Glauser, Henrik Nazarian, Robert Medina, Mark Oskorus, Eddy Oune, Linda Sandusky, and Dave Stuetzel. Here are some inspiring thoughts from them:
What did you enjoy most about CANstruction and why?
“I enjoy CANstruction because it allows me to get to know my co-workers in a non business environment outside the office while providing food for people that need it most.”
“I enjoyed CANstruction because I was able to share my ideas and creativity and interact with my family and co-workers in a friendly, fun and thoughtful event.”
“Knowing that we made a difference and it started with an idea and 1 can.”
What does participating in this community service event mean to you?
“There is nothing better than helping provide a basic need for people that are less fortunate than you. It makes you stop and appreciate all that you have and how easy it is to share with someone that is in need. It could be any of us.”
“I know first-hand how it feels to be on the receiving end of this community service. Knowing then that there were people out there willing to lend a hand was a good feeling. Now that I am able to pay it forward, while also showcasing my creativity and all that I’ve learned throughout the years, it’s an even greater feeling knowing that I’ve helped those who are now in need. There is no better feeling than being able to help out your community and at the same time have so much fun with it.”
“Supporting this great cause is a very rewarding experience and the enjoyment building this structure with your co-workers.”
What advice do you have for firms considering participating in the future?
“Come up with a simple, basic design and practice build the structure a couple of times.”
“When coming up with your design, be creative, anything goes. Later you will have a chance to narrow down your selection based on number of cans, type, color, complexity of design, limitations, etc. Have fun with it and remember to always do at least one practice build before the big build night. You can’t go wrong with an event that lets you be creative and allows your firm to shine and be recognized in the community for its work in and out of the office.”
“The success we achieved in filling our structure solid with canned food is a direct result of extreme generosity and dedication to CANstruction 2011.”
We encourage you to get involved in CANstruction in your area. Together we can make a difference and it starts with one can. To feed the hungry. To lift the spirit. To change the world. You CAN do it!
Team Hall & Foreman 2011 CANstruction Sponsors
Great job team HFI!!