DECATUR - Mary Polley stopped by Millikin University's arrival court in front of Richards Treat University Center on Monday morning to drop off a grocery sack of food for one simple reason.

"A lot of people go hungry, and there's no reason for it," said Polley, a data information specialist in the university's admissions office.

Her donation was among dozens loaded into the back of a 15-passenger van Monday as part of Millikin's final push this week to collect food for the annual WSOY Community Food Drive on Friday.

The hope is a new emphasis on business participation will help the event bring in its goal of 300,000 pounds of food for Catholic Charities and the Salvation Army, and Karin Betzer-Grady, account executive and community relations coordinator for J.L. Hubbard Insurance & Bonds, said the response has been strong.

First-timers range from Doherty's Pub and Pins, with 20 employees, to Tate & Lyle, with 800.

"This event has evolved into an outstanding communitywide effort to meet a continuing need, and an increasing number of employees expressed interest in getting involved," said Chris Olsen, director of community and government relations for Tate & Lyle.

"We did it because it helps out," said John Hawkins, co-owner of Doherty's. "That's what we're here for."

Membership Director Sue Speagle said the Decatur Athletic Club usually has its own food drive with its 75 employees and 2,100 members but decided to set up collection boxes and pass out paper sacks for the community drive this year.

"We have enough traffic here to collect a good quantity to share with those in need," Speagle said.

Millikin University, on the other hand, has been part of the community drive for the past few years and began bringing together donations from its 500 employees and 2,400 students Monday in conjunction with a live broadcast in Richards Treat University Center of WSOY Radio's "Byers & Co." morning show.

Members of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity were helping unload drive-up donations and taking a dolly to fetch others from the colleges of arts and sciences, fine arts, professional studies and academic affairs, among others.

"At this rate, we may need a second van," said food drive coordinator Sonya Woodrum, executive assistant to the vice president for enrollment.

One of the first donations came from the president's office and included 90 jars of spaghetti sauce that rode around all weekend in the trunk of Chief of Staff Marilyn Davis' car.

"I wasn't going to carry all those up to the office," Davis said, "so every time I pulled up to a stoplight this weekend, I prayed no one would hit me."

tchurchill@herald-review.com|421-7978

If You Go

WHAT: 7th Annual WSOY Community Food Drive

WHEN: 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10

WHERE: Kroger, 1818 Airport Plaza

OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS: Herald & Review, J.L. Hubbard Insurance & Bonds, Skeff Distributing, Archer Daniels Midland Co., Decatur Back & Neck Center, Jones & Thomas, Ticket-N-Trips and WAND-TV

FOR MORE: Individuals may call Brian Byers at 423-9744, schools call Pete Vercellino at 520-5098 and companies call Karin Betzer-Grady at 877-3344.