True Tigers get taste of downtown
More than 300 students participated in the fundraising event.
Published Oct. 5, 2007
The True Tigers were on the prowl Tuesday night as many MU students joined the sixth annual Restaurant Prowl, sampling food from some of downtown Columbia's restaurants. The Alumni Association Student Board held the event to raise money for the Central Missouri Food Bank.
"We had a great crowd again this year," Assistant Director of Student Programs Carin Huffman Grinch said. "Obviously the rain affected attendance a bit, but we were pleased with the turnout and happy so many True Tigers participated."
Thirteen restaurants participated, including The Heidelberg, Shakespeare's Pizza, Boone Tavern and Bread Basket Café. Prowlers sampled food from each location.
The Heidelberg offered students potato skins and spicy hot wings. Shake's Frozen Custard gave students a one-scoop sample of its seasonal pumpkin frozen custard or, for the less daring, vanilla or chocolate. Shakespeare's Pizza kept it simple with its signature pepperoni and cheese pizza. On Eighth Street, the Bread Basket Café gave students a little bit of freedom by offering anything on the menu from soup in a bread bowl to grilled cheese sandwiches. All of the stops had a variety of soft drinks provided by AASB.
"The event is a great way for downtown restaurants to get students in the door so they can sample their food and hopefully make many return visits," Grinch said.
AASB member Zach Kinne and Vice President of Internal Relations Miranda Leppin greeted students at the entrance of the Bread Basket Café.
Two AASB members were stationed at every restaurant, and they took turns working so that everyone has a chance to prowl, Kinne said.
Many fraternity and sorority members choose to skip dinner at their houses and instead ate some of the food downtown Columbia has to offer, Leppin said.
"It's a great way for friends to spend time together," she said.
True Tigers choose to promote the prowl by creating a Facebook.com group and encouraged large organizations, such as fraternity and sorority chapters, to attend together.
A total of 355 tickets for $5 each were sold prior to the event.
The AASB not only used the event to raise money for the Central Missouri Food Bank, but also to get students involved in AASB. Applications to join the organization are due Oct. 26 following two informational meetings on Tuesday and Oct. 23.
"This is a fun event every year, and the downtown businesses are wonderful partners," Grinch said.
