Valley school hosts sumo wrestling, pie throwing for St. Mary's Food Bank

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - It's not everyday you see two grown men in sumo suits, but today is that day, and it's all for the St. Mary's Food Bank.

"This is an important drive for us," Superintendent Dr. Paul Stanton said. "This has turned into one of the largest drives we have all year."

Washington Elementary School District Superintendent Stanton was coerced into the ring after employees collected 8,000 pounds of canned food to get him involved.

Dr. Stanton is the brother of Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, but that doesn't mean Pastor Dan Steffen is going to go easy. The Pure Heart Christian Fellowship collected 5,000 pounds for him to win.

"This is insanity," he said." It's only a part of the school district's Take Down Hunger final event."

It all started with a pie throwing contest which was a way to thank business owners who have donated big amounts to the cause.

"It's the kids, it's the school, it's the administrators and the churches and the community get behind it and they really want to help," Jerry Brown, of the St. Mary's Food Bank, said.

Last year, the drive raised over 150,000 pounds of canned food and this year, the hope is to beat that amount, just like Pastor Steffen beat Dr. Stanton.

As today's winner gets an epic congratulations and gets lifted onto a St. Mary's truck, the food bank says the real winners are the hungry people of Arizona.

All Washington Elementary District schools will accept donations until the end of Friday.