Contest brings about important awareness for hunger in Iowa.

In Iowa, 12.4 percent of households are food insecure, and Enactus has joined with Campbell’s Let’s Can Hunger Drive, which aims to collect 5,000 pounds of food for these insecure families, according to Simpson senior and Enactus president Taylor Sharp.  

For the second year, Enactus will be holding the Mr. Simpson contest to raise awareness for hunger in Iowa. 

This comedic male beauty pageant will be held on February 13 at 8 p.m. in the Principal Black Box. 

“Last year we raised over 750 pounds of food. That is incredible!” Sharp said. 

Sharp sent out an email to the student body asking for nominations for Mr. Simpson. From those nominations, 20 contestants were chosen and announced on Enactus’ Facebook page on Monday, February 10. 

Sharp said Mr. Simpson is composed of three entertaining rounds.

1. All 20 men participate in the first round.
2. By the second round, the competition is cut in half and there are only 10 men left.
3. In the final round, there will only be five contestants left, and one winner will be chosen.

Mr. Simpson 2013 was Dillan Hamilton. he said his favorite part of the contest was “being part of something that was so successful in collecting donations to give to those that are in need. All in all, it was an experience I will not forget!”

He said last year in the first round, the contestants had to dance to “U Can’t Touch This,” and in the second round, they modeled beach wear. In the third round, the final five contestants dressed in formal attire and answered a questions. 

Hamilton said in the third round, “Clay Finley stole the show and the hearts of many girls.”

Hamilton said he wasn’t really in it to win it, but his friends seemed to enjoy watching him embarrass himself. Because his friends donated four crates of cans toward his name, Hamilton wasn’t very surprised when he won. 

“I was more surprised at how much joy my best friends had watching me suffer through the embarrassment,” he said. 

Vote for your favorite contestants by: 

• Stopping by Kent from 11-1:30 p.m. on Wed, Feb. 11
• Bring canned food items and cash 
• 1lb of canned food/$1 = 1 vote
• Whoever gets the most votes moves onto the next round

All donations will be given to Bidwell Riverside, a private non-profit serving people in poverty since 1893.