On Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009, at Jordan-Hare stadium, 81,506 fans watch the Auburn Tigers take on the Furman Paladins for the 2009 Homecoming game.

When half-time comes and the band takes the field, the Top 5 candidates for Miss Homecoming line up for their introduction. Cheers erupt as each candidate’s name is called. Following the cheers is silence as fans await the announcement of Miss Homecoming 2009, Christian Becraft.

“It was the longest first quarter and the shortest second quarter,” says Becraft, a senior in journalism. “I was so nervous and all I could do to keep calm was to continue cheering and watching the game.”

Becraft said that being able to hang out with the other candidates before the game was nice because they were all in the same boat and feeling the same nervousness.

“I really don’t remember them saying my name,” says Becraft of the announcement. “I just remember screams and cheers and everyone flocking around me and congratulating me, and I was in awe.”

The turning point for Becraft when she realized she had won was when her father turned and looked at her and said, “Wow!”

“After that, everything registered,” says Becraft. “I could hear this certain section where my staff and my mom and all of my friends were sitting cheering for me. It was such an incredible experience.”

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Becraft was nominated by the Panhellenic Council and went through two rounds of interviews in order to become a Top 5 candidate. Once the top five were announced, Becraft had to assemble a staff, develop a platform, and create her campaign.

The platform on which Becraft based her campaign is the East Alabama Food Bank. The idea for this campaign came from an awareness project for one of her classes in the spring in which she researched poverty in Auburn and Opelika, Ala.

“I learned the statistics about poverty in our area and it was really alarming,” says Becraft.
From there, she volunteered at the community market throughout the summer and says the experience changed her because of the people she saw.

“I want to encourage students and our community to donate to the food bank and donate items that families receiving the food would want to receive,” says Becraft. “The Beat Bama Food Drive, which ends Nov. 19, is a great opportunity to donate now and make a difference, especially during the holiday season.”

Come spring, Becraft hopes to continue to educate students and the community on the foods the families need at different times of the year since the food bank’s shelves are limited in the summer. She would also like to encourage students to volunteer at local distribution centers.

Becraft is spreading the words that the food drive is coming to a close and Auburn University is still away from the goal of 250,000 pounds. “I think it’s important for us to become more active with the community and give back and be part of activities such as the Beat Bama Food Drive, especially at a time when our economy is really hurting.”

The ultimate goals Becraft has for her reign as Miss Homecoming 2009 is to get back to the cause and remember why Auburn started the food drive. She wants to leave an imprint on several homes in different areas right here from Auburn.

“At Auburn I love how we pride ourselves on being family,” says Becraft. “I would love to continue extending our family even further out into the community.”