The third time was the charm for Southwestern Michigan College (SMC) as it outswept its competition to emerge as the winning team in Midwest Energy Cooperative’s 3rd Annual Supermarket Sweep Food Drive.

The event was held Tuesday at Martin’s Super Market on Sanford School Road in Elkhart.

Supermarket Sweep is a spirited and competitive “food raiser” that pits team against team for a five minute sweep of the supermarket to gather grocery items to benefit a local food pantry. The team collecting the most items on the provided shopping list wins.

The beneficiary of the 2011 event was ACTION, a coalition of Cass County churches working together to serve and support people through various ministry areas including a food pantry program.

Second place honors went to Cassopolis Elementary School.

Scott Wade Construction won the People’s Choice Award for the best decorated cart, as well as the “Crappy Wheel Award” as the team that collected the fewest items on the shopping list.

In total, 13 teams competed in Tuesday’s event, generating $830 in cash and $1,000 in groceries for ACTION.

Teams included SMC, Scott Wade Construction, Cass County Council on Aging, Kemner-Iott Insurance Agency, Red Star Auction, Corporate Graphic Solutions, First United Methodist Church (Dowagiac), Cassopolis Elementary School, Cass County Great Start Collaborative, Cass County Family Court, Greater Niles Community Federal Credit Union and two teams from United Way.