9-2-98

Contacts:
Roger Stover, Finance, (515) 294-8114
Bryan Burkhardt, Government of the Student Body, (515) 294- 1585
Brett Showalter or Tonia Hesse, Homecoming '98 Co-chairs, (515) 294-0198
Steve Jones, News Service, (515) 294-4778

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, ISU ORGANIZATIONS TO BUILD HOME ON CAMPUS IN CENTRAL IOWA'S FIRST 'BLITZ-BUILD'

AMES, Iowa -- Story County's next Habitat for Humanity home will be constructed on a fast-track when it's built on the Iowa State University campus before relocation to nearby Roland.

The Story County Habitat for Humanity chapter and several ISU organizations will build a home on the intramural fields east of Jack Trice Stadium. The 1,100-square-foot, three-bedroom house will be constructed Oct. 6-9 during homecoming week and trucked the following week to its awaiting foundation in Roland, located about 15 miles northeast of Ames.

Most of the house will be constructed in just four days in what will be central Iowa's first "blitz-build." It's estimated more than a thousand volunteers from ISU and Ames will take turns working on the house, said Bryan Burkhardt, president of the Government of the Student Body (GSB) and co-chair of ISU's yearlong celebration honoring alumnus George Washington Carver.

GSB, the Carver celebration steering committee and ISU's homecoming central committee have joined forces with the Story County Habitat for Humanity chapter to raise funds and recruit workers for the project. More than $36,000 of the estimated $55,000 needed to build and move the home has been raised. About $30,000 in funds and construction materials are being raised in the Ames community, and $25,000 in cash is being raised on the ISU campus.

On Sept. 23-24, volunteers will conduct a mass appeal to ISU students, faculty and staff to raise funds for the home. The fund- raising appeal will take place near the ISU campanile.

"If we can get a few thousand people to each donate just $1, we will reach our fund-raising goal," Burkhardt said.

Habitat for Humanity is an international organization dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness. Volunteers have built more than 65,000 houses around the world providing homes for 300,000 people. The Story County chapter is only in its third year, but the group already has built or renovated five residences, said Roger Stover, ISU professor of finance and a Story County Habitat for Humanity board member.

Last fall, ISU's homecoming central committee chose Habitat for Humanity as its main community service project. Students helped renovate a home in Kelley. Homecoming '98 co-chair Brett Showalter said students enjoyed the experience and were eager to become involved again.

"The student response to Habitat for Humanity has been overwhelming," Showalter said. "We had more than 1,000 student volunteers last year, and we expect a similar turnout this year."

Burkhardt said the Carver all-university celebration steering committee was looking for a community service project, and members jumped at the opportunity to join the homecoming committee in promoting the blitz-build.

The ISU Cyclone football team hosts Missouri Oct. 10 in its homecoming game. With thousands of fans at the stadium, Showalter said the house's location will provide a great deal of exposure for Habitat for Humanity.

The blitz-build workers will complete most of the house's exterior during the four days of construction. Nearly all of the interior work will be completed once the home is relocated, Stover said.

"This is a great student activity," Stover said. "It's a prime example of the type of activities our students undertake to improve the communities in this area."

Construction volunteers will work in three-hour shifts, Stover said. Bob Behal, the Story County Habitat for Humanity construction coordinator, will oversee the work and keep the project on schedule. Persons wishing to donate funds, or labor Oct. 6-9, should to contact the ISU Homecoming '98 office at (515) 294-0198.

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Revised 9/2/98