Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

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updated December 17, 2009

Students Help Community’s Needy through Special Events

Call it the miracle at 5500 Wabash Avenue.

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology students, faculty and staff members put their engineering, problem solving and teamwork skills to go use to assemble 450 bicycles and tricycles for needy children across Indiana through the Exchange Club of Terre Haute’s Bikes For Tykes project.

Resembling Santa's Workshop: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology students worked together at stations throughout the Facilities Operations Center to assemble 450 bicycles for this year's Bikes For Tykes community project.

The volunteers featured approximately 250 members of Rose-Hulman’s Greek community, residence halls and other student organizations. Throughout the process, Rose-Hulman’s Facilities Operations Center resembled Santa’s Workshop as students split up into groups at 25 assembly work stations, inspection areas, tire pressure air stations, a sorting area and delivery preparation area.

“The students realize that they’re helping others and have a fun time working on the bicycles,” stated Dale Long, co-chair of the Exchange Club project and Rose-Hulman’s Director of News Services. “A bicycle is a special gift for a child, and the Rose-Hulman students have an important role in making a lot of dreams come true each Christmas.”

This year, the 450 bicycles were assembled in approximately 2½ hours, starting at 8:15 p.m. Inspections continued until 12:30 p.m., when deliveries began leaving campus to serve children in several Indiana communities. Local families came to campus to pick up their designated bicycles from 1-3 p.m. Each child also received a safety helmet.

Rose-Hulman students have assisted the Bikes For Tykes project for 10 years, with the large assembly party being conducted the last seven years being on campus. Long estimates that 3,500 bicycles have been assembled and distributed during that decade –- thanks, in a big part, to the Rose-Hulman students and other members of the campus community.

Other community activities supported by campus groups this holiday season have included:

ASCE Helps Campus Raise $2,499 for Christmas Basket Fund

Members of the Cecil T. Lobo student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers collected $2,499.81 from throughout campus and alumni for The Terre Haute Tribune-Star’s Christmas Basket Fund, which provides bountiful holiday dinners to hundreds of needy families.

Annual Contribution: Cole Perry (right), treasurer of the Cecil T. Lobo student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers, presented this year's check to support The Tribune-Star's Christmas Basket Fund to Publisher B.J. Riley.

“Everybody on campus is waiting to see us” when members of the ASCE visit different campus departments seeking donations, ASCE Treasurer Cole Perry told the newspaper. Between 25 and 30 chapter members participated in this year’s campaign.

Since 1989, ASCE has raised $37,512.90 for the basket fund, according to Kevin Sutterer, chair of the Department of Civil Engineering and ASCE chapter faculty advisor.

Significant contributors to this year’s campaign were the college’s Interfraternity Council and civil engineering alumni, both with $500 donations.

“The ASCE student chapter would like to thank all of the Rose-Hulman faculty, students, and staff that continue to make this fundraiser a success year after year,” Perry said.

The Tribune-Star, which started providing Christmas baskets for needy Wabash Valley residents more than 80 years ago, is striving to raise more than $20,000 this year to provide bountiful Christmas dinners for 500 families. The baskets are delivered the morning of Christmas Eve each year by more than 100 volunteers.

"I think we’re right on track to reach our goal," said Tribune-Star Publisher B.J. Riley, who accepted this year’s ASCE check from Perry. Despite the tough economic times, "it’s great to see people step up,” Riley said. Rose faculty, staff and students “have given year, after year, after year."

Read a story about this year’s ASCE donation to the basket fund at http://www.tribstar.com/news/local_story_350224126.html.

Up ‘Til Dawn Event Raises Money & Awareness for Hospital

Letter Writer: Rose-Hulman students wrote 5,655 letters to solicit support for St. Jude Children's Hospital during this year's Up 'Til Dawn activity.

Up ‘Til Dawn is a student-led program that raises awareness and funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. At the event students write letters to their friends and family that share information about St. Jude and request a donation to support the hospital. Students also had the opportunity to enjoy food, prizes, live music, and games.

On December 10, Rose-Hulman conducted its third annual Up ‘Til Dawn event in the Sports and Recreation Center from 9 p.m. until midnight. Approximately 250 students participated, writing 5,655 letters. Students raised over $17,000 in the one-night event last year and are hoping to raise $25,000 this year.

The event was organized by a student steering committee that began meeting in the spring of the 2008-09 academic year. The steering committee was led by graduate student Tyler Masterson, co-coordinators Hannah LaFleur and Johanna Moore, and committee members Nicholas Predan, Michael Rooney, Greg Neumann, Tony Klee, Eric Hollenkamp, Sarah Erhart, Amber Knust and Annie Bullock.

Campus sponsors included the Student Government Association, Residence Hall Association, Interfraternity Council and Student Activities Board. Caterpillar was this year’s corporate sponsor.

Baseball Players Offer Hand to Exotic Feline Rescue Center

Forty members of the Rose-Hulman baseball team donated their efforts in December to help the Exotic Feline Rescue Center (EFRC) continue progress on its facility. Players built two new enclosures that will house several of the 10 tigers that were recently rescued by the center, located in nearby Clay County.

Helping Hands: Rose-Hulman baseball players attached fencing and poles throughout a strenuous and chilly morning of work at the Feline Rescue Center earlier this month.

Last winter, Rose-Hulman constructed cages that currently house two tigers with materials donated by the Tony Stewart Foundation, started by the two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion. The team was able to see the new environment that was created due to their efforts.

EFRC was founded in 1991 by Joe Taft in Center Point, with a mission of providing "permanent homes for exotic felines that have been abused, abandoned or for some reason have nowhere to live out their lives, while educating the public about these beautiful cats." The center currently contains more than 200 large cats from nearly half the nation. More than 20,000 persons visit the EFRC every year.

Two years ago, Rose-Hulman helped the center complete work on its new food processing center so that it can handle more than 3,000 pounds of meat per day.

Rose-Hulman's baseball team battled temperatures in the mid-30s to complete work that included construction of new fences and poles to help provide homes for these felines. Students also had the opportunity to tour EGRC's facilities, including viewing many of the exotic felines in their natural environment.

Other Holiday Campus Programs & Activities

Other examples of student groups that helped community groups during the holiday season included:

* Members of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and Delta Delta Delta sorority hosted a holiday party for 30 youths from Terre Haute's Ryves Hall Youth Center. The event included a visit from Santa Claus, presents, lunch, singing Christmas carols and playing games.

* The Alpha Tau Omega fraternity hosted a holiday party for members of Vigo County's Big Brother Big Sister program. Members also organized a campus book fair in which students and employees could donate new children's books to the Success By 6 program.

* Students, faculty and staff members donated mittens, scarves and stocking hats for Vigo County elementary school children through a Mitten Tree that was placed in the lobby of the Hulman Union throughout December.