Campus Community Passes along Holiday Spirit to Area Children in Many Ways

NEWS: On Campus

December 19, 2012

Rose-Hulman students, faculty, and staff members got in the spirit of the holiday season by contributing to several community service programs that will bring smiles to the faces of area children this Christmas.


	Working Together: Several Rose-Hulman students used their engineering skills at workstations throughout the institute's Facilities Operations Center to assemble 420 bicycles and tricycles in four hours for Terre Haute's Bikes For Tykes project.

The institute's Facilities Operations Center resembled Santa's Workshop for four hours on December 15 as more than 300 students assembled 420 bicycles and tricycles for the Bikes For Tykes project, organized by the Exchange Club of Terre Haute. There were 40 workstations to assemble, inspect, sort, and distribute the bicycles.

And, the students used their problem-solving skills to figure out the complicated braking system for the 24- and 26-inch bicycles.

"The students get so much personal enjoyment out of this project. It is great to see our students using their many talents to give back to the community in such a great way," says Julia Williams, Ph.D., professor of English and executive director of the Office of Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment. She joined with Biomedical Engineering Professor Christine Buckley in assembling bikes again this year.

"This always puts me in the holiday spirit," states Buckley.

Rose-Hulman students have assisted the Exchange Club on the Bikes For Tykes project for 14 years.

"We couldn't do this project without all of the great support we get from Rose-Hulman and its students. These students continue to amaze me every year with their dedication to this project," states Exchange Club of Terre Haute President Adam Decker.

Elsewhere on campus, hundreds of mittens, gloves, and scarfs adorn a holiday tree in the lobby of the Hulman Union-thanks to donations from students and other members of the campus community. The "Mitten Tree" was organized by the Office of Student Activities, and the mittens will be presented to students at Terre Haute's Franklin Elementary School to keep warm for the winter season.


Keeping Children Warm: Students, faculty, and staff members donated hundreds of mittens, gloves, and scarfs that will be given to children at Terre Haute's Franklin Elementary School for this winter season.

"The support shown by our caring campus community has been overwhelming. It has been our best Mitten Tree Drive ever," says Donna Gustafson, dean of student services.

Members of the Cecil T. Lobo student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers collected over $1,100 from campus employees and students for the annual Terre Haute Tribune-Star Christmas Basket Fund. This project delivers a bountiful holiday feast to 500 Wabash Valley families each year. ASCE Treasurer Adam Carlson joined members John Munson, Anne Pierce, and Samantha Springer in organized this year's campaign, which received donations throughout the campus community. Since 1989, ASCE has helped the campus community donate $42,700 for the basket fund.

"The ASCE's annual donation helps us achieve our fund-raising goal for our project, which helps so many families in our community," states Tribune-Star Publisher William "B.J." Riley. "We're so thankful to Rose-Hulman's support."