Shack-a-Thon Aims to Involve all Poole College Students to Support Habitat for Humanity

The Poole College of Management aims to be this year’s top fundraiser in NC State’s Annual Shack-a-Thon, says Poole College Student Ambassador Chris Casey.

Last year’s first place Shack-a-Thon win has Casey excited about the possibility of the Poole College taking the top prize again this year. The Poole College of Management’s shack raised over $4500 for Habitat for Humanity of Wake County in 2010. And this year, an added goal for the Shack-a-Thon is to have all students – undergraduate and graduate – participate in fundraising for Poole College’s shack. “This is our invitation to get the entire college involved in a project that benefits so many in our community,” Casey said.

Started in 1991, NC State’s Shack-a-Thon is an annual event that has student organizations from across campus building temporary structures in the Brickyard, living in them for the week and raising funds for Habitat for Humanity in Wake County.

Poole College students have been planning for weeks, but actual work begins Sunday, Sept. 18, with construction of the shack on the Brickyard starting at 8 a.m. Following is the remainder of the schedule, including opportunities for Poole College students to get involved.

• The Shack will be occupied 24/7 starting on Monday, September 19 and continuing through Friday, September 23. The college’s organizers have already filled the schedule for ‘living’ in the shack, Casey said.
• Bake Sale & Poole College Apparel Sale, September 19 through September 23, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. every day in the Nelson Hall Port City Java Commons. Students are encouraged to provide baked goods for sale and support the fundraising by purchasing products.

• Whack-a-Shack (Deconstruction Day) on Saturday, September 24. Students invited to help tear down the shack and stack salvage building materials, in preparation for next year’s event.

Five student leaders are coordinating this year’s Poole College of Management Shack-a-Thon: Chris Casey and Catherine Pirzadeh, Poole College Student Ambassadors; Morgan Daniels and Zach Summers, Poole College Peer Leaders; Alzebeth Roman, representing the Poole Council, which in turn represents all other Poole College student organizations.

“We were so appreciative of all who stepped up to help donate funds, supplies, time and everything else it took to achieve our fundraising goal for the college’s involvement in the past,” says Casey. “This year, we are striving to better ourselves and help raise more funds for Habitat, as well as promoting our new Poole College name.”

To get involved, contact the Poole Student Ambassadors by email. Donations to support the college’s shack are also being accepted online at the Habitat-sponsored website.

Photo

Leading Poole College’s Habitat for Humanity Shack-a-Thon project this year are, from the left, Catherine Pirzadeh, Chris Casey, Erin Whitford, Zachary Summers, Morgan Daniels, Alzebeth Roman. The photo on the right shows the start of construction on the college’s first shack, in 2009. Construction on this year’s shack begins 8 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, on the Brickyard. All Poole College students are welcome to join in the construction.

Authors: Linda McKnight and Megan Sharp for the NC State Poole College of Management