Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Indiana U. Habitat for Humanity rakes leaves to rake in money
By Jessica Anderson
Indiana Daily Student (Indiana U.)
11/14/2006

(U-WIRE) BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — While most of the campus was quiet early Saturday morning, many student volunteers left the comfort of their warm beds to rake leaves for the annual Indiana University Habitat for Humanity Rake-a-Thon.

Despite the chilly weather, student volunteers met at the Phi Sigma Kappa house Saturday and Sunday for morning and afternoon shifts to pick up rakes and directions to sponsors' homes.

Local homeowners made donations of $10 to $300 for leaf removal, said junior Michael Philippsen, the director of major events for the IU chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Profits from donations will fund "the group's effort to sponsor or cosponsor a Monroe County Habitat house, Philippsen said.

"Ultimately, that's the goal: to sponsor an entire house," he said.

The group hopes events such as the Rake-a-Thon and the annual 5K benefit run, next scheduled for March 31, 2007, will help raise the $50,000 it costs to sponsor a home.

Last year, Philippsen said, about 300 student volunteers in the Rake-a-Thon earned the organization about $8,000 that was given to Habitat for Humanity International for hurricane relief in the Gulf Coast region.

The club has sponsored the event for the past 10 years, and it continues to grow in popularity, Philippsen said. He said he was surprised by the number of volunteers that turned out Saturday morning despite the rain.

"I knew it would be disgusting out, so I prepared for it," said freshman Roni Stadler, who donned gloves and a hat for the occasion.

Stadler said she heard about the Rake-a-Thon through the IU Student Accounting Society and volunteered because she wanted to support Habitat for Humanity.

Doug Bauder, a Bloomington, Ind., resident and the director of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Student Support Services office, said he donated money because he believes in the work the group does.

Bauder said it took five Rake-a-Thon volunteers representing La Casa Latino Cultural Center to rake his lawn.

"We have a lot of leaves," Bauder said. "I kept offering them a lunch break, but they kept working."

Bauder said he would take advantage of the Rake-a-Thon again next year and asked the students if they were graduating to see if they could come back again.

"It's just a great event to connect students and the community," Bauder said.

Philippsen said the group maintains a listing of homeowners who have had their lawns raked during the event in the past. Most of this year's clients either were previous sponsors or heard about the Rake-a-Thon from their neighbors, he said.

Despite the stress of planning and enticing volunteers, Philippsen said the event was a success.

"My favorite part about the Rake-a-Thon is that it is such a group effort," Philippsen said. "None of it could happen without the IU students coming out to volunteer and being willing to take time out of their day to help a good cause. That's what makes it so worth it."

[ Back to Student Voices ]