October 17, 2007

NC State Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser Engineered for a Cause and a Tradition

NC State Habitat for Humanity was headquartered here all week at the Habi-shack, where they collected each individual shack's donations, kept track of all funds raised, sold T-shirts, and helped spread the word about their work and the mission of Habitat for Humanity. (Photos: A. Anselm)

“Spare change for Habitat?” was the mantra repeated all over the Brickyard as dozens of students circulated the crowds of students collecting donations in buckets, cups, and in some cases bright red shoes.

For the full week of September 24 this was the new norm as the brick-paved courtyard and popular student gathering ground of N.C. State University was transformed into a village of shacks. It started on Sunday as walls were raised, roofs tarped and nailed, doorways and windows framed and paint splashed on plywood as 16 shacks slowly grew up from piles of donated and recovered lumber and scrap wood. The structures ranged from crude lean-tos to a miniature house complete with vinyl siding and shingles, and walking through the village showed stylized wolf-heads with front teeth for a door, castles and even a pirate ship.

By mid-week couches and futons appeared on front porches, benches were built next to outside walls, hammocks slung between support beams — all so students could get together around the shacks and talk, study, work and panhandle for change. Bright orange T-shirts circulated in the crowd and all over campus proclaiming, “Hit the sack in a shack!” to advertise and commemorate the event.

But what was it?

It was Shack-a-Thon, the unconventional, highly successful, innovative fund-raiser hosted every fall by NC State’s campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

“Shack-a-Thon is where 16 student organizations build shacks on the Brickyard and live in them for a week while they panhandle passersby for money,” explained Matt Poisel, a senior in civil engineering and a works project officer for the campus chapter. “There is a competition between all the groups as to who can raise the most money in a week. The top four shacks are guaranteed a spot next year and are provided wood for their shacks.”

It’s this competition between the participating student organizations that accounts for the impressive sums raised each year in panhandling and alumni donations. The goal this year was $25,000, but the event brought in just over $25,800 — every penny of which goes to Wake County Habitat for Humanity to help fund a house for a local family.

“Shack-a-Thon is a great way to help out people in need while also hanging out with friends and meeting new people,” said Poisel. “It’s also a great way for clubs to interact with each other and see what other organizations are on campus. For the university, it’s a wonderful example of the student involvement in the community and university support for student organizations.”

It’s an event and a tradition that the whole university and city community gets behind. The week saw appearances from Chancellor James Oblinger and Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker, as well as Dr. Larry Nielson, provost and executive vice chancellor, and Dr. Tom Stafford, vice chancellor of student affairs, who both volunteered as water balloon targets to help shacks raise funds.

“The university has always worked together with NC State Habitat to make sure that Shack-a-Thon is a success,” said Poisel, “and we can not thank them enough.”

The event has blossomed and grown exponentially over the years, from one shack manned by NC State Habitat members to raise awareness back in 1993 to the sixteen-shack, thousand-dollar fund-raising block party that it is today. Each year organizers try to make it bigger and better—more fun for more students and more of a help for Wake County Habitat.

“Our logistical goal was to have it run smoother than last year,” said Jon Weaver, a senior in mechanical engineering and veteran of NC State Habitat. This is his third year of being involved with the campus chapter and his fourth Shack-a-Thon. “I believe it did, and with any luck we will be able to pass on our experience to the next generation of students.”

And each year the participating organizations try to find new ways to involve more people. In order for it to continue being such a success, it has to keep being as much fun for everyone involved and attract new participants to carry on the tradition.

“Seeing creative shacks and games that the other student organizations come up with each year and how many people are sleeping on the Brickyard all night lets you know how many people enjoy this event,” said Poisel. “Shack-a-Thon has evolved into more than a fundraiser, now it seems like it’s a part of campus tradition. When future freshman come up at our orientation sessions and have already heard about Shack-a-Thon, then you really know you’re impacting more than just the university as well.”

“I think it does a lot for the students,” said David Hoffman, a junior in civil engineering and fellow works project officer for the campus chapter. “It gives them a chance to interact with other organizations on campus, mainly because a lot of groups tag-team with each other to fund and manage the shacks. But also because every group is out there for the same good cause. And every night in the Brickyard people came out just to hang out and have a good time.”

“Every Habitat home has a front porch,” and “4,300 families live in substandard housing in Wake County,” are just some of the hand-painted messages on the sides of each shack, and they’re a serious reminder of what this 24-hour week-long party is really all about.

It’s this information, called Habi-facts by members, that drives many volunteers to do what they do, even if they don’t know the exact numbers. It’s a chance to do some good, and while students may not know the particulars or the statistics, they know the need is great and their contribution appreciated.

NC State Habitat takes two crews of 20 volunteers out every single Saturday to work with Wake County Habitat for Humanity, with one crew running a deconstruction project and another running construction on a local house. Students are led by their own, guided and taught by older members of the organization that have amassed an impressive knowledge of construction.

It’s a weekend commitment rewarding in its teachings. Students need no experience or tools, just a love of learning and hard work. They start easy, learning how to swing a hammer, but soon they learn to read floor plans; raise walls; brace trusses; sheet and shingle roofs; install windows, doors, and vinyl siding; and everything in between.

The experience and dedication show — NC State Habitat builds at least two entire houses in Wake County each year, averaging one each semester and accomplishing quite a bit each summer as well. In recent years they’ve been able to donate more funding towards the construction of these houses, thanks in large part to the increasing size and success of Shack-a-Thon.

And that’s what’s at the heart of the event. Having fun for a great cause.

As Poisel said, “Walking through the neighborhoods we work in and seeing all the kids playing makes it feel like you’re helping to build an entire community with even the smallest donation.”

— anselm —

To see more pictures of the event, download the slideshow in pdf format. Also see the related story and video clip at http://www.ncsu.edu/featured-stories/engaging-society/oct-2007/shack-a-thon/index.php.

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