Who ya gonna call?

The 2007-2008 Cal Poly Wheelchair Foundation is getting an early start with fundraising this year, starting this evening with a “Halloween Movie Night.” The classic ’80s hit “Ghostbusters” will be showing at 8 p.m. in the Fremont Theatre, 1025 Monterey St.

The Wheelchair Foundation is an international non-profit organization that aims to create solutions for people who are immobile because they cannot afford a wheelchair. The organization raises money to buy wheelchairs and promotes public awareness of the need for wheelchairs in developing countries.

The Halloween Movie Night event will kick off the Cal Poly chapter’s fundraising season and is geared towards students at only $5 per ticket. “We thought (Ghostbusters) would be a fun throw-back our generation remembers growing up with,” said Journalism senior and team member Jackie Pugh.

Cal Poly’s Wheelchair Foundation is the first collegiate chapter, and the 25 students involved plan to raise $200,000 towards providing wheelchairs in Malawi, Africa. They will also travel to Malawi and participate in service projects within the community.

About 1 percent of the Malawi’s 13 million people are physically disabled, and malnutrition as well as HIV/AIDS is rampant in the area. Supported largely by local rotary clubs, this year’s team will focus on financing education for Malawian children, buying wheelchairs and improving water wells in the community.

To clarify, the educational endowments are $100 donations that support a child’s education for a year. The same amount of money can also buy a child a year’s worth of food. “Malawi is one of the most underdeveloped countries in the world,” said Pugh. “It’s estimated that of the 13 million Malawians, one million of them are orphans under 18.”

The team has more student-friendly fundraisers in the works, including a photography exhibition in the PAC on Nov. 14, a benefit concert in February and the 7th annual “Gift of Mobility Gala” in April. They hope to achieve corporate sponsorship so that a large amount of proceeds can go towards helping Malawi.

If you are interested in helping the Wheelchair Foundation through donations or if you have questions, send e-mails to club president Josh Burroughs at jburroug@calpoly.edu. Any donation is appreciated, and $75 buys one wheelchair. Tickets for the show are being sold by team members and will be available at the door.