Industrial and manufacturing engineering (IME) students are hosting the second annual Fund Run to raise $2,000 for the PolyHouse project, which teaches students project planning and management skills as they restore the house of a handicapped citizen. The 5k and 10k runs are at 9 a.m. this Saturday on campus; the event planners expect 300 participants.
Leslie Pow, the team leader of marketing for the Fund Run, said it offers students a way to support the PolyHouse project.
“It’s our biggest fundraiser, and we raise the most money during this event. It’s an easy way for students to help without actually participating in the PolyHouse project,” Pow said.
Chelsea Knighton, a graphic communication junior, is interested in signing up for the event.
“It sounds like it’s for a really great cause. I’d love to support it and come out on Saturday,” Knighton said. “That’s really cool that they put so much effort into helping somebody in need.”
IME professor Roya Javadpour started the PolyHouse project five years ago. After creating a class called technological project management (IME 556), she thought a hands-on construction project would be a beneficial learning experience for students and a way to help the community.
The students and faculty begin the process of choosing a citizen in need by contacting local churches and community service-oriented organizations, such as United Way, and accumulating a pool of potential candidates. Criteria such as home ownership, ability to move out of the house during the construction and the extent of the disability are considered next to select the final client, said Liz Schlemer, the project’s current faculty adviser.
Last year, the client was a 16-year-old girl confined to a wheelchair and adopted by her elderly grandparents, who have cared for over 20 foster children. This year’s client will be selected during winter quarter.
“It benefits the community by helping an underprivileged family with renovations on their house that they couldn’t otherwise do,” Pow said.
The number of students enrolled in the class varies from year to year. Last year, there were 42 students, but the year before that there were only 13. The students are broken into teams focusing on different aspects of the renovations, such as electrical, landscaping, bathroom and plumbing, flooring and drywall.
The students’ challenge is to plan everything from gathering materials to organizing the work schedule to ensure that the entire project can be done in four days (the second and third weekends in May).
The students receive no funding for the project, which usually has a total budget of around $120,000. While most of the money comes from donations from businesses and individuals, the fundraisers also help.
In addition to being the main fundraiser for the PolyHouse project, the Fund Run provides IME students with a learning experience. It is the product of a project given to students currently enrolled in project organization and management (IME 303), which teaches students how to use skills and resources to manage a project.
The event is Nov. 14 at 9 a.m. at the lower recreation field, located in the sports complex at Cal Poly.
“It’s early in the morning, but people are pretty excited and enthusiastic about participating,” Pow said.
Participants are encouraged to wear costumes. After the races, the best-dressed participant will receive a prize along with the top finishers. There will also be a barbeque following the event.
“It’s kind of like the Bay to Breakers in a way, since everybody is dressed up. It’s pretty fun,” Pow said.
Registration costs $20. Register by visiting polyhousefundrun.org.