One-room shelters built from cardboard and trash lined the lawn of the South Oval Tuesday during OU’s annual Shack-a-Thon fundraiser.

The event, which is the biggest fundrasier for OU Habitat for Humanity, elicited enthusiastic participation from some students and expressions of irritation from others.

“It’s worthwhile because it helps anybody and everybody,” said accounting senior Jennifer Bryant. “Anyone could be in need at some point in their life.”

Shack-a-Thon participants solicited money which will be donated to Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that builds free homes for people, said Kristyn Wagner, president of OU Habitat for Humanity.

“This is not just a fundraiser,” Wagner, history senior, said. “It’s an awareness event to help people understand what poverty housing is or can be like.”

But some people were frustrated by the event’s presence on the South Oval.

“It makes the oval crowded going to and from class, and the people may be a little pressing,” Chad Pape, social studies education senior said. “They’re a little too intrusive.”

Students marketed “Kisses for 25 cents”, “Jokes for $1” and “$5 to smash a TV” in efforts to get donations.

“I don’t like being bombarded, but I do think it’s a good thing,” University College freshman Kaylea Lay said. “Maybe if I were more prepared, I wouldn’t have been overwhelmed.”

Lay said the screaming and pleaing for money was frustrating. She said if she had known about the event yesterday, she would have come to school with cash.

Linda Nolley, University College freshman, said people shouldn’t have a problem stopping for the cause. She said she doesn’t see a problem with asking for donations in the oval and standing in the bike lane.

“It irks me because we have to stop people like this because people don’t want to stop for two seconds and donate,” Nolley said.

Wagner said they ask participants to stay on the grass to solicit donations but don’t want to limit their creativity.

“We don’t stipulate how people get donations, we want them to be creative and have fun out here helping to raise money,” Wagner said.

While many shacks were made from old cardboard boxes, fence posts and ratty plastic, Delta Sigma Pi, the business fraternity, made its mark on the oval with their own version of The White House.

“It’s a big deal every year,” said accounting senior Jennifer Bryant. “Last year, we made the Taj Mahal and we decided to do the White House for the election year.”

Members of the business fraternity began construction on their shack Sunday, Bryant said.

“By doing something different, it stands out and brings more notice to Habitat,” Bryant said.

About 20 student groups participated in the event and in years past about $2500 has been raised.

Only $20 can be spent on building materials, Wagner said. She said most groups opt to spend that on tape and paint. Shacks must be made out of materials that can be found on the side of the road or in dumpsters and cannot include furniture.

Groups pay $25 to register and take donations throughout the day.

Members of Phi Sigma Pi, a coed honor fraternity, spent about five hours putting their shack together, said Matt Klein, finance junior.

“We broke it down a lot because we wanted to make a good, livable habitat,” Klein said.