Cardboard shacks and fundraising students will line the South Oval today as the OU Habitat for Humanity chapter raises money during its annual Shack-a-thon event.
The goal of Shack-a-thon is to raise awareness about poverty in America, as well as to raise funds for future Habitat for Humanity builds, said Kathryn Hamstra, Shack-a-thon head and College of Arts and Sciences sophomore.
To do this, student organizations will create their own shacks out of cardboard and other materials, Hamstra said. They will live in the shack for the day and collect change from passers-by.
In contrast with previous years, the event will not be held overnight, but rather from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The change was made for several reasons, said Jordan Eppler, Habitat for Humanity president and international and area studies senior.
“[Because Shack-a-thon] is in the middle of the week, we didn’t want to force students to stay up all night and thus affect class attendance,” Eppler said. “The goal of this event is to raise awareness for poverty housing ... and having this event during the day is a smarter, more effective way of accomplishing this goal.”
Also, because the event is in November, Eppler said the executive committee members thought a daytime event would be warmer.
The change has not decreased participation from clubs, and the chapter has more organizations participating than in previous years, Eppler said.
Blaire Kerwin, microbiology junior, said the event was more fun when it was overnight, but she said she thinks the event will still be a success.
“It is like a big picnic on the lawn with all your best friends,” Kerwin said.
Kerwin is a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority, which is participating in the event with Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.
Although students participating in the event have fun, Ganga Moorthy, microbiology sophomore, said they still realize the meaning behind the event.
Shack-a-thon is not a completely realistic idea of what it is like to be impoverished, but it is still a big change to live in a box for the day rather than a house, Moorthy said.
Throughout the event, organizations will compete to raise the most money and to build the best cardboard houses, Hamstra said. Executive committee members will judge the houses for creativity and construction, and will choose an overall winner based on a combination of money raised and points earned.
The committee members will also choose the most creative house and the best-constructed, Hamstra said.
Tri Delta sorority does not have plans to do anything creative but will try to build the most stable house it can, Kerwin said. The 30 to 40 girls participating from the sorority got most of their cardboard boxes from big-little events they had a few weeks ago.
Last year students raised about $5,000 during Shack-a-thon, which went to a current build project in Norman, Eppler said.
According to its Web site, Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that helps to build houses for low-income families.
In the United States, about one-third of the population has housing problems, defined as paying a large portion of income to a house, owning a low-quality home, having an inadequate space or being homeless, according to a report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
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johanns 2 years, 6 months ago
“It is like a big picnic on the lawn with all your best friends,” Kerwin said.
Homelessness≠Picnic
delayed 2 years, 6 months ago
Shack-a-thon has to be one of the most embarrassing things that OU does. . .
caitlynlacy 2 years, 6 months ago
As I was walking by I heard someone yelling, "The homeless LOVE Delta Gamma!!"
JJanowiak 2 years, 6 months ago
Hey, look at all those people harassing someone who is obviously not interested!
swiggy3000 2 years, 6 months ago
“It is like a big picnic on the lawn with all your best friends,” Kerwin said.
That just shows that no matter what you don't take it seriously. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Shack-A-Thon, although the money goes to good. Is pointless. Everyone treats it like one big party an no awareness is actually raised about how hard it is to be homeless. I mean show me ONE person who can stay out there a week and live on the kindness of strangers and I will donate $100 to charity, but until then I just won't take this seriously because they don't.
tayl4008 2 years, 6 months ago
that picture is ridiculous. and it was ridiculous last year when you ran it. the message you're sending from that picture is so far skewed it's not even funny. seriously, run something else.
Lansdallius 2 years, 6 months ago
I was walking on the South Oval and one of the girls who was trying to get change for the homeless was drinking Starbucks while holding her change bucket. Kinda looks hypocritical, IMO.
OUguy 2 years, 6 months ago
You know, Shack-a-thon is great and all, but I REALLY hate it when some guy dressed as last year's favorite super hero follows me around badgering me for not donating the nickel I may or may not have in my pocket. One year, they created a "toll rope" to raise and lower (and generally piss off students). Let's hope it's not like that this year.
JenniferC 2 years, 6 months ago
"Also, because the event is in November, Eppler said the executive committee members thought a daytime event would be warmer."
Yes, because no homeless person lives outside between November and February. Why don't you give the NorthFace off your self-serving, hypocritical backs?
linzee 2 years, 6 months ago
wow! they raised a WHOLE 5000 last year?! that's about the cost of sorority dues for two girls to be members for just a year. really glad to see the greek council dug deep....
sickest.fetishization of poverty.ever.