Spring Break
The Daily OrangeGearing Up
Two SU students will spend their summer biking, building homes.
By Shayna Meliker
Posted: 2/14/08, 11:12 PM EST Section: News
Brendan Newman, the program director for Bike & Build, said the program has raised $1.14 million for affordable housing since its inception in 2003.
"One of the great appeals to college students is the adventure aspect combined with helping a good cause," he said. "Participants share similar interests, and they're all very dedicated individuals. We hope this program gets them involved in community service, and we want them to stay involved for the rest of their lives."
The two will ride the Central U.S. route, which includes 10 build days and a scheduled 3,804 miles of riding. This route is one of seven offered to 18 - 25 year olds by Bike & Build.
Preparation for the trip includes intense physical training, which Smith completes at Gold's Gym in DeWitt and Hirsch at Archbold Gymnasium. In addition to physical preparation, each rider must raise at least $4,000 to finance food, lodging and the affordable housing service component of the program.
Smith, a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and a student working on his thesis, is most excited about traveling from coast to coast, visiting his sister in Oregon and helping with the building aspect of the program.
"I don't know if I'll be able to comment on the design of the houses, but it'll definitely be a good experience," he said. "My work is mostly with socially responsible housing, so that's why this interests me. It just sounds like an opportunity that really only comes around once."
Karen Kirkhart, Smith's mother and a professor in the SU College of Human Ecology, said her son has always participated in service projects and was looking for a way to mark his graduation.
"I think it's a very exciting program," she said. "This is like a road trip, only better because it's more fun, and they'll be able to do great things across the country."
To Hirsch, there's no better opportunity. When she tells people of her summer plans, they usually aren't surprised because she has participated in similar service projects in the past, she said. She traveled to Jonestown, Miss. with Syracuse Habitat for Humanity Youth United, is a member of Syracuse University Ambulance and serves as a campus orientation leader.
"I tend to get myself into things like this, and I don't realize until the last day or a week after it's done how big of a thing I really just did," she said. "I'm definitely looking forward to working on housing projects at different stages and just being able to say I had that biking and service experience."
shmelike@syr.edu
"One of the great appeals to college students is the adventure aspect combined with helping a good cause," he said. "Participants share similar interests, and they're all very dedicated individuals. We hope this program gets them involved in community service, and we want them to stay involved for the rest of their lives."
The two will ride the Central U.S. route, which includes 10 build days and a scheduled 3,804 miles of riding. This route is one of seven offered to 18 - 25 year olds by Bike & Build.
Preparation for the trip includes intense physical training, which Smith completes at Gold's Gym in DeWitt and Hirsch at Archbold Gymnasium. In addition to physical preparation, each rider must raise at least $4,000 to finance food, lodging and the affordable housing service component of the program.
Smith, a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and a student working on his thesis, is most excited about traveling from coast to coast, visiting his sister in Oregon and helping with the building aspect of the program.
"I don't know if I'll be able to comment on the design of the houses, but it'll definitely be a good experience," he said. "My work is mostly with socially responsible housing, so that's why this interests me. It just sounds like an opportunity that really only comes around once."
Karen Kirkhart, Smith's mother and a professor in the SU College of Human Ecology, said her son has always participated in service projects and was looking for a way to mark his graduation.
"I think it's a very exciting program," she said. "This is like a road trip, only better because it's more fun, and they'll be able to do great things across the country."
To Hirsch, there's no better opportunity. When she tells people of her summer plans, they usually aren't surprised because she has participated in similar service projects in the past, she said. She traveled to Jonestown, Miss. with Syracuse Habitat for Humanity Youth United, is a member of Syracuse University Ambulance and serves as a campus orientation leader.
"I tend to get myself into things like this, and I don't realize until the last day or a week after it's done how big of a thing I really just did," she said. "I'm definitely looking forward to working on housing projects at different stages and just being able to say I had that biking and service experience."
shmelike@syr.edu
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