ISU students will help build a better future for one Ames family during Homecoming Week in the third annual Build Blitz. With the help of the Story County Habitat for Humanity chapter, the 2000 Homecoming Committee and the ISU Habitat for Humanity chapter will lead greek chapters, campus organizations and individuals in constructing a house at 1127 Northwestern Ave. from Oct. 16 to Oct. 20. “Rain or shine, we’ll be there,” said Cheryl Zimmerman, community service coordinator for the 2000 Homecoming Committee. Groundbreaking for the project took place Saturday. It will soon be a home for single dad Andrew Smith and his two children – Alesha, 8, and Alex, 4. Zimmerman, junior in biology, was on-hand for the groundbreaking and said she saw the reactions from Andrew. “He was so excited, he couldn’t stop smiling,” she said. “It was wonderful.” Zimmerman said the construction for the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home will take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. over the five-day period. The Story County trade class, a program out of Ames High School, has been pouring concrete and doing the foundation work, and a plumber and electrician will be hired out, Zimmerman said. ISU students will help with the basic construction such as hammering, nailing and roofing. In addition to students, Zimmerman said “a few of what we call celebrities” – ISU faculty and staff and Ames city officials – will also be picking up hammers for the project. All sororities and fraternities have members who volunteer in the building as part of their community service requirements. Jim Nawrocki, junior in marketing and international business, said almost all of Sigma Pi’s 68 members donated their time last year. “It was a fun experience; I had a blast,” said Nawrocki, whose members did everything from putting up installation and drywall to roofing. “It’s good to get together with the houses and do something good for the community.” Chris Lursen, community project coordinator for the 2000 Homecoming Committee, said there has been an overwhelming response to the project. “Not everyone is working on it who wants to,” he said. He said around 300 people will work on the 1,050 square-foot house. Lursen, junior in agricultural systems technology, said those who want to help in the project can do so through a monetary donation. Homecoming Committee members said they hope to raise $10,000 for the project, which is estimated to cost a total $61,000. The Ames community has already raised over $30,000 through time and money contributions, he said. Zimmerman said the Habitat for Humanity program is a split-equity program that enables families to get back on their feet rather than having a home given to them. She said homeowners are chosen by an extensive selection committee through the Story County Habitat for Humanity chapter and are required to help in the construction of the house and have an advocate family watch over them. “You know, we’re just helping out people who couldn’t have a house on their own,” said Roger Stover, professor of finance and adviser to the ISU Habitat for Humanity Chapter. “It also has created a wonderful name for the student body within the community.”