Iowa State student organizations, the Ames community and the Story County Chapter of Habitat for Humanity are teaming up to build a house for a family in need.

“There is too little interaction between ISU students and the Ames community, and this should help bring them together,” said Roger Stover, Habitat for Humanity board member.

Bryan Burkhardt, president of the Government of the Student Body, said the project is one of the many activities planned for the yearlong George Washington Carver celebration.

The Habitat for Humanity service project became a part of the Carver celebration as a way to extend Carver’s legacy, Burkhardt said.

“We wanted to attach a community service project,” he said.

Burkhardt said the house will be constructed during a four-day stint from Oct. 6 to 9 on the intramural fields east of Jack Trice Stadium.

The house will then be moved to its permanent location in Roland, about 15 miles northeast of Ames. It will be one of Iowa’s first “blitz-build” houses, Burkhardt said.

Burkhardt noted many positive reasons for having the house built in Ames.

“This is a perfect opportunity for people in the Ames community to work together, and students can walk over and contribute and get their hands dirty,” he said.

Burkhardt also said it is more economical to move the house elsewhere when it is completed.

“Property costs in Ames are higher than in Roland,” he said.

Other ISU organizations involved with this project include the Homecoming central committee and the Carver Celebration steering committee. Burkhardt said the organizations, which are working together to raise funds, have raised $36,000 of the $55,000 needed for the project.

“We are over half-way to the goal,” Burkhardt said. “We are trying to get organizations and students in the greek system and residence halls to contribute.”

Brett Showalter, Homecoming co-chairman, said the 1997 Homecoming central committee organized a project to renovate a house in Kelley.

“We got 1,500 students to help with it last year,” Showalter said. “This year we looked for a project closer to Ames.”

Showalter said organizations wanting to contribute to the project need to contact the Homecoming office to schedule shifts.

Showalter said there are three shifts a day: 9 a.m. to noon, noon to 3 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

“Students can do anything from painting to hammering nails; there’s no experience necessary,” Showalter said. “Habitat for Humanity will be there to train.”

One of the last efforts to raise money for the project will take place on Sept. 23 and 24 near the Campanile, Burkhardt said.

He said this attempt is aimed at getting students and faculty to contribute to a good cause.

“We are really hoping this will bring us over the top,” Burkhardt said.