August 15, 2007

Deadline approaches to sign up for Gus Macker basketball tournament; donor offers challenge match

Meanwhile, an area supporter has challenged the community to match up to $5,000 to help sponsor the tournament.

"It's a slam dunk weekend of fun that supports two projects - Habitat for Humanity and a new playground near the former Washington Elementary School," said Dan Guildenbecher, a graduate student in mechanical engineering. He is leading the Macker effort on behalf of the Purdue Student Habitat Chapter, which has 300 members and is one of the largest student groups on campus.

The three groups hope to attract 400-500 teams – as many as 2,000 players plus their families and friends - doubling last year's event, said Jim Klusman chair of the Rotary Club's Gus Macker steering committee. Once again the tournament will take place at St. Elizabeth Medical Center's parking lot near Salem and Erie streets. Participation is open to anyone age 10 and older.

"We especially are hoping that Purdue students sign up," Guildenbecher said. "Their participation is essential."

A team that included Darin Hoffelder, a Purdue senior in the College of Consumer and Family Sciences and a member of the FarmHouse fraternity, won one of the Macker competitions last year and will play again this September.

Entry forms are available at many area businesses, including Arni's restaurants, University Bookstore and Purdue Recreational Sports Center, as well as on the Web at https://www.macker.com. Cost is $116 per team if the registration is mailed and $122 if it is submitted online. The deadline is Aug. 31 if registering by mail and Sept. 4 if done online.

Once again, this year's presenting sponsor is Basham Rentals. Other top sponsors include Wal-Mart and Sam's Club; Lafayette Regional Association of Realtors; Mar-Jean Village; Arni's; Lafayette-West Lafayette Convention and Visitor's Bureau; F.C. Tucker-Lafayette Realtors; Tate & Lyle; Hoffman, Luhman and Masson P.C.; WLFI-TV; and the Journal and Courier.

"We are hopeful that more sponsors will step forward and take advantage of this challenge match," said Rotarian Jim Bodenmiller. "This will be applied dollar-for-dollar to double any contributions up to $5,000. That will help put us over the top toward our goal."

Sponsor donations and fees paid by teams last year brought in almost $60,000. The goal this year is $70,000.

Organizers also are looking for volunteers to keep score, serve as referees, assist with water and food distribution, and help set up and tear down. To volunteer, contact Guildenbecher at (765) 404-5370, dguilden@purdue.

Macker is one of the primary fundraisers for Purdue Habitat, which needs to raise at least $44,000 to sponsor a house. Its most recent is a 1,200-square-foot, two -story home just west of Miller School. Valued at $88,000, Habitat can build it for half that price thanks to volunteer labor and donated supplies and equipment.

The homeowners-to-be contribute 250 hours of sweat equity, half on his or her home and half on other Habitat projects. When the house is done, the homeowner buys it interest-free. For each house built, Habitat allocates a portion of the funds raised to build one or more houses in a developing country.

Lafayette Rotary raised $10,000 last year to build a new playground for children in the neighborhood of the former Washington Elementary School. Rotary members hope to complete the project by raising another $15,000 through this year's event. The playground is part of the community's CAPE (Community Alliances to Promote Education) project, which promotes early childhood education in Tippecanoe County. In 2005 the program was launched with a $1.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment, which was applied for by the Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette and is administered by the Community and Family Resource Center.

Habitat for Humanity of Lafayette has enabled community volunteers to build 145 houses since the organization was formed in 1985. Another 12 homes are under construction. Eighty percent of the Lafayette Habitat budget comes from private sources such as churches, individuals and businesses. Federal HOME funds, allocated through the City of Lafayette Redevelopment Office, are used for land acquisition and infrastructure development. No federal money is used for the house itself.

Writer: Jeanne Norberg, (765) 491-1460, jnorberg@purdue.edu

Contacts: Dan Guildenbecher, (765)-404-5370 (cell), dguilden@purdue.edu

Jim Klusman, (765) 447-4083, jklusman@earthlink.net

Jim Bodenmiller, (765) 497-9853, jboden@verizon.net

Darin Hoffelder, (260) 894-2897 (cell), (765) 743-4681 (FarmHouse), dhoffeld@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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