Team signup under way for Gus Macker basketball tourney

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Signup is under way for the Sept. 27-28 Gus Macker 3-on-3 basketball tournament, which benefits local charities.

Organizers include the Lafayette Rotary Club and the Purdue University Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter.

“This is a fun, competitive event for kids to adults,” said Tom Moran, leader of the Rotary effort. “Teams are placed in brackets in which they will be most competitive. Age groups begin at under10, and no one is too old to play. This is a great opportunity to spend the weekend with your friends and show off your game, all while helping us raise critical funds for local charities.”

Just as they did last year when the event raised $33,000, the proceeds will build a Habitat for Humanity home and will support a new program to feed Miami Elementary School students on the weekends. Rotary this fall will begin its Backpacks for Kids program, buying food from Food Finders Inc. and filling backpacks for 80 Miami students each Friday, providing food when school is not in session.

The tournament, which will be held at St. Elizabeth Medical Center, costs $116 per team. The three groups hope to attract 400-500 teams – as many as 2,000 players plus their families and friends. To sign up, visit the Gus Macker Web site at http://www.macker.com/mackertown/Lafayette_IN/. The deadline for online registration is Sept. 8.

Registration forms also are available at Arni’s. Mailed registration forms must be postmarked by Sept. 5.

Basham Rentals, the presenting sponsor, contributed $20,000. Major sponsors include Arni’s; Burkhart Advertising Inc.; F.C. Tucker Co. Realtors; Hoffman, Luhman and Masson; Lafayette Real Estate Marketing Corp.; Mar-Jean Village; University Book Store; and Wal-Mart. Media sponsors include the Lafayette Journal and Courier and WLFI-TV. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available and range from $116 to sponsor a team to $500 to sponsor a court to higher levels.

“Sponsors makes the event possible,” Moran said. “Rotary, Rotaract and the Purdue Habitat Chapter handle the organization and provide the peoplepower.”

This is the third year that the Lafayette Rotary Club, which has 230 members, and the Purdue Habitat Chapter, which has 300 members, have partnered to organize the local Gus Macker tournament. Dan Guildenbecher, a graduate student in mechanical engineering from Carmel, Ind., leads participation of Purdue Habitat.

“We are one of the largest student groups on campus,” Guildenbecher said. “We are encouraging all Boilermakers to sign up for Gus Macker, which will support very worthwhile community projects as well as provide a weekend full of competitive fun.”

Dedication, house blessing planned for Habitat for Humanity project

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The dream of having a home with a white picket fence will become reality for Lafayette resident Marjorie “Margie” Britton when the Purdue Research Park companies’ Habitat for Humanity of Lafayette home is dedicated on Sunday (June 8).

The $40,000 West Lafayette home is the culmination of the combined efforts and contributions of volunteers from the Purdue Research Park and many park companies. Construction on the home began April 12.

More than 100 people are expected to attend the 2 p.m. dedication and house blessing at 2 p.m. at 2428 Crestview Court in Lafayette.

“Building this home for Margie has been one of the most personally rewarding projects I’ve ever worked on as part of a team,” said James Elsner of Butler International Inc., who will be speaking at the dedication. “Even before we broke ground just eight weeks ago, we’ve been meeting and planning on how to make this happen. Margie has worked hard all her life and owned the previous home on this build site. Unfortunately, that home was literally falling down around her. We are happy that we could help to rebuild Margie’s new home, a home that is now safe for Margie and her family.”

The enterprise is called Project White Picket Fence, in honor of Britton’s lifelong dream of owning a home with such a fence.

Habitat for Humanity of Lafayette chooses recipients based on a set of guidelines that include the need for housing, willingness to partner in the program and the ability to repay the mortgage.

In addition to individual monetary contributions, corporate donations also were given. Companies and individuals affiliated with New York Life Insurance Co., Endocyte Inc., Research Park Associates LLC, Advanced Process Combinatorics Inc. and Purdue Research Foundation made contributions to Project White Picket Fence.

“The cooperation and collaboration among the park companies and the Purdue Research Park has been phenomenal, as well as the donations by the Lafayette and West Lafayette community and business owners,” Elsner said.

The last fundraising event for the project will be Tuesday (June 10) at the Lafayette Brewing Co., with a percentage of the day’s profits going to benefit the project.

Past events held to raise funds for the undertaking included:

• Capp ‘n Gino’s coffee benefit.
• Waldenbooks merchandise fair.
• Nine Irish Brothers restaurant in West Lafayette donated a percentage of its profits of a day’s sales to the program.
• Conrad Bone Band performed at the Lafayette Brewing Co. with proceeds benefiting the project.
• Texas Roadhouse night with an amount from one evening’s sales supporting the project.

For more information about Purdue Research Park’s Project White Picket Fence and to learn how to make donations or volunteer for future Habitat projects, contact Constance Alstad, project coordinator, at (765) 496-7721, cmalstatd@prf.org.

Purdue Research Park companies’ Habitat for Humanity project groundbreaking set for April 12

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Construction on the Purdue Research Park companies’ Habitat for Humanity of Lafayette home will begin Saturday (April 12) when park officials and company representatives break ground on the West Lafayette site of the $40,000 structure.

“This project is truly a joint effort among the Purdue Research Park and park-based companies,” said Gregory W. Deason, vice president of development for the Purdue Research Foundation and director of the Purdue Research Park. “We were approached by some park company representatives about pooling our resources to build a home for someone, and we began a volunteer effort with foundation employees to coordinate the fundraising.”

Deason will be the keynote speaker at the groundbreaking ceremony, which will take place at 8:30 a.m. at 2428 Crestview Court, Lafayette, Ind., where the house will be built.

The park officials and company representatives have held numerous events to raise funds for the undertaking, called Project White Picket Fence. In addition to monetary donations, a Capp ‘n Gino’s coffee benefit, popcorn sale, bagel and coffee sale, Waldenbooks book fair, and pizza sale have been held to raise funds and awareness for the project. On April 9, Nine Irish Brothers restaurant in West Lafayette donated a percentage of its profits for that day to the program.

On May 9 the local band, Conrad Bone Band will perform at the Lafayette Brewing Co. at 622 Main St. in Lafayette. The restaurant will provide the venue, sound equipment and equipment operator. The band is donating all cover charges to the Habitat project. Other upcoming events include a Lafayette Brewing Co. night and a Texas Roadhouse night with an amount from the evening’s sales supporting the project.

Lafayette native Marjorie “Margie” Britton is the recipient of the Purdue Research Park Habitat sponsored home. She is responsible for the project’s name.

“When I dreamed about owning my own home, I always put a white picket fence around it,” Britton said.

Habitat for Humanity of Lafayette chooses recipients based on a set of guidelines that include the need for housing, willingness to partner in the program and the ability to repay the mortgage.

In addition to individual contributions, corporate donations also are being accepted. Companies such as New York Life Insurance Co., Endocyte Inc., Research Park Associates LLC, Advanced Process Combinatorics Inc. and Purdue Research Foundation have already made contributions to Project White Picket Fence.

For more information about Purdue Research Park’s Project White Picket Fence and to learn how to make donations or volunteer, contact Constance Alstad, project coordinator, at (765) 496-7721, cmalstatd@prf.org.

About Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, housing ministry dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness worldwide and making adequate, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and action. There are more than 2,100 active affiliates in 100 countries, including all 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. Habitat has built more than 250,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1million people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter.

About Purdue Research Park

The 725-acre Purdue Research Park has the largest university-affiliated business incubation complex in the country. The park is home to more than 140 companies. About 90 of these firms are technology-related and another 39 are incubator businesses. The park was ranked No. 1 in 2004 for university- affiliated research parks and received the 2005 Outstanding Commercialization Award, both from the Association of University Research Parks. The park’s companies also have received numerous recognitions, including a 2006 MIRA Award: Innovation of the Year for Purdue Research Park/Quadraspec Inc. and a 2005 CoreNet Global Innovators Award finalist.

The Purdue Research Park is part of the Purdue Research Foundation, a private, nonprofit foundation created to assist Purdue University in the area of economic development. In addition to the Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette, the foundation has established or is currently constructing technology parks in other locations around Indiana including Merrillville, New Albany and Indianapolis.

Purdue Research Park companies’ Habitat for Humanity project groundbreaking set for April 12

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Construction on the Purdue Research Park companies’ Habitat for Humanity of Lafayette home will begin Saturday (April 12) when park officials and company representatives break ground on the West Lafayette site of the $40,000 structure.

“This project is truly a joint effort among the Purdue Research Park and park-based companies,” said Gregory W. Deason, vice president of development for the Purdue Research Foundation and director of the Purdue Research Park. “We were approached by some park company representatives about pooling our resources to build a home for someone, and we began a volunteer effort with foundation employees to coordinate the fundraising.”

Deason will be the keynote speaker at the groundbreaking ceremony, which will take place at 8:30 a.m. at 2428 Crestview Court, Lafayette, Ind., where the house will be built.

The park officials and company representatives have held numerous events to raise funds for the undertaking, called Project White Picket Fence. In addition to monetary donations, a Capp ‘n Gino’s coffee benefit, popcorn sale, bagel and coffee sale, Waldenbooks book fair, and pizza sale have been held to raise funds and awareness for the project. On April 9, Nine Irish Brothers restaurant in West Lafayette donated a percentage of its profits for that day to the program.

On May 9 the local band, Conrad Bone Band will perform at the Lafayette Brewing Co. at 622 Main St. in Lafayette. The restaurant will provide the venue, sound equipment and equipment operator. The band is donating all cover charges to the Habitat project. Other upcoming events include a Lafayette Brewing Co. night and a Texas Roadhouse night with an amount from the evening’s sales supporting the project.

Lafayette native Marjorie “Margie” Britton is the recipient of the Purdue Research Park Habitat sponsored home. She is responsible for the project’s name.

“When I dreamed about owning my own home, I always put a white picket fence around it,” Britton said.

Habitat for Humanity of Lafayette chooses recipients based on a set of guidelines that include the need for housing, willingness to partner in the program and the ability to repay the mortgage.

In addition to individual contributions, corporate donations also are being accepted. Companies such as New York Life Insurance Co., Endocyte Inc., Research Park Associates LLC, Advanced Process Combinatorics Inc. and Purdue Research Foundation have already made contributions to Project White Picket Fence.

For more information about Purdue Research Park’s Project White Picket Fence and to learn how to make donations or volunteer, contact Constance Alstad, project coordinator, at (765) 496-7721, cmalstatd@prf.org.

About Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, housing ministry dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness worldwide and making adequate, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and action. There are more than 2,100 active affiliates in 100 countries, including all 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. Habitat has built more than 250,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1million people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter.

About Purdue Research Park

The 725-acre Purdue Research Park has the largest university-affiliated business incubation complex in the country. The park is home to more than 140 companies. About 90 of these firms are technology-related and another 39 are incubator businesses. The park was ranked No. 1 in 2004 for university- affiliated research parks and received the 2005 Outstanding Commercialization Award, both from the Association of University Research Parks. The park’s companies also have received numerous recognitions, including a 2006 MIRA Award: Innovation of the Year for Purdue Research Park/Quadraspec Inc. and a 2005 CoreNet Global Innovators Award finalist.

The Purdue Research Park is part of the Purdue Research Foundation, a private, nonprofit foundation created to assist Purdue University in the area of economic development. In addition to the Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette, the foundation has established or is currently constructing technology parks in other locations around Indiana including Merrillville, New Albany and Indianapolis.