MEDIA ADVISORY
Contact: Professor Roya Javadpour
rjavadpo@calpoly.edu
(805) 756-7647
www.polyhouse.org
Cal Poly Engineering Students Doing “Extreme Makeover”
For Nipomo House of Disabled Seniors as a Community Service Project
TO: News Editors, Photo Editors, Assignment Editors, Reporters
WHAT: This weekend, a class of 25 industrial and manufacturing
engineering students will storm the home of Ed and Joyce Babros to
undertake an “extreme makeover” of their Nipomo home to improve
the
elderly couple’s standard of living.
WHEN: 2 Days: The media is invited to view and interview
the students at
work on the community service remodel project from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.,
Saturday and Sunday, May 22-23. The media is also invited to the
“unveiling” of the completed project, when Mr. and Mrs. Babros
return to
their home to view the makeover for the first time on Sunday, May 23 at
5:00 p.m. The Babros have graciously agreed to interviews from the press
at the unveiling.
WHERE: The Babros home, Nipomo. (*contact thendrix@calpoly.edu
for exact address).
The course instructor, Professor Roya Javadpour, will be on site during
this time
as well.
BACKGROUND:
The educational purpose of the class is to give students “hands-on”
experience planning and managing a technical project involving
fundraising, scheduling, supply management, team recruitment, resource
allocation, time/cost budgeting, risk assessment, task coordination,
progress monitoring, and post-project assessment. The students’
goal is
to better the lives of local senior citizens by remodeling their home
with improved flooring, bathroom and electrical retrofitting, paint, and
shelving.
“This worthwhile endeavor poses many challenges for the students,”
says
Professor Javadpour, the class instructor, “including the need to
plan
and schedule the work and resources to assure that the entire project
can be completed in only three days this coming weekend before the
school quarter ends.”
The course clients, Mr. and Mrs. Babros, have been dealing with the
challenges of disability for many years. As the victim of a violent
crime, Mr. Babros suffered a traumatic head injury that forced early
retirement. Seven years ago, a failed knee replacement and severe
infection required that his right leg be fused, and a fall after coming
home from the hospital necessitated a subsequent hip replacement. He is
now wheelchair bound. The remodeling and retrofitting planned by the Cal
Poly students will improve the safety and comfort of both Ed and Joyce,
his primary caregiver.
The students received support for the project from more than 25 donors,
including local businesses, individuals, and fellow industrial and
manufacturing students. A complete list of donors and additional project
information can be found at www.polyhouse.org.