Professor pied for cancer

BY ELON KIERRE

TOMMY MUMERT/THE ARKA TECH: Journalism professor Billy Reeder was pied in the face March 11 as part of the Journalists for Life Relay for Life team.

Billy Reeder stood solemnly outside Ross Pendergraft Library on March 11 with a small crowd gathered around him. In just a few minutes, Reeder would receive a pie in the face — for a good cause.

Reeder, assistant professor of journalism, was the lucky winner of Pie your Professor fundraiser. At noon on March 11, bidding took place in front of the library to see who would get to pie Reeder. Ryan Harmon, a sophomore broadcast journalism major from Lamar, got to do the honors with his $10 bid. “I hated to do it, but it had to be done,” Harmon said.

“I’m sticky,” Reeder said. “I’m glad to be able to help. It was for a good cause, so I don’t mind a pie in the face, but I don’t know what my hair will look like later.”

The Pie your Professor fundraiser was for the Journalist for Life team, which is an of�icial team of the River Valley Relay for Life. With this fundraiser, the team has raised a little over $300. Reeder brought in about $130, and his competition, Dr. Hanna Norton, assistant vice president for academic affairs and professor of journalism, brought in around $103.

Norton is the team captain for the Journalist for Life team.

“This is a cause that is near and dear to my heart,” Norton said.

On behalf of the faculty, Tommy Mumert, assistant professor of journalism, said, “We extend our gratitude to Mr. Reeder for his willingness to participate and for his acceptance of his fate.”

The Relay year does not end until August 31, so the team will continue to raise money for the cause. For more information visit the local Relay for Life on the event’s Facebook page at facebook.com/RelayForLifeOfPopeandYell or relayforlife.org/popear.

Tech community helps homeless survive

BY SIERRA MURPHY AND LAURA BEAN

LAURA BEAN/THE ARKA TECH: Founder Fred Teague shows the conditions in which the homeless live.

The air is cold, and the ground is wet. Thankfully a tent acts as shelter from not only the weather but also the animals.
More than 30 people in the Russellville area are homeless — living in camps throughout the uninhabited and unindustrialized parts of the city.

One organization is fighting it.

The Russ Bus, a nonprofit founded by five volunteers, seeks to help and give hope to the homeless. The homeless live in about 15 camps throughout the area, and The Russ Bus ensures they never go without heat or shelter.

The nonprofit recently received a $25,000 grant to build a permanent 12-unit homeless facility, which will break ground later this spring.

But for now, microcabins will do.

Built by Billy Reeder, Arkansas Tech University assistant professor of journalism, the homeless can now take comfort in microcabins.

Founder Ashley Francis said the microcabins help protect the homeless until they can become homeowners or renters.

“We had a shelter similar to Billy’s we had thrown together,” Francis said. “We had thrown together an insulated box. The idea behind it was to keep animals out of tents.”

Animals can easily tear through tents to get food, and because tents are $60 each, microcabins are more efficient.

“We were replacing tents every other week,” Francis said. “We will go broke replacing tents.”

That’s how Reeder knew he could help.

“I was looking for a way I could give back,” Reeder said.

“I figured out how to build on in my shop, so it’s modular.”

LAURA BEAN/THE ARKA TECH: The Russ Bus helps the homeless in the city of Russellville by providing tents and microcabins, which provide a dry and warm environment.

Reeder said to build a microcabin, he builds it in his shop first. Then, he disassembles the cabin and reassembles it at one of the homeless camps throughout the city.

Reeder said one of his main struggles is keeping up with the work, despite the overwhelming amount of support.

“I wasn’t ready for it. I thought it would be a hobby,” Reeder said. “We’re building as fast as we can organize.”

Reeder is now calling on the Tech community to support the project by hosting fundraisers.Each cabin costs about $1,200.

On Feb. 7, CrossFit Russellville will feature Reeder’s microcabin and a live band to fundraise to build more cabins for the nearly 30 homeless people in the community.

“If a fraternity or sorority on campus needs a community service project, I will bring the materials. I’ll come show them how to build it,” Reeder said. “We’ll build it together.”