Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           985-549-2341/fax 985-549-2061
    Date: 12/07/01
      Contact:                           Angey Saucier   75

Editors: Photo accompanies release
I.T. STUDENTS DONATE PLAYHOUSE TO CASA
     HAMMOND  Students from the Department of Industrial Technology at Southeastern
Louisiana University donated a custom-built children's playhouse to the Court Appointed Special
Advocates Services, Inc. (CASA) on November 30.  
     "This playhouse, which will be raffled in April by CASA, will benefit neglected and
abused children in the Tangipahoa area," said Sharon Hinkson, CASA executive director, who
accepted the keys to the playhouse designed and constructed by students in industrial technology
professor Ed Rode's construction material course.  
     According to Rode, work on the project was completed as a class assignment, with much
of the labor running outside of class and during the summer.
     "I had done some work for CASA prior to this project and Ms Pirosko contacted me and
ask if I could do it," said Rode.  "I then had some of the CTEC (Construction Technology)
students help and now we have a wonderful playhouse that will benefit many children."  
     Materials for the colorful eight-foot square wooden playhouse were donated by Acadian
Cypress and Gabriels Building Supply, both of Ponchatoula.  The one room house, complete
with
porch, if sold retail, would cost approximately $3,000, said Rode.
     CASA Services, Inc. administers two programs in the 21st judicial district, CASA, which
serves children involved in the court system through social welfare and juvenile cases, and the
Children's Advocacy Center, a safe haven for children of physical or sexual abuse.
     Raffle tickets for the playhouse will be available starting in January from CASA.  For
more information on ticket prices, contact CASA at 985-902-9583. 
                             -SLU-
Press release available online at www.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/newsp01.html