After six weeks of Monday-through-Friday, 8-to-5 work, BUILD commemorated the completion of four mobile medical units Saturday, shipping crates renovated to serve as clinics in underdeveloped countries.
Units will be dedicated to a student lost in the 1999 Aggie Bonfire Collapse. Two were dedicated to Miranda Adams and Michael Ebanks, whose families were present Saturday. Decisions as to the dedication of the other two units are pending.
Drew Allen, petroleum engineer junior and CEO of BUILD, said he wants to recognize the students lost and allow the spirit of Bonfire to live on.
“We want to pay tribute and homage to those families who lost their loved ones and show what that means to them and what kind of impact those actions by those students had, and those sacrifices that were made,” Allen said.
Mitch Maybury, supply chain management junior and operations and BUILD logistics team leader, said the service organization hopes to renew the spirit of Bonfire.
“BUILD’s main purpose is to unite campus through some single effort, much like Bonfire did years ago,” Maybury said. “It brought students from all different parts, from the freshmen engineers to the graduate MBA students. Bonfire brought all of these different students together to do something and we lost some of that spirit with the unfortunate collapse of Bonfire in 1999.”
Kyle Kelly, student body president, said the units serve the dual function of serving those in need abroad and honoring the lives of those killed in the collapse.
“This isn’t a replacement, but it’s in the spirit of Bonfire tradition and a tradition to honor the 12 that were killed in 1999, that we will remember this week,” Kelly said. “A phenomenal opportunity to recognize and to do something in remembrance for the families of those 12 that were killed, and it’s a great opportunity to serve our global community. These pods are literally going to go all over the world to different remote locations and have a tremendous impact on several individuals’ lives.”
Kelly said he was touched by the commemoration.
“I loved the ceremony,” Kelly said. “I just was able to meet the Ebanks and the Adams family and it was very moving,” Kelly said. “They were so thankful, so kind and really it’s a great honor to be able to do this in memory of their kids.”
Victoria Nutting, exercise physiology senior and BUILD outreach team leader, said BUILD had its challenges, but it is rewarding to have completed the project.
“It’s honestly really great and rewarding to see this come together,” Nutting said. “When I knew our budget and knew the big task of what we had to donate, I knew it would get done, but I’m just amazed that it did. It’s hard because there is no fundraiser. We had to acquire all the funds independently, by asking, and people didn’t know BUILD so they were kind of hesitant to donate. That’s been the hardest thing, to get donations.”
Nutting said the best part of BUILD is that anyone can get involved.
“Anyone can help, that’s the greatest thing,” Nutting said. “A student walking by on their way to class, or walking back from class, can stop in for an hour to build, and it takes no experience, no skill, just a desire to impact the world. Like all Aggies want to.”
Allen said BUILD might not build medical units next semester, but the project and its mission will be back.
“Ultimately our goal on campus isn’t to build these units, but to unite campus and bring students together for one central cause,” Allen said. “We will continue to be doing that until the cows come home.”