A childhood favorite helps raise money for a good cause
A Batmobile and a Black Dragon were among the 30 cars racing in the first annual Race for Humanity Pinewood Derby Tuesday at Utah State University to help raise money for housing for low-income families.
The derby, sponsored by Pi Kappa Alpha and Habitat for Humanity, was held in the Taggart Student Center Ballroom on a track stretching some 40 feet along the ballroom floor.
About 250 spectators cheered on their favorite entries, including one that got its name because the car looked remarkably like Batman’s famous racer. The Batmobile took on the Black Dragon in a competition so intense that several tie-breaking races had to be run. In the fourth race, Black Dragon
designer Dan McRae, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, had to find a hot-glue gun for repairs.
In the end, Black Dragon designers took home the first-place trophy.
The Batmobile’s designer, Tony Myers, a sophomore in accounting, and his design partners garnered the second-place award.
Other designers won DVDs, CDs and gift certificates redeemable at several Logan businesses.
“Next year it should be huge,” said Nick Larson, the Pi Kappa Alpha member who conceived the idea of the fund-raising derby. “It’ll be a lot bigger.”
The motto for the fraternity and its 33 USU student members is SLAG for Scholars, Leaders, Athletes and Gentlemen, he said.
“We try and do stuff for the community,” said Larson. “We try to stay involved and help out.”
The event benefited Habitat for Humanity, a charitable organization of volunteers who build homes for low-income people in Utah and across the world. Former President Jimmy Carter has donned working clothes and boots to help in some of the organization’s construction projects.
“We just finished building a house about three weeks ago and we are going to start another one this spring in the Smithfield area,” said Rustin Diehl, a senior in economics and director of Habitat’s local chapter.
The chapters’ headquarters are in the Service Center here at USU.
Diehl credited the derby’s success to the fraternity and the designers’ willingness to pay $10 per entry for their automotive creations.
“So many Pi Kappa Alphas helped out,” he said. “The praise should all go to them.”
Donations are still being accepted for Habitat, said Brandon Manikowski, a senior majoring in psychology and recruitment chairman of Pi Kappa Alpha. Those wishing to donate should contact Nick at 752-9066.
Larson said Pi Kappa Alpha would like to thank contributors for the race including Lee’s Market, Blockbuster Video, S&S Engineering, Papa John’s Pizza and Al’s Trophies.
-jminer@cc.usu.edu