Kyle Delwiche
Our first featured volunteer of 2006 was easy to pick. Kyle Delwiche went above and beyond the call of duty this past fall in organizing the Berkeley Build Day, a large fundraiser that brought together groups from all over the Cal Berkeley community to raise money and spend a day on the Livermore build. She and her amazing team at Cal advertised the event, coordinated all the volunteers, designed t-shirts and even managed to find a business willing to donate lunch for all the volunteers and site staff on the build day. The success of this event, which raised over $5,000, serves as a great example to other groups hoping to organize their own fundraisers for East Bay Habitat.
Tell us a little bit about yourself? Besides school and volunteering
with EBH what other things do you do with your time?
I am a junior at UC Berkeley, studying Environmental Engineering. I am most interested in agriculture and/or food production. I love getting involved, so besides schoolwork and Habitat I am always looking for new ways to explore Cal. I run with the Cal Running Club – for fun, not competition! Last semester I started working at the Lawrence Hall of Science doing science demonstrations for little kids. I also make sure to take time to relax and hang out with friends and roommates. I try to balance everything so that I’m happily busy and enjoy Berkeley as much as possible.
How did you first get involved with East Bay Habitat?
My first involvement with Habitat for Humanity came during my sophomore year at UC Berkeley. I started going to Cal Habitat meetings and it has been a big part of my life ever since. Cal Habitat is a campus chapter and East Bay is our affiliate, so we work together closely. Through Cal Habitat I’ve gotten to work on East Bay worksites and met some of the staff.
"Kyle has a confidence and calm about her that make her a pleasure to work with. I had complete faith in her ability to organize this ambitious event and she didn’t disappoint me one bit!" Blaise Maccarrone, Volunteer Coordinator.
What is your current role and level of involvement with us?
I am now the Vice President for Cal Habitat. My job is to cover a lot of administrative tasks to keep the club running smoothly. As a club we send volunteers nearly every Saturday to Easy Bay worksites. We also put a lot of energy into fundraising. As VP I work with the President to make sure our club continues to grow and spread the word about Habitat for Humanity.
What made you take on the task of organizing the first Berkeley Build
Day?
My path to Berkeley Build Day coordinator was rather round-about. I started out as the Special Events Coordinator for Cal Habitat a year ago. I had come up with the idea to start a big fundraiser to help support a local organization. When I mentioned it to the Cal Habitat officers, they were very supportive. Our club had finally grown large enough to take on such a venture and all they needed was someone to volunteer to organize it. I started out planning a 5K run. Eventually I decided that we needed something more fitting for Habitat, a way to connect both the Habitat volunteer work and the fundraising aspect.
The actual idea for Berkeley Build Day came from Peter Do, our president at the time. He had the great idea to recruit volunteers from all over Cal to fundraise and help build. He shared the idea with me and I knew immediately it was perfect for Cal Habitat. I loved the idea of contributing to the Cal Sponsored Home in a really tangible way. I had never been in charge of such a big project and the challenge was exciting. Cal Habitat is a dedicated group of people, and once we had our idea it was just a matter of organizing my committee and getting to work.
"[Habitat] gives people a chance to work hard for someone else." Kyle Delwiche, East Bay Habitat Volunteer. What advice do you have for individuals or groups who want to organize
a fundraiser like this?
The best part about organizing a big event like this is the way it brings a group of people together. My committee started out as a lot of people who did not know each other and had never planned any large event. By the end we were a close group of friends who worked well together and had a shared excitement for the event we were creating. That group dynamic is the most important thing to develop. I made sure everyone in my committee was in charge of some aspect of the project. That way they really felt how important they were to the success of the project and it made them as excited for BBD as I was.
In addition to creating a good group where everyone has a voice, it is also very important to plan ahead! It is essential to think through all the little details and not put them off until the week before. Inevitably there will be last minute forgotten details so it is important to complete things as far in advance as possible. Count on everything taking twice as long as expected because all to often unforeseen delays will occur.
What are your future projects or goals at EBH?
My hope is that Berkeley Build Day will continue to grow and spread the word about Habitat throughout the Berkeley campus. We plan on hosting another BBD next fall and my goal is to include a more diverse group from Berkeley. I would like to get Berkeley staff and faculty involved as well as other student groups. This will draw in groups of people who might not otherwise know about Cal Habitat and hopefully help with fundraising. I would love to still be around when we finish raising the $25000 for a quarter sponsorship, and if BBD continues to be a success that may happen!.
How does the mission and philosophy of EBH fit in your own life
values?
I am a very active person. I love creating projects to keep busy and the most rewarding projects of all are those that help other people. The idea of brightening someone else’s day is intensely gratifying. I think compassion is one of the most essential traits we as people need. It is so important for us to realize we can do something to make other people’s lives better. That is what I love about Habitat. Not only is it a lot of fun to do real construction, but it embodies the sense of compassion, hope, and giving that I find so important. It gives a family hope, it gives people chance to work hard for someone else, and it shows everyone what good things can be done with enough effort. I love knowing that my effort directly impacts people and hopefully gives them the strength to help others.
