California State University, Fresno student and staff members are among more than 2,500 volunteers working to build a house in Fresno for ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”

The house is being constructed for Mary Ann Riojas and her four teen-aged children. Riojas family members were notified Thursday, Jan. 8, that they would need to vacate their home so it could be razed and a new one built for them in a week.

So many people — nearly 4,000 — applied to work as volunteers that the builder, Fresno-based De Young Properties, couldn’t accommodate everyone and directed them to other community service organizations. Volunteers perform a wide range of tasks from actual construction to cleanup and food service for the TV production.

One group of Fresno State volunteers was recruited by De Young Properties — students in the Construction Management Program, part of the Lyles College of Engineering. Dr. R. Louis Gysler, coordinator of the program, said he was contacted to see if any students would be willing to volunteer for the build, which is happening during the university’s winter break from classes.

Gysler said 19 students answered the call. “The TV show’s compressed time frame provides an intensive learning experience,” said Gysler, “which fits into our goal of combining theoretical and practical training for students to prepare them to be leaders in construction after graduation. It also is an opportunity for the students to give back to the community.”

Members of the Fresno State Delta Gamma chapter will work on the Riojas family house, adding to the sorority’s community service to the blind and to seniors, said Kristina Davis, the chapter president.

The university chapter of Sigma Chi volunteered to help prepare a pep rally on Monday, Jan. 5, for community partners in the project. Fraternity brothers also began working Thursday at the construction site, said president Paul Shapazian.

Members of Fresno State’s Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority also were among the volunteers as was a delegation from the Lyles College’s civil, electrical and mechanical engineering programs. The Associated Students Inc. will send a team of volunteers to help pack up the TV production equipment on Friday, Jan. 16.

The Jan and Bud Richter Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning at Fresno State referred several members of the campus community to the De Young Properties Web site to apply as volunteers, said director Chris Fiorentino.

Fresno State President John D. Welty has challenged the university to add to its 2007-08 academic year contribution of 667,836 hours of community service valued at an estimated $15.9 million. Welty wants Fresno State to provide 1 million hours of volunteer service annually by the university’s centennial in 2011.

“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” which has won back-to-back Emmy Awards as Best Reality Program (noncompetitive), is in its sixth season on ABC. The program is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. Anthony Dominici is the executive producer and David Goldberg is the president of Endemol USA.

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