Spring Break
Schmidt House serves as headquarters to dispatch CARPOOL members
Rooms in CARPOOL house each have special significance
By: Brooke Lein
Issue date: 11/7/08 Section: News
The dining room, a small space adjacent to the fun room, contains a rectangular wooden table occupied by donated food items from local restaurants.
"Food is donated by sponsors every single week," Anderson said. "Boston's, Fazoli's, Domino's, Double Dave's, Layne's, Chicken Express and others are major donors to CARPOOL."
Everything from food to furniture in the Schmidt House has been donated. The Department of Student Activities, former carpool members and patrons from the community contribute to the organization.
"[CARPOOL] is limited only by the funds, not drive or dedication," said Cynthia Olvera, adviser to CARPOOL.
Members arrive at the location between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Executive officers in the group arrive by 8:30 p.m., and directors show up by 8 p.m. CARPOOL starts accepting calls at 10 p.m. and stops at 3 a.m.
"We take home everyone that's on our list by 3 a.m.," Anderson said. "So we could be operating as late as 5:30 in the morning before all of the cars get back."
The next room in the house is affectionately referred to as "the fun-fun room," and contains the logistical items necessary to make each ride successful and efficient.
In addition to a second TV, the walls of this room contain 25 "car kits," or separate packages that are taken by drivers during each ride. Anderson said that up to 29 cars might run each night and. Aside from the 25 kits on the wall, there are extra emergency kits on the side.
Each car kit contains a cell phone with service donated by AT&T to call patrons on arrival. There is a "pink kit," which is actually a lime green color, that includes trash bags for vomit, flashlights, latex gloves, band-aids, change and a sign that reads, "Donations Accepted."
Each kit has a clipboard for recording the name of the patron, the time picked up and the time dropped off during each ride. A legal agreement must be presented to each patron, as well as a paragraph describing CARPOOL's purpose. Anderson said the information in the clipboard is kept confidential.
"Food is donated by sponsors every single week," Anderson said. "Boston's, Fazoli's, Domino's, Double Dave's, Layne's, Chicken Express and others are major donors to CARPOOL."
Everything from food to furniture in the Schmidt House has been donated. The Department of Student Activities, former carpool members and patrons from the community contribute to the organization.
"[CARPOOL] is limited only by the funds, not drive or dedication," said Cynthia Olvera, adviser to CARPOOL.
Members arrive at the location between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Executive officers in the group arrive by 8:30 p.m., and directors show up by 8 p.m. CARPOOL starts accepting calls at 10 p.m. and stops at 3 a.m.
"We take home everyone that's on our list by 3 a.m.," Anderson said. "So we could be operating as late as 5:30 in the morning before all of the cars get back."
The next room in the house is affectionately referred to as "the fun-fun room," and contains the logistical items necessary to make each ride successful and efficient.
In addition to a second TV, the walls of this room contain 25 "car kits," or separate packages that are taken by drivers during each ride. Anderson said that up to 29 cars might run each night and. Aside from the 25 kits on the wall, there are extra emergency kits on the side.
Each car kit contains a cell phone with service donated by AT&T to call patrons on arrival. There is a "pink kit," which is actually a lime green color, that includes trash bags for vomit, flashlights, latex gloves, band-aids, change and a sign that reads, "Donations Accepted."
Each kit has a clipboard for recording the name of the patron, the time picked up and the time dropped off during each ride. A legal agreement must be presented to each patron, as well as a paragraph describing CARPOOL's purpose. Anderson said the information in the clipboard is kept confidential.
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