CSU’s CM Cares program partnered with Extreme Community Makeover in Denver on Oct. 20 to clean up local residents’ homes.

Extreme Community Makeover recruited more than 150 volunteers to complete work for several projects; CSU volunteers tackled four.

About CM Cares

The Department of Construction Management’s CM Cares program promotes service learning by infusing leadership traits, team building and ethics through community service activities. It focuses on teaming students, faculty, staff and industry partners to complete construction-related projects for people with special needs or local community service agencies needing assistance that cannot be provided by other sources.

John Tutherow, a junior transfer student at CSU, is also the student president of the veteran networking club. Tutherow took charge of the group of volunteers assigned to clear debris from the property and paint the owner’s backyard fence and porch awning.

“It is great to be able to help someone with the skills that you learn in the classroom,” Tutherow said. “Some people may not have the means to complete these kinds of projects, and I’m glad our program can support them.”

Instructions over breakfast

Residents Irene and Fidel Reyes greeted the CSU volunteers with coffee and doughnuts when they arrived. Everyone had some breakfast while Fidel explained what the team would be working on at their property, at 4736 Leaf Court.

Jackson Lines, a junior and civil engineering major, also volunteered his time to help clean up the home.

“I have lots of friends and fraternity brothers that are involved in the Construction Management program at CSU, and they recruited me to help out today,” Lines said. “It’s cool to see they have the skills to manage a team of volunteers and also the ability to carry out the work themselves.

National Western Center

The project was part of CSU’s long-term commitment to the future National Western Center in north Denver and its surrounding communities.

As Colorado’s land-grant university, CSU’s mission of research, service, and access fits with the outreach vision of the National Western Center. CSU’s plans at the site focus on research and educational programming in the areas of food systems, water, environment, energy, and health.

A key and founding partner, CSU will have three buildings within the 250-acre National Western Center campus, including a water resources center, breaking ground in late 2019, and an animal health building, breaking ground in early 2020.

The University is currently working to engage with the community and to partner with local schools, nonprofits, and businesses to create vibrant spaces, impactful research and collaboration, and year-round programming to this unique project.

For additional information, visit nwc.colostate.edu.

The Department of Construction Management is part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.