By Karen Lambert
Published:
Saturday, December 8, 2007 3:24 AM CST
USU student campaign aims to raise $750K for badly needed Garden City fire engine

Five Utah State University students are acting as lifesavers to the volunteer firefighters of Garden City.

Over the last semester, five public relations students have designed the Raising the Ladder campaign to allow the Garden City Fire Department to buy a new $750,000 fire engine to replace a 1974, 55-foot ladder Ford that has a hole in the water tank and must be jump-started to run.

The class project involves targeting not only those who live in Rich County, but individuals across the state who own second homes in the resort area around the Bear Lake. That includes residents who live along the Wasatch Front, in Cache Valley, Southern Idaho, western Wyoming, as well as residents from as far as California or Washington.

The seniors said the experience this semester has helped them build relationships with clients who can speak of their abilities to carry out a successful public relations campaign.

The students target the different groups of people through several events.

In June and July, several fireman’s breakfasts will be held to raise money. The students hope the breakfasts attract part-year residents who frequent the area in the summer.

Penny wars will be held at the local schools, as a way to get the entire community on board and excited about the idea. They are working to find a local business who will match any student donations and reward the top donor. A coloring contest will be held in restaurants. Each picture to color will cost $1, all of which will go toward the fire engine.

The students have also set up an account at Zions Bank branches across the state where people can make donations, and have planned a full-scale media campaign.

The students created the blueprint for a volunteer committee of Garden City residents to oversee the events.

“That’s awesome. Very, very, very good,” said Garden City Fire Chief Mike Leonhardt Thursday when the students presented him with their final plan at the Utah State University campus.

Leonhardt said the students have contacted him two to three times a week throughout the semester to develop the plan. He has been scrambling to find out the history of his fire department and dig up old pictures and tidbits of information needed for the campaign. Using that information, group leader Rosalee Swager, 24, developed a user-friendly Web site with catchy graphics and pictures. The site, www.raisingtheladder.org, should be up Tuesday and even after the campaign can be used as the fire departments’ Web site as it includes safety and historical information.

Next semester, a new group of public relations students will take the plan and help implement it in the community.

Professor Troy Oldham, whose students have also been responsible for organizing such events as “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” in Logan and Ryan’s Place park in River Heights, said he tries to implement real world experience into his curriculum. He wants his public relations students to see their field as more than writing press releases and also understand the problem they’re addressing.

“I’ve found the way to do this is in a service learning capacity,” he said. “Students tend to care more because it’s real and they can see the results will help someone.”

Oldham worked for 11 years for Microsoft before moving back to Logan. He is also involved in the Seasons development up in Rich County, which is how he learned of Garden City’s need for a new fire engine.

“Troy gives you awesome opportunities to have real life experiences and get to know actual clients,” said student Kirsten Harrison, 22, “You get the opportunity to be out in the real world.”

Other students who led the fundraiser were Kristin Skousen, 20, Angela Busselberg, 22 and Sara Anderson, 20.

“This was awesome for Utah State to take this on,” Leonhardt said. “I am just elated. It’s awesome we have a university or a place that can help with projects or fundraisers and also help the students.”

E-mail:

klambert@hjnews.com