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Barometer The Daily

MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2013 • OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY CORVALLIS, OREGON 97331

DAILYBAROMETER.COM

Baseball sweeps bryant, improves to 12-0

VOLUME CXVI, NUMBER 94

Building wells, relationships n

OSU Engineers Without Borders earns recognition for rainwater catchment system, water well in Lela, Kenya By Katherine Choi The Daily Barometer

In Justin Smith’s trailer for “Kel Wer,” a Kenyan boy talks about the importance of water to him and his community. “Water, water, I like you, you make us happy and cheerful,” the boy said. This child, along with the rest of the community members, now has improved access to a clean and sustainable water supply. The Oregon State University Engineers Without Borders chapter has recently received a premiere project award for successful implementation of a drilled water well and rainwater catchment system in Lela, Kenya. Justin Smith, OSU’s multimedia manager, traveled with the group to chronicle their work. Out of 350 projects, EWB-OSU received one of three rare project awards. This award recognized the chapter’s excellence in meeting the

mission of EWB-USA. The project award also attracted donors for the OSU chapter. “The fact that we were able to win a premiere project award with few numbers says a lot,” said Zachary Dunn, the 2012-13 Kenya project coordinator. “Beyond the reports and work, I think we have super dedicated members who are committed to not just EWB-USA, but also poverty alleviation and international development in general.” Dunn also said EWB-OSU received perfect scores on all their trip reports. For every trip, the chapter was required to write pre-trip and posttrip reports. EWB-USA has a grading system, which grades reports on a one to three scale. OSU’s chapter consistently received a “three” for every submitted report. EWB-OSU’s reports have served as an example for other chapters and were also published online. Lela is a community of approximately 2,000 people who lacked access to a clean water supply. Previously, women and children spent countless hours fetching water, which may have been contami-

nated and filled with disease-causing pathogens. The issue led the community to form a Women’s Water Committee, which submitted an application to the national office for help. EWB-OSU first adopted the project back in 2009 after reviewing the application. Before any work could be completed, the chapter had to make several visits to Lela for health and technical assessments. A water source assessment was completed to determine how the chapter was going to help the Lela community meet their needs for clean water. In July 2012, a small group of active chapter members and a professional mentor endured a four-day flight to arrive at their destination in Lela. On this first implementation trip, the group was able to drill a well and build a rainwater catchment system. On previous trips, the chapter made connections with local nongovernmental organizations that drilled wells in Kenya. EWB-OSU hired these local organizations as its contractors to drill the well. With the installment of an Afridev See ENGINEERS | page 2

courtesy of Oliver Day and OSU Web Communications

| CONTRIBUTED

Small ‘workouts’ add up

| CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Community draws up plans for homelessness n

A local forum held last Thursday revolved around a 10 year plan to end homelessness By Kristy Wilkinson The Daily Barometer

Last Thursday, an annual forum was held to discuss Corvallis’ 10-year plan to end homelessness. The community open forum was held in the Benton County Library Meeting room. Local leaders in the Corvallis and Linn Benton area — such as county commissioner Jay Dixon and Corvallis Mayor Julia Manning — were among the many to present on 2012 successes as well as upcoming plans within Corvallis for 2013. The meeting had various speakers at the beginning and then separated into five different groups. At each of the five tables, signs indicated specific areas of homelessness catering to individual interests.

The signs varied from “prevention of homelessness” to “rehabilitation of homeless.” The system allowed for community members already involved in the 10-year plan, and those interested in the issue, to sit at the table they were most inclined to help or most concerned about. The 10-year plan to end homelessness has been in action for the past three years. Next year, the city of Corvallis will be implementing new programs into the community intended to help support and improve the lives of transient members within Linn and Benton counties. Currently, Corvallis has a men’s cold weather shelter and a women’s cold weather shelter. To be allowed to reap the benefits of that program, those interested must be 18 or older. These shelters are only open in the winter months. The Jackson Street Youth Center is the only youth-based program within

Corvallis specifically for struggling minors. Ann Craig, executive director of the Jackson Street Youth Center, announced at the meeting that in the next year the Jackson Street Youth Center will be opening up a transitional center for those older than the age of 18. While the youth shelter serves those 17 and under, once a minor turns 18 they are no longer allowed to be in the program. Craig discussed the issues with that during the presentation, “once you turn 18, it doesn’t mean you know how to pay bills or rent.” The new transitional program will be up and running within the next year. Another new improvement that will be made is a support call system that has gone live in Benton and Linn counties: 211. This is a longplanned dial program, putting callers into contact with shelter inforSee FORUM | page 2

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courtesy of justin smith

OSU students Jessica Cawley and Jordan Machtelinckx pump a new well in Lela, Kenya as several children enjoy their new water source.

Recent study by OSU researcher concludes everyday activities can be as effective as working out at a gym

10 minutes. “We’re pleased to report that in every category except [Body Mass Index], the health benefits are equally good for small bouts of exercise as well as long bouts, so long as the [total exercise] adds up to 150 minutes per By Vinay Ramakrishnan week,” Cardinal said. The Daily Barometer The study’s results showed no difA study recently published in the ference in blood pressure, cholesterol, January/February 2013 volume of the waist circumference and glucose, American Journal of Health Promotion among other measurements, between found everyday activities such as participants who did the short bouts taking the stairs and biking to work of exercise versus those who did the can have the same health benefits as longer bouts. working out at a fitness center. “The three biggest positive health The study was conducted by outcomes from short bouts of exercise Brad Cardinal, professor of exerare reduced blood cise and sport scipressure, reduced ence at Oregon waist circumference, State University, and reduced cholesPeople can build and Paul Loprinzi, terol levels,” Cardinal activity into their day said. an OSU alumnus who is now a profesThe number of by choosing to seek sor of exercise sciparticipants in the out opportunities to study who met the ence at Bellarmine Un i v e r s i t y in be physically active. national physical Louisville, Ky. activity guidelines for Although the adults of 150 minutes Brad Cardinal study came out just OSU professor of exercise and sports science per week of moderthis month, it was ate to vigorous exerbased on data from cise increased more the National Health and Nutrition than four-fold when exercise was meaExamination Survey, collected sured with the short-bout guidelines. between 2003 and 2006. “If we use the long bout guidelines, “The [National Health and Nutrition less than 10 percent of participants in Examination Survey] data is collected the study meet the requirements [of year round, from all regions of the 150 minutes per week],” Cardinal said. country, and should generalize to “That number jumps to 43 percent adults ages 18-85 around the United when we measure exercise using the States,” Cardinal said. short bouts.” Cardinal and Loprinzi analyzed the How can students who have tight data in 2010, and submitted the study study and work schedules incorporate in May of that year. The data used in the results of the study to improve the study came from 6,321 male and their overall health? Cardinal offers female participants of all ethnicities some suggestions. and between 18 and 85 years of age. “If you’re working on a paper, every The average age of a participant was hour, have a prompt on your com48. puter that reminds you to get up and Participants in the study wore accel- move,” Cardinal said. “You can also erometers to track their movement walk or bike to campus, or park your and pace. The study defined “short car further away.” bouts” of exercise as exercise in interOther activities Cardinal suggested vals of less than 10 minutes, while might be considered “short bouts” “long bouts” were defined as exercise See WORKOUTS | page 2 in intervals greater than or equal to n