The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, March 31, 1992 - Page 3
Sports celebrties don aprons
to help childrens' hospital
by Joseph Smith
Diners at the Cottage Inn Cafe in
Ypsilanti yesterday were served by an ex-
traordinary restaurant staff which included
Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard,
three-time Mr. Universe Peter Neilson, and
former Detroit Lion Dexter Bussey.
These athletes joined a variety of other
sports-related celebrities, including mem-
bers of the Michigan football staff, to raise
money for seriously and terminally ill
children in the Fifth Floor Mott Childrens'
Hospital.
In doing so, several of them suited up in
relatively uncustomary uniforms - in-
cluding aprons and smocks - to work as
waiters, cooks, and bartenders.
Fifteen percent of the day's proceeds
will be donated to the hospital. In addition,
the staff and celebrities decided to donate
all of their tips.
"The workers ... volunteered to work
the shifts that they wanted," said Jennifer
Morris, a bartender at the restaurant. "All
of the workers had a choice."
Morris said business doubled or tripled
compared to a regular Monday.
Suzanne Fellows, the general manager
of the Cottage Inn Cafe, said she spent
three months putting the event together.
"Everyone was real willing to help out,"
she said. "The (celebrities) knew this
fundraiser was for a very worthy cause and
they were all anxious to help out."
Fellows added she hopes to raise be-
tween $1,500 and $2,000 for the hospital.
Michigan football recruiter Bob Chmiel,
who worked as a host, said, "It's for a very
Cottage Inn owner Sam Romuarus said
the restaurant chose to donate to the chil-
drens' hospital because many members of
the restaurant staff have worked with it in
the past.
"The staff does a lot of volunteering at
the Fifth Floor Mott Children's Hospital.
They go and visit the kids there a couple
times a week," Romuarus said.
The University Men's Glee Club pro-
'I asked if anyone wanted to help out with the
fundraiser. There were 15 members of the club that
took time out of their schedules to sing.'
- Jeremy Findley
LSA junior
good cause. We (the football staff) do a lot
of this kind of thing. This is a great
opportunity for us to give something back."
Ron Oestrike, a former Eastern
Michigan University coach, said this was
not the first time he helped out with the
restaurant's benefits.
"I like to give a helping hand when it's
for a worthy cause," he said. Oestrike has a
special interest in the restaurant because his
son works there as a cook.
vided music for the event early in the
evening. "I asked if anyone wanted to help
out with the fund-raiser. There were 15
members of the club that took time out of
their schedules to sing," said LSA junior
Jeremy Findley, who organized the club.
When asked why he showed up, Glee
Club member Bob Kleber joked, "For the
lasagna," at which point Findley inter-
jected, "We came to promote the good
cause, not for the free lasagna."
Peter Neilson, the current Mr. Universe mixes a vodka and tonic at a fundraiser for Mott
Children's Hospital at Cottage Inn Cafe in Ypsilanti yesterday.
*Volunteers find fulfillment in
constructing low-cost homes
by Renee Huckle was established in 1989 by eight lo- Humanity is reminiscent
Daily Staff Reporter cal residents to build homes with childhood.
Ann Arbor Habitat for no-interest mortgages, said board "I've always enjoyed w
Humanity volunteers, who range in member and local realtor Bob together on a project - espe
age from grade school children to Amick. building project ... I used
adults, have donated time, money The owner is required to do vol- with my dad. It's a way of c
and physical labor to help build unteer work for Habitat for nicating," he said.
low-cost homes for low-income Humanity and to make a small School of Architecture g
families. down payment. student Jennifer Godd
"You just can't beat the feeling Amick said most of the money Habitat for Humanity vo
of handing the keys to families that and materials comes from churches, said housing is an important
would never be able to have a house individuals and corporations. The her profession.
without this program," said Philip Ann Arbor group recently received "As an architect, housing
McMullan, the building committee a small state grant and two free lots ally big issue. I think we're
chair and a second-year graduate stu- from the city of Ypsilanti for two sible for helping people find
of his
working
cially a
to do it
commu-
raduate
en and
lunteer
issue in
is a re-
respon-
quality
dent in Urban Planning.
Volunteers work side-by-side
with the family who will own the
home. Each adult in the family must
work at least 200 hours for the
group.
"The families have been empow-
ered to do something and be a part of
the community," McMullan said.
There are more than 500 Habitat
for Humanity non-profit organiza-
tions across the nation. The Huron
Valley group, based in Ann Arbor,
recently
added.
Since
gram's
from ab
its annu
of more1
Volu
their tif
sonal s
knowing
Ami
ing h
completed homes, Amick homes."
McMullan said the satisfaction
e 1989, the Ann Arbor pro- gained from his involvement with
yearly budget has grown Habitat For Humanity in North
out $35,000 to $70,000 and Carolina motivated him to join the
al workforce now consists local affiliate when he moved to
than 400 volunteers. Ann Arbor.
nteers said they donate "1 really admire what the
me for the feeling of per- Habitat for Humanity philosophy is
atisfaction they get from and what they're doing. Habitat for
5 they help other people. Humanity isn't the solution to ev-
ck said his experience build- erything, but at least we get some-
omes for Habitat for thing done," he said.
Hottest ticket in town
Walter Horning of Michigan Ticket Office waits for a student to sign a check for Final Four tickets in Yost Arena
yesterday.
Supreme Court asks Bush's opinion in AIDS health care case
WASHINGTON (AP) - The
Supreme Court asked the Bush ad-
ministration's opinion yesterday on
whether AIDS sufferers may use a
federal law to sue employers who
cut health-care coverage for the
disease.
The court wants to know how
Justice Department lawyers view
rulings that said a law protecting
pensions does not bar cost-cutting
employers from curtailing or ending
coverage for any ailment.
Those rulings in a Texas case
potentially affect millions of
American workers, not just those
with acquired immune deficiency
syndrome.
The justices are not expected to
say whether they will review the
lower court rulings for another few
months.
At issue in the Texas AIDS case
is the scope of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of
1974 (ERISA).
John McGann, a warehouse em-
ployee for H&H Music Co. in
Houston, learned in 1987 that he had
contracted AIDS. At the time his
employer provided lifetime medical
benefits of up to $1 million for all
employees.
Months later, H&H Music
changed provisions of its health-care
plan, reducing to $5,000 the ceiling
on AIDS-related costs. No similar
ceiling was placed on any other
catastrophic illness.
Texas insurance law would have
prevented H&H Music from making
such changes, but the company re-
placed its group plan under an out-
side insurance firm and became a
self-insurer, paying employees'
claims out of its own pocket.
McGann sued, contending that
the switch in benefits violated that
portion of ERISA that prohibits dis-
crimination against an employee "for
exercising any right to which he is
entitled under the provisions of an
employee benefit plan."
Daily:
1S iie
THE
LIST
FINAL FOUR
TICKETS WANTED
(800) 621-7866
local representative
Tuesday
Pitcher Night
Bud Light $4.50
Fosters $5.00
(Underground Only)
9 pm-Close
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
Meetings
Ann Arbor Committee to defend
Abortion and Reproductive rights
(AACDARR) weekly mtg, Michigan
Union, Tap rm. 6:30 p.m.
MSA Weekly meeting 3909 Michigan
Union, 7:30 p.m.
Social Group for bisexual Women,
9:30 p.m. call 763-4186 for location
and more information
Student Education Peer Program,
STEPP 4th floor Union, 8:30 p.m.
SADD general meeting, 2nd Prescott
Lounge East Quad, 6:30 p.m.
IASA Board Meeting, Nikki lounge,
Mo-Jo, 9-11 p.m.
"Spark Forum," MLB Rm B 122,
7:00-8:00 p.m.
Asian American Student
Association, weekly meeting, Nikki
lounge, Mo-Jo, 7:30 p.m.
Time and Relative Dimensions in
Ann Arbor, 2439 Mason Hall 7 p.m.
University Cancer-
Information/Discussion Session,
Michigan Union-Anderson Room,
6.30 nm.
S eakers
"Chemistry speaker," 1640 Chem
bldg, 4 p.m.
Furthermore
Safewalk, night-time safety walking
service. Sun-Thurs 8 p.m.-1:30 a.m.,
Fri-Sat 8 p.m.-11:30 p.m. Stop by 102
UGLi or call 936-1000. Also, extended
hours: Sun-Thurs 1-3 a.m. Stop by
Angell Hall Computing Center or call
763-4246
Northwalk, North Campus night-time
team walking service. Sun-Thurs 8
p.m.-1:30 a.m. Stop by 2333 Bursley or
call 763-WALK.
Stress and Time Management,
Consultations with peer counselors
available, 3100 Michigan Union, 11-1
p.m.
Undergraduate Psychology
Department, Undergraduate psychol-
ogy advising, walk-in or appointment,
K-108 West Quad, 9 a.m-4 p.m.
Kaffeestunde, weekly German coffee
and conversation, 3rd floor Commons
Rm., MLB, all welcome, 4:30-6 p.m.
ECB Peer Writing Tutors,
Live
jazz
10-12 pm
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Cover
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