Byesville Rotary impressed by Mid East Building Trades Housing Project

Pictured: Tom Cusma, instructor Mid East Buffalo Campus; Clayton Elliott, Mid East Building Trades student; and Chuck Fair, Byesville Rotary President.

Tom Cusma and Clayton Elliott from Mid East Buffalo Campus spoke to club members about the 2015 Building Trades Housing Project being completed by students in the building trades program. Tom Cusma, the instructor, has been a teacher for 16 years—4 of those years spent at Mid East Buffalo. This year he was recognized as the “2015 Instructor of the Year” for Ohio. Clayton Elliott is a junior in the building trades program.

This year Cusma’s students are building a custom home. Cusma explained that his program differs from other building trade programs in that the students do not have to pick a specialty when they enter the program. Instead, each student will be exposed to all aspects of the building trades from reading a blueprint through building walls, wiring and plumbing the home, building the kitchen cabinetry from scratch, and putting on the final touches like painting.

Elliott explained that each project begins in the classroom where students practice the skills they will need by building a practice project in the lab. He pointed out that the building project teaches students how to work together to get the job done. For example, it takes a team to get all the drywall up on the walls and ceiling. Cusma added that students who have mastered a skill often share their expertise with other students.

Cusma explained that there is a lead time of about a year in order for someone to submit a request for a Mid East building project. The request first goes to the school board which must approve the project. The individual or business must provide all materials plus 10%--15% of the project cost.

The custom-built home will be moved to its final site by May 15. The students will travel to the site to finish the project by adding elements such as the gable ends and the basement stairs.

During the monthly business meeting, Larry Miller, chair of the Scholarship Golf Tournament reported that the golf outing was very successful this year. The fund raiser brought in over $2700 to be used to support the club’s scholarship program.

Chuck Fair reminded club members that the Changing of the Guard Dinner is Thursday, June 25. Fair also announced that the dates of the chicken BBQ fundraisers are May 16, June 27, July 18, August 15, and September 19. Club members were asked to reserve at least one of the dates and volunteer to help cook and sell chickens.

Connect with Byesville Rotary at: www.Byesvillerotary.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/pages/Byesville-Rotary/256548047818283. The club meets 7:30 am, Tuesday at the Stop Nine Senior Center at 60313 (GPS use 60299) Southgate Road, Byesville. Walk-ins are welcome at the club’s meeting.