SIFE Has Interest in Water Purification System

by Ellie Haugen

Simpson’s chapter of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) hopes to purchase and implement a mobile water purification system in a central Iowa community soon.

SIFE, a national student organization, focuses on community betterment through business and education. Because of the large percentage of people without water and living in areas inflicted with severe water damage, SIFE jumped on the idea.

“The system will act as a quick response system for all of Iowa,” said Zack Feser, junior and SIFE president. “The idea of where to go in the future is wide open.”

The goal of SIFE is to stay within a $5,000 to $20,000 range to purchase the purification system. SIFE will be giving recyclable cans to families as a fundraiser. The group also hopes to receive sponsorship from dealerships when natural disaster occurs.

“We have several fundraisers right now, and we think by March we can raise the $7,000 needed to purchase equipment,” said Tom Schmidt, SIFE adviser and associate professor of management.

SIFE understands the lack of pure water in other parts of the world, as well. 

“Our original hope was to take the project to Mexico, but it is more accessible at this point to keep it here,” Feser said. “Hopefully we will have a couple units going in the future.” 

The project would consist of SIFE members or anyone else who would like to be involved to help get the system when the time approaches. The system would be preferred to stay on campus.

“The goal is to have a first response group of five or six students who would be available for the duration of the school year, and to have a group of professors available in the summer,” Feser said. “I really want to use this project as an educational experience too, like by handing out brochures to help people think about the purpose of the project and where it was originally going.”

Students not directly involved with SIFE also see the good deed and benefit being done by installing a water purification system for an Iowa community.

“I think it’s a good idea because it is helping out a community in their time of need,” sophomore Rachel Beadle said. “It’s helping them to be provided with safe, usable water.”

Students and other community members are strongly encouraged to help for this cause by donating cans to help raise the money to purchase the necessary equipment.

SIFE completes many other projects that link community betterment with education and business, as well as hold the Ethics Bowl on campus.

For more information on SIFE’s projects, activities and goals visit http://sife.org.