Edmonton—Pies are flying fast and furious around the Faculty of Engineering as the Engineering Students’ Society stages its annual Pi Throw fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity.
No one is safe from getting “pied” although individuals who choose not to participate can opt out of the fundraiser unscathed. Students, professors and staff have purchased pies and named their targets. When student volunteers arrive to deliver the goods, the victim can take the pie in the face, redirect it to the sender or another “victim” or opt out of the game.
“Yesterday we raised $70 on redirected pies in one classroom alone,” said Jocelyn Westwood, a fourth-year engineering physics student who is serving as this year’s Pi Throw co-ordinator.
You’d think in her role as co-ordinator Westwood would be safe. But she did get hit in an “epic” manner with a whipped cream pie.
“It was in my hair and up my nose—for the rest of the day my eyelids were sticking,” she said. “I think there was even some on my contact lenses.”
As well as taking one for the team, Westwood gets to do some unusual shopping during Pi Throw.
“I’ve bought all the whipped cream, 25 cans of it as of Wednesday night and I think we’ll easily go through another 25 by the time the week is over,” she said. “I bought all the whipped topping Safeway had to offer me so I’ll have to go to a diff store today.”
Last year the ESS raised about $1,900 for Habitat for Humanity, an international charity that helps develop affordable housing, during the week-long event.