UW Gazette, October 1, 1997
    
    Avocado and harvest-gold kitchen appliances have had
their heyday, but the spirit of the 1970s lives on in the
psychology lounge. There, in room 3005 of the PAS building,
nostalgia buffs can still find time-warp furniture in shades
of orange and brown, a virtual museum of 70s decor.
    But the years have not been kind. The upholstery is
pockmarked with splotches of coffee and other assorted
stains, and those who dare to sit have that sinking feeling
they may never rise again.
    But a group of psych staff are determined that their
nest will, like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again, and have
launched a drive to refurbish the "faded and frazzled"
lounge. Starting by stocking its snack bar with coffee and
bagels for staff, faculty and grad students when the Arts
Student Union coffee shop closed for its end-of-term break
in the spring of '96, Rita Cherkewski, Richard Crispin, Joy
Fisher and Yvonne Weppler have been collecting nickels and
dimes ever since.
    "We were encouraged when we had enough for a chair
leg," recalled Weppler.
    "We never thought it would get this far," added
Cherkewski.
    Expanding their repertoire with special weekly lunches
- barbecues, lasagna or homemade soup - they collected
$1,111 in the first three weeks of fundraising, and knew
they were onto something.
    The team met with plant operations staff to explore
redecorating options, and set the goal at $27,000 to include
installation of a new floor, furnishings and an updated
kitchen.
    While continuing to run their between-the-terms snack
bar, the fearless foursome appealed for matching funds from
the psych department, the dean of arts and the Federation of
Students. By the spring of 1997, just a year after the
project had begun, the bank balance sat at $14,300. It
passed $15,000 during the summer.
    Plans are underway to begin phase one of the
renovations later this fall with the kitchen reconstruction
and installation of new patio furniture. Phase two, which
will provide lounge furnishings, is still somewhere down the
road.
    The main fundraising push will happen again at the end
of the winter term, but in the meantime there may be an
event or two "if the mood hits us," said Weppler, although
the team is careful not to plan activities that conflict
with the Arts Student Union coffee shop business.
    Aside from the monetary success of the project which
has amazed even themselves, the psych staff have discovered
a real sense of community in their corner of the campus.
    "The psych department has been very supportive, and we
have that community spirit here which allows us to do
things," said Cherkewski. "It's important for people to see
there is a way to do things on campus. You don't have to
just sit back and wait for it to happen."