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Trebuchet Day Launches Student Aspirations

Masrshall Street Armory Site to Host Student Competition

May 6, 2010

Lansing ----- MSU engineering students and local middle school students are ready to knock you down with an impressive feat of math, physics, engineering and history - or at least some really big walls.

On May 8, 2010, at the Marshall Street Armory, student teams will be displaying the muscle of their eight foot long medieval machines, which they have been creating over the past eight weeks, by flinging projectiles at a castle wall to knock it down.

"Trebuchet Day exemplifies the best of what I dream of for Lansing. It celebrates our creativity and inventiveness, and brings the community together to support our students, one of our greatest resources for our future," said Pat Gillespie, president of Gillespie Group. "I am proud to be hosting this event at the Armory, a site we hope to transform into a community resource for much more than just this one event by turning it into a hub for nonprofit headquarters."

For spectators, food, beverages and trinkets will be available for purchase. First shots will fly at 11 a.m. sharp, but don't worry, the projectiles won't be.

Trebuchet Day was made possible by a partnership between Gillespie Group, Impression 5, Linking Lansing & U, Michigan State University, and Young Smart and Global. The Trebuchet Day partners thank sponsors Demmer Corp., Granger Construction, Traction, Extreme Adventure Tours, Aaron and Emily Matthews, Kincaid Henry, and MPC Cash-way Lumber.

Follow the latest Trebuchet Day news by following @TrebDay on Twitter or joining the 2010 Trebuchet Day Facebook page.

According to Gillespie Group's proposed plan, the Armory Building would be given a full historic renovation and turned into office space for nonprofit organizations. Creating such a hub would allow nonprofits to build community, share resources and support one another. The Armory is a Neoclassical design and still closely resembles its original appearance, truly allowing for historical renovation.

The Armory Building's history is rich. It was built in 1924 and became the facility for the 1st Battalion 119th Field Artillery. U.S. military personnel gathered at this installation and received the necessary training to defend our country. Also, the Armory was deemed to have sufficient structural integrity to be refuge for the community from natural disasters.

The Gillespie Group is an East Lansing-based developer dedicated to building an even stronger Greater Lansing. It specializes in fostering urban development, such as the Stadium District. For more information about the Gillespie Group, please visit www.gillespie-group.com.

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