H.E.L.P. uncovers hidden dangers

Temple University’s Entrepreneurial Student Association has teamed up with Lexon Technologies to give a helping hand to Lexon’s H.E.L.P. Campaign.

Humanitarian Elimination of Landmines Project is a campaign brought to college campuses to raise awareness of landmines, market Lexon’s land mine flare technology and empower college students by involving them in a humanitarian cause.

Lexon Technologies landmine flare is a new development in de-mining technology. Instead of exploding the mine, the flare uses rocket fuel burning at approximately 4,700 degrees, to penetrate the casing and ignite the fill inside. The mine then burns itself out without exploding.

Because of the use of rocket fuel, the flare is now a Certified Space Technology. Lexon will use this title to further its landminemine elimination goals.

Temple University became the home of H.E.L.P after International Trade Consultant Nicole DeSilvis at the Temple Small Business Center approached Entrepreneurial Student Association president Shante Antrom about the campaign. Antrom thought it was an opportunity not to be missed.

The campaign aimed to raise money for land mine awareness by rallying the support of student organizations to sell raffle tickets for various prizes.

The first unofficial raffle, which began Oct. 8, is for two VIP seats to a NASA shuttle launch in 2004, donated by the NASA Space Foundation. (NASA is now closely tied to the project since it’s certification as a Space Technology.) Tickets are being raffled at $5 a piece or $10 for three. They can be purchased through the ESA, located in 201F, the Innovation Entrepreneurial Institute in Speakman Hall.

The campaign also has close ties with the Philadelphia Eagles. Lexon Chairman Jim Murray (co-founder of the Ronald McDonald Houses) is the former General Manager of the Philadelphia Eagles. Members of the team, including Donovan McNabb, have donated autographed items to be raffled off.

For every $5 in tickets sold, $1 will go to the selling student organization, and $1 will go into a jackpot that will later go to the most involved organization. The other $3 will go to the federal government’s State Department of Humanitarian Demining through H.E.L.P. in the form of either flares, money or other humanitarian support.

According to H.E.L.P. Project Manager Danielle Miller, Lexon’s flares are a more effective option in demining efforts because they are a non-weaponizable means of destroying mines. When sent overseas the flares can’t be used as weapons against the U.S. or any other country.

According to Miller, in a post Sept. 11 society, when it’s hard to send weapons overseas, the Lexon flare is the best option in destroying land mines.