beta gamma recruits largest pledge class at eastern illinois...sigma pi requires a 2.7 gpa to stay...
TRANSCRIPT
Alumni From Six Decades Attend Homecoming 2014Sigma Pi takes 1st place in homecoming float competition
www.SigmaPiBetaGamma.com
THE NEWSLETTER FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF BETA GAMMA CHAPTER OF SIGMA PI AT EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY - WINTER 2014
Winter • 2014
Brother Larry Bell '68 looking at composites and reminiscing in the chapter house.
A special thank you to all Beta Gamma Alumni who made the trip back for homecoming. Alumni involvement and support is greatly encouraged and appreciated! Eli Sidwell ‘55Roger Van Dyke ‘59John Lowe ‘61Ron Pennell ‘61Larry Bell ‘68Ron Tredennick ‘74Greg Muncer ‘89Lance Kunz ‘89Jeff Hebenstreit ‘96Wes Graves ‘97Corey Duzan ‘98Jason Zientarski ‘04Kyle Ulastcyk ‘07John Bakun ‘08Mike Tredennick ‘08Will Starkey ‘08
Bryan Krisky ‘09 Danny Zahos ‘09Evan Moeller ‘09 James Alvarado ‘09Kyle Wilson ‘09Mark Ouska ‘09Sean McCoy ‘09Andy Henning ‘10Cam Meyer ‘10Clayton Seno ‘10Kendal Spurgin ‘10Mario Casamajor ‘10Pat Peck ‘10Ryan Seipp ‘10Jimmey Bakun ‘12 Matt Brichetto ‘13Jack O’Connor ‘13
Beta Gamma Recruits Largest Pledge Class at Eastern Illinois 32 New Members this fall
This fall, Beta Gamma welcomed 32 new members! This number is a 100% increase from 2013 and 63% higher than any other fraternity on campus.
Fall recruitment began in mid-July when brothers worked with Dean Harwood, the Director of Fraternities and Sororities at EIU, to create a personal recruitment plan. Dean provided brothers with a list of all incoming freshmen men. With the help of Beta Gamma's two recruitment chairs, they were able to locate the incoming freshman on social media sites.
Brothers reached out to a number of incoming freshmen and introduced them to Sigma Pi and all the brotherhood could offer them for their next four years of college. These efforts resulted in the largest freshman crowd on move in day.
Brothers worked together to judge character, ability to build relationships and maintain Sigma Pi's high standards. A bi-weekly rush event was held for the first month of school including multiple cook outs, open houses and sporting events. The events were planned and executed leaving all of the other fraternities behind. Beta Gamma plans to use this recruitment plan as a foundation to build on every semester moving forward.
Beta Gamma Welcomes Tami Camp as New House Mom
Beta Gamma welcomes a new full time live-in house mom this year, Tami Camp. Tami first became acquainted with Sigma Pi four years ago when she was hired over the summer to help prepare properties for fall occupancy. She was subsequently hired to clean the Sigma Pi house once a week during the school year. This past summer, Tami and her daughter, Sadie, were instrumental in cleaning both houses and painting the second floor as well as the entire basement. They also removed old carpet prior to new carpet installation. Thanks to Tami's help, the house looked great when school began!
Tami plans to focus her attention on encouraging academic excellence, teaching responsibility for one's actions and encouraging respect for the fraternity properties. Tami is dedicated to keeping the standards of Sigma Pi intact for many years to come and Beta Gamma is proud to have her on board full time.
Welcome, Tami!
Brother Corey Duzan '98, recipient of last year's EIU Distinguished Educator Award, returns to watch the homecoming parade and introduce the newest member of his family, Avery, to former fraternity advisor, Brother Eli Sidwell '55.
Brother Jason Zientarski '04 returns for homecoming with his children Dylan and June who are eagerly awaiting the parade on The Rock.
Sigma Pi requires a 2.7 GPA to stay active nationally. This is above and beyond Eastern Illinois University's requirement of 2.59. If GPA averages are not met, Beta Gamma faces suspension for the upcoming semester for recruitment, intramurals, events and functions. With new GPA requirements placed on brothers, it is essential Beta Gamma implement a plan to prevent any academic shortcomings.
Instead of setting rigorous policies for brothers to follow, with the help of Hector Tamayo '03, Chapter Director and Housing Director, Beta Gamma was tasked with doing a fantasy academic draft at a recent active meeting. The chapter was split into six teams. Brothers with the highest GPA were appointed captains. Each team drafted members of the fraternity and pledges to their team.
Rules: 1. Each team drafts in snake order until all members are on a team 2. At the end of the semester, teams will take a GPA average of original members drafted. If a pledge drops,
they will be marked as 0.0 towards their average (value in pledge retention) 3. Teams must finish with all original members 4. Teams must exceed a 2.7 GPA 5. New member class must be 30 total men. 6. Losing team will plan an alcohol free brotherhood event and perform extra community service hours
"It was so fun to connect and talk with these guys on a personal level. I think I earned so much more respect as opposed to coming into meeting and setting policies. I plan on doing this every semester to keep things competitive, fresh and promote scholarship. I am already hearing teams meeting for study tables and actives supporting pledges," stated Tamayo.
With this new approach, Beta Gamma may have a winning formula to a Grand Sage victory. Alumni interested in helping with recruitment or scholarship are encouraged to contact Hector Tamayo at [email protected] to get involved!
Congratulations to the following Executive Council members who took office on December 1, 2014. Alumni are encouraged to contact these members and offer words of advice.
Many thanks to the previous Executive Council members for their hard work and success over the past year.
Chapter Officers
www.SigmaPiBetaGamma.com Winter • 2014
Sage (President) Corey Thiesse, Fall 2012
Countryside, [email protected]
708-299-0579
Second Counselor (VP)Ari Adrahtas, Fall 2012
Lincolnwood, [email protected]
847-529-4399
Third Counselor (Treasurer)
Erik Benhart, Fall 2012Itasca, IL
Fourth Counselor (Secretary)
Ryan Bonarek, Fall 2013Coal City, IL
First Counselor (Alumni Liason)
Ryan Frazier, Fall 2013Braidwood, IL
Herald (Ritual)Jake Benson, Fall 2013
Braidwood, [email protected]
815-482-7160
Fantasy Draft to Promote Scholarship
I often reminisce about the years that I spent in college and my participation in Beta-Gamma Chapter as it developed into a strong chapter and the participation in the Sigma Pi National Fraternity as it advanced to International status. With this beginning I am attempting to recall some of the happenings as I remember them and put them on paper for all the members that came behind me as well to create some kind of record my grandkids can read.
I was elected to the position of sage as a sophomore which designated me to be the chapters' delegate to the Sigma Pi National Biennial Convocation that was held in Pasadena, California. in the summer of 1956. This is just a preface of an article that will come down the road about that experience.
It was after serving my year as sage and having had the experience of travelling to the farthest state West in the U. S. when I had never been farther from home than the City of Chicago that I was ready to try something new. I had a strong feeling (and still do) that the pledge trainer was and is one of the most important positions in the local chapter. So I asked and was granted the permission to be the pledge trainer for the December Pledge Class of 1957-58. As was the custom at that time for Beta-Gamma each pledge class was expected to design, develop and complete a project that would be an improvement to the fraternity house. The house was purchased in 1954 and while improvements had been made to make the house habitable for 25 people there were still many improvements to be made.
This class took on a very ambitious project of transforming the double garage into a chapter meeting room. The plans for the project would close one large door, install a gas line to the building for heat, put new wiring in the building, insulate and drywall and paint the interior. To pay for these improvements 10 new pledges agreed to sign a lease and live in the garage for the spring quarter. Work was contracted for, 10 bunks were purchased, leases signed and plans began to materialize - then we got the bomb shell news. Since the building was not attached to the main house it would be necessary to have bathing facilities in the improvements to conform to city health codes. We were between a rock and a hard place.
We had spent too much money to turn back
Beta Gamma Cellar Dwellers Told by Eli Sidwell, Jr. '55
A huge congratulations to Beta Gamma for an incredible year of accomplishments!
• Sent two representatives to National Convocation in Orlando, FL
• 2014 Repeat Intramural Champions
• Greek Week Little Man Tugs Champions
• Greek Week Pyramids Champions
• 1000 point efficiency score (1 of 8 hapters in the nation)
• Increased efficiency score from 650 points to a perfect 1000 points
• Increased gold standard score
• Sigma Kappa Kick in the Grass Philanthropy Champions
• Alpha Phi Phiesta Bowl Philanthropy Champions
• DZ Turtle Tugs Philanthropy Champions
• Homecoming 2014 1st Place Float
• 32 Man Fall Pledge Class – 100% increase from 2013/Biggest recruitment class of all fraternities and sororities at EIU
Handshakes & Applause
Continued on Page 3
Pictured (L to R): Former Sage, Tim Addante '03, current past Sage and Recruitment Chair Danny Redmore, current Sage TJ Hahn (4.0 Student), Hector Tamayo, Jr. '03 Chapter Director, Ross Kasnewski, 3rd Counselor (Treasurer) and Christian Kabbes, 2nd Counselor (VP)
Brother Tim Addante and his wife Jenny welcomed their son Luke into the world in October 2014 Austin, Texas. Tim also recently launched his own successful business called Custom Sweat. Custom Sweat makes customized embroidered sweatbands for any event, school, race, company, promotions and is centered around giving back to local charities.
The grand old house at 956 Sixth Street and the rock in the front yard stir many great memories. Certainly, the house and rock are iconic symbols of the brotherhood that we shared. In a casual conversation with lifelong friend and Brother Rick Marsh '57 of Tuscola, I learned that Brother Marsh's pledge class came up with the idea of putting some type of monument in the front yard of the Sigma Pi house as a pledge project. I decided to follow up that conversation and learn more about the rock's history so I called him for further details. Rick believes that the rock was installed in 1957. He remembers he voted for a pyramid with the crest on it, but was voted down in favor of a natural looking stone with a crest. Brother Marsh doesn't remember where they got the rock but believes that he and several of his
AlumniOfficers
Alumni PresidentJason Zientarski '04
Alumni VicePresident
Justin Seno '[email protected]
Chapter Director / Housing Director
Hector Tamayo '[email protected]
Alumni Organization Treasurer
Joe Kaczmarek '[email protected]
Alumni Advisor / Property Manager
Denny Stewart '[email protected]
Tales of The Rock by Denny Stewart '66
www.SigmaPiBetaGamma.com Winter • 2014
but did not have enough money to make an improvement so expensive as plumbing and a bath. As we agonized over our dilemma ingenuity walked through the door as the chapter agreed to let the pledges clean the basement and move their bunks and belongings into the crevices of the four cut up rooms in the basement. As pledge trainer and instigator I felt obliged to move into the basement. What a way to bond with pledges. Some of the pledges of that pledge class have been lifelong friends.
The annual budget of the house at that time was for 25 men living in the house. When 10 members of the new pledge class moved in, there were 35 members living in the house. At that time, students did not own a lot of material goods or have a lot of stuff. One other point to make at this time is the fall of 1957 was the first year of food service in the house. The extra persons living in the house put an extra burden on the cook for she had to cook for 35 men that spring. Never has there been more than 35 members living in the house at 956 Sixth Street than in that year. Ada Sly, the new cook, was such a caring, dedicated person that she opened her arms to them and like a mother hen with her brook she loved them all. I cannot remember that there was ever any serious dissention in the house about space, showers or any other matters. The one telephone in the house was always busy so there was always a waiting line for use of it. The chapter was experiencing some
problems of long distance calls going unclaimed so it was decided to put in a pay phone. It went mostly unused because cash was always an item for everyone in those days.
No one had a lot of clothes, (more borrowing was common) there were very few electronics, one T.V. in the house, fewer cars, credit cards were not common, most local student hangouts were family and locally owned. The enrollment at Eastern at that time was around 2,000 to 3,000 students.
It was just a short time until the basement occupants were nicknamed the Cellar-Dwellers. I still hear that term from time to time as I hear that story revisited in the annals of tales of the lives and experiences that live on about 956 Sixth Street.
We do not have records as to the names of the persons that lived in the cellar but the Sigma Pi alumni directory records the following members as the persons (pledges) inducted into membership in 1958.
Pledge Class of 1957
Cellar DwellersContinued from Page 2
Dick Armstrong Alan AdamsonJerry BennettBill BucklesTom Campbell
Paul CarnesJohn CrumDavid ElmoreLarry FreemanBilly Goodman
Joseph MatherlyJohn MontgomeryJames PonetaJim ShipleyJoseph Vits
Update: 2014 Campaign for Beta Gamma
pledge brothers chipped in and paid for it themselves. Brother Eli Sidwell '55 was their pledge trainer at the time and was against the project. Eli thought that the rock looked like a tombstone and that the brothers were saying that the Sigma Pi fraternity at EIU was just about dead! Rick and Eli remember when the rock was delivered, a large hole was dug in the front yard and the rock was attached to a significant amount of concrete. They figured with a big concrete footing plus the natural slope of the front yard, the rock would be hard for rival fraternities to steal.
Right away the rock proved to be a big irritant to other fraternities, and it wasn't long before they would drive by and paint it. Word then spread that the Phi Sig's were going to attempt to steal it. Eli remembers that there was a great deal of commotion. All the brothers were quickly rounded up and went to the house to guard the rock. Rick remembers when the Phi Sig's showed up in a car with a big log chain, he fired two shotgun blasts, fortunately blanks, in their direction and that was the end of the threat!
In talking with Rick and Eli for this article, it is interesting to note that while it has been fifty-seven years since they shared their brotherhood at Beta Gamma, they still remember the great times they had. Great stories emerge about pledging when Eli made the pledges address him as Eli Roscoe Sidwell, Jr. Sir! In retaliation, Rick remembers putting the house dog name Vickie in Eli's bed and also filling his bed with
leaves. There were all night poker sessions, and Rick remembers staking Brother Ray Brummett '56 twenty bucks. They won $40 which was a lot of money at the time. Other names mentioned were Brother Bill Brown '56, a Korean War veteran and Brother Ken Barry '56. Rick was friends with Brother Jim Hill who built the large crest that still adorns our living room wall. This was no small task since Brother Hill only had one arm. Rick also remembers hearing about Brother Art Fox '52 almost getting kicked out of school for not getting his date to the Orchid Ball back to the girl's dorm before it closed and subsequently having to keep her out all night!
Rick was chosen Pledge of the Year in 1957. I personally owe Brother Marsh a lot. He along with Brother Jerry Gilbert '64 rushed me and got me interested in Sigma Pi. Years later Rick recommended me for the law enforcement position that I held for 39 years, and he also introduced me to another lifelong friend retired EIU History professor Bob Sterling, who oddly enough is a Phi Sig!
If you have any great stories about the house or the rock, take a moment to share with your fellow brothers by visiting www.sigmapibetagamma.com You can leave a brother to brother note by clicking the 'alumni tab' then 'brother to brother.'
Thanks to the 70 generous brothers listed to the right, Sigma Pi at Eastern Illinois University has raised $11,743 in 2014. Donations to the campaign go to fund communication items, alumni events and upgrades to the chapter houses.
Alumni who have not yet supported the 2014 Campaign for Beta Gamma are encouraged to do so today. All pledges may be paid monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or as a one-time gift. In order to make the payment process as easy as possible, you can even set your pledge to be automatically drafted from your checking account or posted to a credit card on a recurring basis. Please make your pledge today by visiting www.sigmapibetagamma.com and clicking "Support the Campaign."
The Holley Society $1,000 - $5,000Roger Charles Claar '65
The Legends of 956 $500 - $999Jerry Lynn Gilbert '64Matthew Joseph Smyth '93Edgar Kent St. Pierre '68Robert Julian Wood '92
Guardians of the Rock $250 - $499Stuart Mark Andrews '90
Gary Lee Bachman '64Gary L. BrewerKeith William Eickenberg '85 Erik Paul Enstad '90 Gerald Wayne Huot '62Joseph Michael Kaczmarek '98John Leonard McMahon '88 Richard Dawson Morris '67Michael H. Noland'66 James Thomas Russell '88 Eli Roscoe Sidwell '55Ryan Robert Spatz '00Dennis Everett Stewart '66
Charles William Tencate '66Michael Herman Wampler '66Ron Steven Watkins '93
Chi Rho Society $100 - $249Everett Leon Baldwin '62Joseph R. Bartkus '98David Michael Beube '64Robert Samuel Broadbear '74Jeremy Lee Chaney '98William Roy Foe '75Mark George Gies '82
2014 Campaign for Beta Gamma | $11,743 pledged as of November 20, 2014
Continued on Page 4
Visit the Sigma Pi website Visit www.SigmaPiBetaGamma.com, the official Beta Gamma alumni website, to:
• Submit your alumni reunion stories and photos for the next Gab newsletter
• Search for alumni
• Update your address, phone number and e-mail address
Save the DateBrother John Lowe '61 wishes to remind all brothers with
graduation years between 1958 and 1966 that there will be a Sigma Pi reunion at Brother Phil Wheeler '62 and his wife Sandy's house May 16, 2015. Brother Wheeler's address is 2314 Augusta Drive, Springfield, Illinois. Bob Stine '62 and his wife Carolyn and John and Sherry Lowe are helping host the event. Spouses/partners are invited too. The good times begin at 5:00 p.m. and last until late!
Please RSVP to John Lowe at [email protected] if you plan to attend.
• Find out about upcoming events
• Post noteworthy accomplishments (a new baby, a recent marriage, a recent promotion, etc.)
• Support the 2014/2015 Campaign for Beta Gamma
Sigma Pi FraternityEastern Illinois University #1094
PO Box 2187Columbus, GA 31902-2187
PRESORTEDFIRST CLASS MAILUS POSTAGE PAIDGREENVILLE SC
PERMIT #113
Address Service Requested
www.SigmaPiBetaGamma.com Winter • 2014
Brother John Lowe '61 and his wife Sherry visited with Brother Al Adamson '58 and his wife Lu in Manasota Key near Englewood, Florida. The two couples spent the evening sharing stories about their Sigma Pi days and also reminiscing about growing up in the central Illinois coal mining towns of Moweaqua and Witt.
Help us keep our alumni records up-to-date! Edit your member profile online at www.SigmaPiBetaGamma.com or clip this form, place it in a stamped envelope and send to: Sigma Pi Fraternity Eastern Illinois University #1094 PO Box 2187Columbus, GA 31902.
Name
Initiation Year
Address
City/State/Zip
Phone
Wesley Richard Graves '97Thomas Gordon Grubb '66Stephen Ray Hofferkamp '69 Ted Ethan Hoffman '83 Patrick W. Hood '06James Nelson Hutchison '63 Bruce Gregory Kirchhofer '74William Joseph Knapp '83Richard Vaughn Livengood '53Timothy Jerome Loftus '75 John Lowe III '61Dennis Wayne Lown '65 Edward Keith Marlow '64Donald Claude McKinney '49H. David Nall '80 Clark M. Nelson '57
Eric J. Nelson '02Daniel Scott O'Hara '01 Richard Raymond Plath '61Scott Christopher Reed '84Joel Rodarte '04 Thomas Joseph Rymarz '74Justin Teal Seno '06John Robert Valentine '79In Memory of Conrad KirbyF. Leo Welch '59In Memory of Ed Hussemann '65In Memory of Tom Littrell '65 1949 Society $50 - $99Brent Aden Babbs '95
Matthew Christopher Bryant '93Thomas Allen Campbell '58H. Michael Finkle '59Donald Bedelle Fuller '66 Joe Franklin Goodner '61James L. Jessen '84 Gordon A. Taylor '93Thomas Harlan Ulmer '52Charles Edward Wagoner '65Timothy Allen Wheeler '01
Donor $1 - $49Frank Louis Cattaneo '54Dane Cole Henderson '53David Dale Winters '52
Update: 2014 Campaign for Beta GammaContinued from Page 3
Brother Robert Wolff '04 married Shannon in Charleston, IL this fall. Pledge brothers Ed Theres '04, Brennan Caputo '04, Robert Lewis '04, Jason Zientarski '04 and Ryan Gillis '04 as well as Brother Mike Sheets '06 showed up to help him celebrate the occasion.