December 2014 Omegaphone
Chapter Report - Actives Place 3rd in Homecoming Competition
As if there was a giant beacon in the sky over Happy Valley and State College, Pa., Penn State alumni (and Theta Chi alumni) returned home in late September to enjoy another exciting weekend of homecoming entertainment. Although the game might have been an extreme disappointment to Penn State fans, Theta Chi still managed to make the weekend interesting!
As usual, homecoming comes with several events and competitions. And, not to be outdone by other fraternities, Theta Chi participated and represented well.
In the Homecoming For The Glory Talent Show, the undergraduates placed second! They teamed up with The Penn State Dance Alliance to put on a stunning show. Theta Chi was off to a great start for the Homecoming competition.
On Friday, September 26, the floats and parade proceeded down the streets of State College and the Penn State campus. The floats, in compliance with the rulebook, were impressive coming down the main streets of the downtown area. Theta Chi once again teamed up with the Penn State Dance Alliance to make an awesome float (Aladdin was the theme). And someone must have been impressed, because the Theta Chi/Penn State Dance Alliance team received third place in the float competition!
Overall, Theta Chi placed third in the homecoming competition! Nice job!
2014 Homecoming For the Glory Talent Show competition
2014 Homecoming For the Glory Talent Show competition
Before the 2014 Homecoming Parade
2014 Homecoming Parade
House Renovations: Accomplishments and Future Directions
As we approach 2015, it is appropriate to take a look at where we stand in the long term renovation plans for the chapter house. As you have seen in previous editions of the Omegaphone, several projects have been completed over the last little more than decade by both National and Theta Chi of Penn State. During the period of time the National Chapter owned the house the third living floor was completely renovated and brought up to local code living standards, the heating boiler was replaced and numerous small upgrades were completed. Thank you to the National Chapter for their help.
After we re-acquired the house, the board began the long range planning and structural studies of the physical infrastructure. Thanks to the capital campaign and all of those who supported it, the board has completed several of the items that were in dire need of repair. Many of the following have been highlighted in previous Omegaphones and in updates on the website.
All remaining windows and shutters replaced
Side porch renovation
French doors to the porch, parking lot and bar upgraded and replaced
The bar floor tile was recently removed due to the presences of asbestos and we are in the process of approving a new commercial epoxy floor.
The kitchen and old milk room (connecting to dining room) floor have also begun to fail. All tiles in the milk room were removed and replaced with a new tile floor. Tiles were salvaged and used to patch areas of the kitchen floor. Our hope is to extend the life of the floor for a few more years.
There is still a long way to go to complete the renovations. The following list is a reminder of work yet to be completed:
Replace stair landing French door
Replace and upgrade electrical systems in the basement, first and second floors
Renovate all second floor bedrooms
Clean and re-point brick and re-paint all exterior needs
Repair/replace roof structure over kitchen door
Renovate the first floor
Convert bedroom off the pool room to meet ADA compliance
Repair and refinish all floors and staircases
Achieve full ADA compliance
Theta Chi of Penn State, thanks to the brotherhood’s support, has invested close to $100,000 in just the past three years. We as
a board are continuing to work on a plan to make these needed repairs in a cost efficient manner. The scope of a few of the items and the code requirements make this a challenge. Your continued support is greatly appreciated and critical to our longevity at Penn State.
Alumni Survey - What Do Theta Chi Penn State Men Really Want? Well, You Told Us!
We sent a survey recently to alumni via email that asked for feedback about events and the alumni relations program. Here is what you said you wanted...
I would attend Theta Chi Alumni events if they were planned...
In my area or a nearby metro city - 76%
On campus - 64%
At tailgate functions - 33%
At a hotel conference center - 21%
At a country club - 15%
When is the Best time to have an alumni event?
Spring time before the students head home for the summer - 63%
Football weekends - 53%
Fall weekends when there is no Penn State football going on - 41%
During Homecoming weekend - 22%
Summer when the students are gone - 22%
Over the holidays - 3%
I am most interested in attending alumni events or connecting with...
Omega brothers from my era or decade - 97%
Omega brothers living in my geographic area - 60%
Current Omega undergrads - 34%
Omega brothers who work in my field or professional area - 29%
Recent Omega graduates - 23%
What would be some ideal alumni reunions?
Casual Saturday night at the house with burgers in the backyard - 65%
Penn State football game viewing party at a local sports bar/restaurant - 61%
Homecoming or Founders Day banquet - 45%
A night out in the nearest big city - 38%
Fishing or camping trip with beer and stories around a fire pit - 35%
Golf outing and a weekend of activies on or around campus - 32%
Networking night with alumni and current active members - 32%
Bus tour of the local wineries, breweries, and distilleries - 29%
What would you like to see more of in Omegaphone?
Profiles – alumni beyond usual - 55%
Photos from each decade - 52%
Listing of key dates at Penn State - 26%
More content from the undergrads - 26%
Updates on the Greek world - 19%
Penn State sports - 13%
Q&A Section - 13%
If you are interested in getting more involved in the alumni relations program at any capacity, planning an event either back at the house or regionally, helping with the Omegaphone, sharing an update for an upcoming edition of the Omegaphone, mentoring an undergrad, etc., please let us know! Email Tim Uhrich for more information on how you can help and get more involved! (Note: these percentages represent the number of respondents who selected each item; in most cases, respondents were able to select more than one).
If you didn’t get the survey in your inbox, it’s probably because we don’t have your email address. Please click here to update you contact info. Thanks!
To take the survey, go to www.surveymonkey.com/s/KXQCW7L (editor’s note: Survey is no longer open)
Alumni Updates
Walter A. White ’48 - My wife of 60 years, Elizabeth, and I moved into Freedom Village, a retirement community in Bradenton, Fla., last year. I am a 40-year runner and am still competing in local races. Yesterday, I won my age group in a local five-miler called Bill’s Beer Run. Nothing like a couple of cold ones after a race at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. I have qualified locally for the State Senior Games in December in Cape Coral. I hope to qualify there for the National Games in Minneapolis in July of 2015. I might also be going to the National ATF Games in Jacksonville also in July. Say hello to Bob Waltenbaugh ’49 and George Chapman ’44 for me.
Robert B Bossler Jr. ’49 - I had a nice thing happen to me. The American Helicopter Society Intl. awarded me their Honorary Fellowship, their highest award, in 2013. It acknowledged a significant life-saving program and a major reduction in transmis- sion weight that I am proud of. Nice to be recognized. I had enormous help from some very talented people.
Robert Wendel ’54 - James Krug ’54 and William Wendel ’53 passed away this year.
Walter O. Manning ’58 - Walter and his wife, the former Vera Bakale, celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary this month. Helping them celebrate were their two daughters, two sons-in-law and eight grand- children. They hope all is well with the class of ’58.
George E. Walker ’58 - Guinevere and I live in Salt Lake City, Utah. I retired as chief engineer and technical manager in the design and development of solid propellant rocket motors for space and submarine launch. We golf in the summer and ski in the winter.
Hugh McClure ’72 - I am retiring in June 2015. Plan to spend the summer in Scotland and Ireland with my wife Patty and my three sons. We are going to find our roots and have a wonderful time.
Larry Bell ’73 - Ran into Dave Bosshardt ’73 recently. It was great getting caught up.
Bryan Powell ’12 - I’m finishing my final semester of graduate music studies at the University of Miami (FL) this December. It is currently sunny with highs in the mid 80’s!
Share your update for our next edition by emailing it to our alumni relations firm at alumninews@affinityconnection.com. We’re looking for news (and photos!) of weddings, babies, career accomplish-ments, reunions, you name it!
THON - Childhood for THON Kids Means Something Different ... Survival
AJ Bobby and his family with Danny Lim, Ian Maxwell and John Boston
It’s a difficult thing to consider.
Your whole beginning, the whole first chapter of your life set in a womb of whir- ring noises, plugs, wires, beeping sounds, and the odd feeling everyone has in the building. Trade your baseball bat and baseball glove in for an IV and chemotherapy. Take your school days and put them in white hallways and bed cots of weak and frail children. Trade every good friend you ever had as a kid for a doctor or nurse.
Put yourself there. Close your eyes and imag- ine if you have to. If it makes you uncomfortable, then definitely put yourself there.
THON is not just a beautiful symphony of Greek organizations moving to the rhythm of the sunrise and sunset; it is, at the end of the day, a wonderful philanthropy giving to the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. At the end of the day, your money goes to fighting cancer, a word that some children won’t even compre- hend unless they have it.
As Greek organizations get ready to take the dance floor in February, Theta Chi is going to war against pediatric cancer, and they need your support! Whatever amount you can donate to Theta Chi’s cause is one donation closer to beating pediatric cancer. To donate directly, please go to www.tinyurl.com/direct- donatethetachi. Every dollar raised is For the Kids, so every dollar counts! Donate today!
Photo Flashback
Who doesn’t enjoy looking back at old photos and getting a little bit (or a lot!) embarrassed of our fashion and haircut choices! Preserve those memories and fashion faux pas by adding your photos to the chapter’s collection! The chapter is always looking for more photos to share with other alumni on the website and the Omegaphone! We promise we won’t
use it as blackmail!
2008 Theta Chi Golf Open
Brothers in the Spring of 2007
Send photos to our alumni relations firm at alumninews@affinityconnection.com please! Or,if you would rather mail them to us, we can mail them back to you once we’ve scanned them in and saved them. For more information about this option, email alumninews@affinityconnection.com.
We might use them in the next edition!
Thank you to all those brothers that shared their news with us. Please send us your photos and updates whenever you can.
Checkout past issues of the Omegaphone by clicking here.