By Bard Chelton’98, Alumni Co-Chairman
Our alumni reunion began Friday night with an informal gathering at the house , as undergraduates and the alumni joined for pizza and refreshment . much of the evening was dedicated to storytelling of the “way things used to be.” The undergraduates were treated to legendary tales from various decades, ranging from the late 1940s to the early 1990s. Many of us were told for the first time how our present house came to be, and the change it has seen through the years.
Saturday began with a house corporation meeting at the house. We were happy to confirm the plans of a complete overhaul of the bathrooms to come during our winter vacations (a special thanks to Marty Haskel’68 for setting this up). Some alumni braved the chilly weather and attended the Ohio Wesleyan –Wintterberg football game in the afternoon. Many of the undergraduates spent these hours setting up for a cocktail party for late afternoon at the house. This event was very successful, both for alumni and prospective freshmen and their parents . our living room and dining areas were filled almost to capacity , a sight we had not seen in awhile.
As six o’clock approached , the Beta undergraduate and alumni brothers moved to the Welch dining area, where there was a cocktail party strictly for Betas and their wives/families. A fantastic dinner follows at seven , during which many undergraduate brothers again were treated to numerous stories from the past. Presented during the evening hours introduce the festivities with a short talk on the Greek system and his continuing support for us. Later in the evening, we heard from Dick Devos’54, Bill Rowland’68, District Chief Dave Wright and current Theta President Michael Dowgiewiez’98. The main theme of the night: Theta chapter is on the verge of bigger and better things! A nucleus of young men is pushing us to the next level, a level that should see us win the prestigious Sisson Award.
On Sunday morning we had a final gathering at the house for coffee and donuts, and short service led by Dan Rich’55. We had a final discussion on where this house is headed, and the alumni confirmed our beliefs that we are not far from greatness.
The weekend rejuvenated the Beta spirit in all of us, our chapter meeting. Sunday night was one of the most spirited and emotional meetings i have attended. I cannot put into words what the weekend meant to me, but there was a special feeling in my heart after everything, had subsided . I am already looking forward to attending the next one as an alums, two years down the road. Many thanks go to Dick DeVos’54 and Tom Tatham’56 for their dedication and hard work in putting this weekend together. The undergraduate brothers of the Theta chapter deserve recognition for their time and efforts during the weekend. The compliments for the house and how we presented ourselves never ended. Thanks to all who attended. We hope more of you can make it back soon. I assure that you will leave as PROUD TO BE A BETA as you ever were.
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