Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Web 2.0 and Sigma of Phi Gamma Delta -- Social Media for Sig Fijis



Brothers:

Although Sigma's Founding Fathers from 1884 might be shocked, our Phi Gamma Delta Chapter at Wittenberg University has fully embraced the Internet Era of interactive communication, social media, and electronic Brotherhood and networking. Although I think we'd all prefer face-to-face, Brother-to-Brother, interaction, as we so successfully achieved for our 125th anniversary in April 2009 with nearly 200 Brothers returning to West Ferncliff, we also know and recognize that "not for college days alone" is NOT restricted to in-person meetings!

Consider...

1. SigFijiNet: We began this e-mail means of communication in the late 1990's! (Seriously, my first e-mail messages to Sig Fijis date back to 1998.) We use this e-mail forum to communicate news about Sigma Chapter throughout the year. If you are NOT on the e-mail list, please send me your name and e-mail address, and I'll add you to the distribution list. Send to gabjr33@comcast.net

2. Web Site: The Undergraduate Brothers first began their own web site in the early 2000's, and it's taken on variations over the years. The success often depends upon the talents, dedication, and commitment of whomever the Chapter selects as the Webmaster, and the Chapter's current web site is located at this address:
http://www4.wittenberg.edu/student_organizations/greek/fiji/
It's not always updated, but it's a nice site with real potential.

3. SFAA Blog: You're HERE! So, you already know about our efforts to maintain timely updates for Sigma Chapter's Graduate Brothers. However, in case you're collecting URLs, here's the Blog web site address:
http://sigfiji.blogspot.com/

4. LinkedIn Group: New! New! New! Thanks to past Sigma Chapter President Sam Morris (Sigma 1991), Sigma Chapter has a new Group on LinkedIn! There are only 10 of us in the group right now, but YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN! You first need to join LinkedIn, of course, but just search "Groups" for "Sigma Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta". Here's the exact URL:
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1988760
Please join us, eh?

5. Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter: Sigma Chapter does NOT YET have a formal presence on these social-media sites, but I assume it will only be a short time until we do. (For me, personally, I'm on Facebook and YouTube, but I've withheld joining Twitter and MySpace.)

So, as Phi Gamma Delta evolves, so does Sigma Chapter as it begins its 126th year of existence. Our Sigma Founders began without a telephone in 1884, and we now find ourselves furthering Fiji Brotherhood via text messages and Facebook wall updates and LinkedIn contacts.

Who knew? But, who cares? As long as we're carrying on "not for college days alone" -- in person at the Pig Dinner or Homecoming, or via cell phones and smart phones and e-mail messages -- we're furthering Phi Gamma Delta's mission of lifelong friendships and an amazing Brotherhood that has endured through three different centuries.

Gud 4 us...

Skip

Perge!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Brothers Dedicate a Summer Saturday to Restore House & Grounds

On Saturday, June 20th, 12 Undergraduate and Graduate Brothers returned to Sigma Chapter to clean up the outside and inside of the Chapter House at 20 West Ferncliff! I'd like to thank the following:

UNDERGRADUATE BROTHERS
Alex Williams
Sam Stough
Joe Angle
Nate Dreyfuss
Kurt Meige

GRADUATE BROTHERS
Jack Reynard
Dick Rice
Dan Riggle
Rob Blakey
Doc Prescott
Marcus Hitt
Skip Buckley

We trimmed bushes, de-weeded areas, cleaned up trash inside and outside, and cleaned the Tenement bathroom, Tenement hallway, and laundry room. The outside looked great! Doc met with the rep from the company to replace the front windows, and we’ll expect replacement of windows to begin in late August. Kurt Meige and his father took measurements for a new gutter on the front porch, and they install it this coming Sunday. Marcus single-handedly cleaned out the drain in the parking lot, so it won’t flood again anytime soon. Rob single-handedly removed countless weeds in the alley, so we’re in better stead with our neighbors.

WE DECIDED THAT OUR NEXT CLEAN-UP SESSION WILL BE:

Saturday, August 15th

We’ll open the House for Brothers to move in on Friday, August 14th, so our clean-up session on Saturday, August 15th will enable us to re-trim hedges/bushes, de-weed, and get the House and grounds looking great as Brothers and parents move in that weekend. Plus, we hope we’ll get a LOT of help from Undergraduate Brothers returning to campus that day. Personally, I also REALLY like that many of our Graduate Brothers will be on site to meet parents as they move their sons into the House – always a GREAT thing for them to meet our Sig Fiji Alumni.

So, ANY Graduate Brother is welcome to join us on Saturday, August 15th! We want to get the House & Grounds looking GREAT for our returning Undergraduate Brothers and parents, AND for any prospective Rushees and parents who may be on campus that weekend.

Join us if you can, and check back to the Blog for updates, okay?

Fraternally,

Skip Buckley '80
Secretary, Sig Fiji Alumni Association

Perge!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Sigma Graduate Brothers Honor Bob Arthur (Sigma '60) With Donations to the Fiji Theater Project

Bob Arthur (Sigma '60) recently passed away, and nine of his fellow Sigma Brothers rallied together to honor Bob with donations to the Sig Fiji Alumni Association. They designated their checks, totaling $375, to the new project to install a state-of-the-art TV system in the Chapter House to foster and facilitate Brotherhood in the Chapter. This new project will also help with Rush in the Fall and Winter.

THANKS to the following Sigma Graduate Brothers for honoring Bob Arthur in this way:

Jack Neal 1959
Philip Stanley 1959
Bruce Barkley 1960
Helmer Anderson 1960
Roy Bolenbaugh 1960
Jim Huntington 1960
Wayne Rhodes 1960
Herb Brantlinger 1961
Noel Hupp 1962

This is an important project for Sigma Chapter, and we thank these Graduate Brothers for honoring Bob in a way that will ensure his legacy at Phi Gamma Delta continues.

If any Graduate Brother would like to donate to this project in Bob's name, or otherwise, please send a check made payable to "Sig Fiji Alumni Association" to: Skip Buckley, SFAA Secretary, 114 Center Road, Streamwood, IL 60107.

Thanks to these nine Graduate Brothers for honoring Bob in such a last way!

Fraternally,

Skip Buckley '80
Secretary, Sig Fiji Alumni Association

Perge!

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Sigma's 125th Anniversary - Group Photo


Okay, so it's a little hard to see, but here's a GROUP PHOTO of those of us who assembled for the "official" photo on April 18, 2009, for the 125th anniversary celebration of Sigma Chapter's founding at Wittenberg University! Nearly 200 Brothers came back that weekend, and we had about 170 on site for the Pig Dinner, but it looks like only about 100 of us made this group photo.

Who can you identify? What classes?

Fraternally,

Skip Buckley '80
Secretary, Sig Fiji Alumni Association

Perge!

Monday, June 8, 2009

Article on 125th Anniversary for the Phi Gamma Delta Magazine


Brothers, Joe Angle (Sigma '11), Chapter Historian, recently prepared an article on Sigma's 125th anniversary celebration that will be included in the Phi Gamma Delta magazine's next issue, this fall. It will include the group photo of everyone in front of the house (I don't have it to post!). But, since Joe did such a nice job with the article (restricted by the magazine's space limitations), I thought I would include it below. Well done, Joe!

Sigma Chapter was founded on October 25th, 1884. This was a time before the invention of the radio or the airplane and long before the World Wars or the Great Depression ever occurred. It is hard to imagine that the weekend of April 17th-19th Sigma Chapter would celebrate its 125th Anniversary.

Friday the 17th hit the weekend off with an all day open house which concluded with a gathering of roughly 30 graduates at Casey’s restaurant in Springfield that evening. Saturday similarly began with a luncheon and an open house where brothers young and old reminisced about their times in the chapter house. A group photo was taken of the roughly 105 brothers in attendance that afternoon at the front of 20 West Ferncliff Place. In preparation for the picture it was amazing to see how the teasing and badgering continues no matter the age.

Later in the evening after the group photo, it was time for Sigma’s annual Norris Pig Dinner. Wittenberg’s Pam Evans Arena was the location for the dinner. As 170 brothers began gathering in the arena, the majesty of Sigma Chapter became readily apparent with every brother dressed like a true Fiji gentleman. Gil Belles ‘62 was the Symposiarch for the evening and was accompanied by some distinguished guests such as the President of Wittenberg University Dr. Mark Erickson and his wife Lin Erickson, the keynote speaker for the evening Eugene “Buddy” Cote (Maine ‘81), 125th Anniversary chairman Dave “Doc” Prescott ’77 and Don Hauck ’56 who recited “An Exile’s Toast.”

The class of 1974 had the largest turnout with 13 members attending. The oldest brother in attendance was Dick Binnig ’50 and the youngest being the newly initiated class of 2012 which provided for a 62 year span between the oldest and youngest brothers in attendance. Greg Sponseller (Class of 2010) received the Harry G. Gram Award which goes to the chapter’s overall most outstanding undergraduate brother while 27 brothers received recognition for exemplary academic performance for brothers with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Sigma Chapter boasts an amazing involved undergraduate chapter whose campus involvement is superior to most other organizations on Wittenberg’s campus. With brothers taking the lead as Wittenberg’s Student Senate Vice President and IFC President, brothers in every men’s varsity sport except football and golf and a cumulative GPA above the all-men’s average – it is hard to deny the excellence of this chapter. In his speech Purple Legionnaire Marcus Hitt ’05 made the point that the ability of Sigma Chapter – as well as the international fraternity – to evolve and take on new challenges is what has allowed Sigma to bleed excellence on Wittenberg’s campus for 125 years.

On the Sunday after the Pig Dinner, Sigma Chapter hosted its 3rd Annual Golf Outing for a Cure which is the largest Greek fundraiser at Wittenberg. The approximately $1,800 in revenue went directly to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Mitchell A. Callahan Autism Foundation.

In reflection of the weekend, the true secret behind Sigma’s 125 year existence was revealed – its graduates. It is because of the guidance and support of Sigma’s graduates that the chapter is allowed to press on and continue with the tradition of excellence this chapter has enjoyed for 125 glorious years.

Joseph Angle ‘11