FINAL COUNT for Saturday's 125th Anniversary Pig Dinner

Okay, so here's the FINAL list I'll post prior to this weekend's 125th Anniversary Pig Dinner Celebration in Springfield. If anyone NOT on the list below would still like to attend, PLEASE send me an e-mail message at gabjr33@comcast.net -- I'll review e-mail messages right up to Saturday afternoon. Anyone new and not on the list below can pay $60 at the door.

We have 108 pre-registered! When we add in about 60 Undergraduate Brothers and some parents not listed below, we're approaching 170! Doc Prescott (Sigma '77) has reserved 180 seats, so we should be okay.

This should be a GREAT weekend, Brothers! Thanks to everyone who has pre-registered. JUST A REMINDER: Remember, the Sigma Chapter House and Grounds are alcohol-free, so please DO NOT bring alcohol on to the property!

Thanks, everyone. Remember, the asterisk (*) below indicates that Brother also donated at least $100 to the Sig Fiji Alumni Association (SFAA). I'll post a complete update after the Pig Dinner of ALL 2009 donors.

The list...

Dick Binnig 1950
Paul Riehm 1951
Ted Budach* 1956
Donald Hauck 1956
Jock Arthur 1958
Richard Ross 1958
Dick Rice* 1960
Richard Keier* 1961
Jack Reynard 1961
Gil Belles* 1962
Kenneth Block 1962
David Rees 1962
G. David K. Hopper* 1963
Paul Lingle* 1963
David Moeller 1963
David Meyer 1964
Bill Steinbrink* 1964
Dave Baines* 1969
David Lundgren 1969
David Miller 1969
David Vlasak 1969
Austin Adams* 1970
Paul Liesem 1971
Richard Fowler* 1973
Patrick Hilliard 1973
Kevin Hopper 1973
Devin McConnell* 1973
Charley Geiger 1974
John Halley 1974
Craig Hunt 1974
David Johnson 1974
John Lavery 1974
Tom Metcalf 1974
Jeff Neupauer 1974
Gary Sattler 1974
Jeffrey Smith 1974
Jim Tear 1974
Peter Welsh 1974
Robert Basile 1975
Jeff Ebsary 1975
John Hamilton 1975
James McCluskey 1975
Daniel Riggle* 1975
Robert Weible 1975
Brian Critchell 1976
Dave Honlod 1976
John Tafaro 1976
Todd Werstler 1976
Peter Woessner* 1976
Carl Coburn* 1977
William Diehm 1977
David Miles 1977
Douglas Myser 1977
David Prescott 1977
Greg Sponseller* 1977
Pat Secaur 1978
Kent Shaw 1978
Allan Beebe 1979
Dave Davies* 1979
Gordon Geiger 1979
Scott McCune 1979
Matt Warye 1979
Jim Wintzer 1979
Chris Wittoesch 1979
Roger Brown 1980
Skip Buckley** 1980
Terry Myser 1980
John Kramer* 1981
Scott Seipel 1981
Ric Simon 1981
Kirby Thompson 1981
John Gork 1984
Robert Blakey 1985
Mike Redinger 1986
John Bourne* 1988
Todd Gailar 1996
Edward Hendry* 2002
Cole Christensen 2003
Chris Farris 2003
Shawn Martin 2003
Kyle Bacon 2005
Lee Harrington 2005
Philip Heyde 2005
Marcus Hitt 2005
Matt Prescott 2005
Chris Vennefron* 2005
Cory Windle 2006
Jesse Hitt 2007
Jay Shimko 2007
Stefan Diehm 2008
Mike Keough 2011
Dennis Bambach
Tim Christian
Deborah Colburn
Pat Jansen
Jack Jansen
Drew Keough
Kathy Keough
Pat Lingle*
Kevin McGraw
Jim Meige
Pam Meige
Mary Miles
Beth Myser
Nancy Prescott
Sid Richardson
Jack George Schmidt
Mark Winders

Safe travels to Wittenberg!

Fraternally,

Skip Buckley '80
Secretary, Sig Fiji Alumni Association

Perge!

UPDATED List of Pre-registered Attendees for 125th Anniversary Pig Dinner on Saturday!

The registrations keep coming in! I've added over 20 since my last post of a few days ago, so please check the list below to see who's coming and who's NOT. Write those Brothers NOT on the list and encourage them to attend, okay? We have 101 on the list! Adding to that about 60 or more Undergraduate Brothers and parents not listed below, we should have over 160 in attendance -- that's great!

Anyone who would still like to attend this weekend's festivities can pay the $60 on site, but PLEASE have them write me an e-mail message so we know to add them to our count -- my e-mail address is gabjr33@comcast.net

Here are the top classses by number of Graduate Brothers returning:

1974 - 10
1975 - 6
1977 - 6
1979 - 6
2005 - 6
1976 - 5
1969 - 4
1973 - 4
1981 - 4

Be sure to let me know of any errors or omissions. Here's the list:

Dick Binnig 1950
Paul Riehm 1951
Ted Budach* 1956
Donald Hauck 1956
Jock Arthur 1958
Richard Ross 1958
Dick Rice* 1960
Richard Keier* 1961
Jack Reynard 1961
Gil Belles* 1962
Kenneth Block 1962
David Rees 1962
G. David K. Hopper* 1963
Paul Lingle* 1963
David Moeller 1963
David Meyer 1964
Bill Steinbrink* 1964
Dave Baines* 1969
David Lundgren 1969
David Miller 1969
David Vlasak 1969
Austin Adams* 1970
Paul Liesem 1971
Richard Fowler* 1973
Patrick Hilliard 1973
Kevin Hopper 1973
Devin McConnell* 1973
Charley Geiger 1974
John Halley 1974
Craig Hunt 1974
David Johnson 1974
John Lavery 1974
Tom Metcalf 1974
Jeff Neupauer 1974
Jeffrey Smith 1974
Jim Tear 1974
Peter Welsh 1974
Robert Basile 1975
Jeff Ebsary 1975
John Hamilton 1975
James McCluskey 1975
Daniel Riggle* 1975
Robert Weible 1975
Brian Critchell 1976
Dave Honlod 1976
John Tafaro 1976
Todd Werstler 1976
Peter Woessner 1976
Carl Coburn* 1977
William Diehm 1977
David Miles 1977
Douglas Myser 1977
David Prescott 1977
Greg Sponseller* 1977
Pat Secaur 1978
Dave Davies* 1979
Gordon Geiger 1979
Scott McCune 1979
Kent Shaw 1979
Matt Warye 1979
Chris Wittoesch 1979
Roger Brown 1980
Skip Buckley** 1980
Terry Myser 1980
John Kramer* 1981
Scott Seipel 1981
Ric Simon 1981
Kirby Thompson 1981
John Gork 1984
Robert Blakey 1985
Mike Redinger 1986
John Bourne* 1988
Todd Gailar 1996
Edward Hendry* 2002
Cole Christensen 2003
Chris Farris 2003
Shawn Martin 2003
Kyle Bacon 2005
Lee Harrington 2005
Philip Heyde 2005
Marcus Hitt 2005
Matt Prescott 2005
Chris Vennefron* 2005
Cory Windle 2006
Stefan Diehm 2008
Mike Keough 2011
Dennis Bambach
Tim Christian
Deborah Colburn
Pat Jansen
Jack Jansen
Drew Keough
Kathy Keough
Pat Lingle*
Kevin McGraw
Jim Meige
Pam Meige
Mary Miles
Beth Myser
Nancy Prescott
Mark Winders

Note: Includes some parents (welcome!) And, remember, the asterisk (*) means that Brother donated at least $100 to the Sig Fiji Alumni Association. THANK YOU!

Fraternally,

Skip Buckley '80
Secretary, Sig Fiji Alumni Association

Perge!

Sigma Chapter's 125th Anniversary Pig Dinner is JUST DAYS AWAY! Are YOU Registered?

Our 2009 Pig Dinner, celebrating Phi Gamma Delta's 125 years on Wittenberg's campus, is just DAYS AWAY! Everything is set for a wonderful weekend on April 17 - 19, 2009.

Copied below is the complete list of those who have pre-registered as of April 10th. I count 85 Graduate Brothers and guests. Assuming the chapter delivers at least 48 or so, that's at least 133! Actually, I expect more to come in between now and next weekend, so I think we'll top 150. This will be the SECOND LARGEST GATHERING of Sig Fijis in 125 years! (The 100th anniversary in 1984 drew about 400 Brothers and guests.)

There is still time to register! At this point, just send me an e-mail message (gabjr33@comcast.net) and you can pay the $60 at the door, okay? We need an accurate count, so PLEASE pre-register.

So, look over the list below. If your name is NOT on it and you plan to attend, please write me ASAP. See who's coming -- see who's NOT, and contact Brothers from your years in the chapter house and encourage them to join us.

Here's the list...

Dick Binnig 1950
Paul Riehm 1951
Ted Budach* 1956
Donald Hauck 1956
Ted Marty 1957
Jock Arthur 1958
Richard Ross 1958
Jon Joyce 1959
Dick Rice* 1960
Richard Keier* 1961
Jack Reynard 1961
Gil Belles* 1962
Kenneth Block 1962
David Rees 1962
G. David K. Hopper* 1963
Paul Lingle* 1963
David Moeller 1963
David Meyer 1964
Bill Steinbrink* 1964
Dave Baines* 1969
David Lundgren 1969
David Miller 1969
Robert Rohrbaugh 1969
Richard Fowler* 1973
Kevin Hopper 1973
Devin McConnell* 1973
Charley Geiger 1974
John Halley 1974
Craig Hunt 1974
David Johnson 1974
John Lavery 1974
Tom Metcalf 1974
Jeff Neupauer 1974
Jeffrey Smith 1974
Jim Tear 1974
Peter Welsh 1974
Robert Basile 1975
Jeff Ebsary 1975
John Hamilton 1975
James McCluskey 1975
Daniel Riggle* 1975
Robert Weible 1975
Brian Critchell 1976
Dave Honlod 1976
John Tafaro 1976
Todd Werstler 1976
Carl Coburn* 1977
William Diehm 1977
David Miles 1977
Douglas Myser 1977
David Prescott 1977
Greg Sponseller* 1977
Scott McCune 1979
Matt Warye 1979
Roger Brown 1980
Skip Buckley** 1980
Terry Myser 1980
John Kramer* 1981
Scott Seipel 1981
Ric Simon 1981
Kirby Thompson 1981
John Gork 1984
Robert Blakey 1985
Mike Redinger 1986
John Bourne* 1988
Todd Gailar 1996
Edward Hendry* 2002
Chris Farris 2003
Kyle Bacon 2005
Lee Harrington 2005
Philip Heyde 2005
Marcus Hitt 2005
Matt Prescott 2005
Chris Vennefron* 2005
Cory Windle 2006
Stefan Diehm 2008
Mike Keough 2011
Tim Christian
Deborah Colburn
Pat Jansen
Jack Jansen
Drew Keough
Kathy Keough
Pat Lingle
Kevin McGraw
Mary Miles
Beth Myser
Nancy Prescott
Mark Winders

(Note: The asterisk [*] by some names indicates they also donated at least $100 to the Sig Fiji Alumni Association in 2009, and a double-asterisk [**] indicates a donation of $500 or more. I will post a complete list of ALL SFAA donors in a few days, and we'll have a list posted at the chapter house during Pig Dinner weekend.)

Don't forget, here's the schedule for the weekend:

Friday, April 17th
6:00 pm - Informal get-together at Casey’s (formerly Yannucci’s, 2205 Park Rd., Springfield)
All Day - Open House at the Chapter!

Saturday, April 18th
10:00 am - Annual Meeting of the Sig Fiji Alumni Association Board of Trustees(All Graduate Brothers are welcome to attend!)
12:00 pm - Buffet Luncheon – Chapter House
6:00 pm - Fellowship Cocktail Hour/Cash Bar: HPER Center, Wittenberg Campus
7:00 pm - 125th Anniversary Norris Pig Dinner: HPER Center, Wittenberg Campus
All Day - Open House at the Chapter!

Sunday, April 19th
12:00 pm - Third Annual “Fiji Event for a Cure” Charity Golf Tournament

REMINDER: The Sigma Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta is an alcohol-free chapter house, which means that NO alcohol may be brought onto the chapter house or grounds. PLEASE comply with this rule and support our Undergraduate Brothers' compliance! (Thank you!)

Join us!

Skip Buckley '80
Secretary, Sig Fiji Alumni Association

Perge!

25th Anniversary of J.R. Gork's Sketch of 20 West Ferncliff

For those of you "regular" readers of this Blog -- okay, both of you! -- you'll notice a NEW image to the left! I replaced the photo that was there with J.R. Gork's famous sketch, and included it above.

As we prepare to celebrate Sigma Chapter's 125th anniversary on the campus of Wittenberg University on April 17 - 19, 2009, we also should recognize the contributions of the LAST 25 years. I am currently writing the history of Sigma Chapter from 1984 - 2009, and I plan to have the review available by the Pig Dinner on April 18th.

Graduate Brother J.R. Gork (Sigma '84) is a skilled artist who currently works for Northwestern Mutual. When he was a senior in 1984 and living in the chapter house, during Sigma's 100th anniversary, he sketched the Fiji House at 20 West Ferncliff. You see it above.

For the last 25 years, JR has donated reprints of his famous sketch to the Sig Fiji Alumni Association, and we have handed them out every year since then to every graduating Sigma senior Brother at the Pig Dinner. By now, hundreds have been given JR's sketch, and I assume nearly all of them -- like me -- have that beautiful sketch framed and hanging in our house or apartment.

Sigma Chapter has been blessed with scores of talented artists over the years, but JR's sketch has gained infamy. His legacy at Sigma Chapter will long be remembered, as will his drawing that reminds all of us who lived there of the times we spent as Sig Fijis.

JR will be attending the 125th Anniversary this April. So, if you will be there, find JR and personally thank him for his lasting contribution, okay? He's pretty humble about what he's done, but I know he'll appreciate your thanks.

THANK YOU, JR!

Skip Buckley '80
Perge!

A Lot of "Buzz" About Sigma's 125th Anniversary Pig Dinner on April 18th

Wow, there's certainly a lot of "buzz" going around for Sigma Chapter's 125th anniversary Pig Dinner celebration on April 17 -19, 2009!

As the respository for many of the e-mail messages and exchanges, I've been privvy to a LOT of stuff! I've heard from Sigma Graduate Brothers from (way) years' past, many of whom have not replied to my letters in years! We should have a good showing at our Pig Dinner this year.

HAVE **YOU** REPLIED AND SENT IN YOUR RSVP FORM? Every Sigma Graduate Brother by now should have received two invitations, so please use one of them to reply and RSVP for the 125th anniversary. If by chance you didn't receive one, please send me an e-mail message to gabjr33@comcast.net and I will send you a form (PDF file) to complete and return in the mail.

We're expecting the largest gathering of Sig Fijis since the 100th anniversary in 1984! Please be a part of this historic event, and be sure to pre-register, okay?

Can't make it this year? Then, please consider returning your RSVP form with a donation to the Sig Fiji Alumni Association -- we'd appreciate it! We have a SPECIAL option this year: $125 for the 125th anniversary! I've had a few Brothers already elect this option, and I plan to join them.

Thanks, Brothers -- I look forward to seeing many of you in a few weeks!

Fraternally,

Skip Buckley '80

Perge!

Sigma Chapter..."And The Rest of the Story"

Remember Paul Harvey? (No, he wasn't a Fiji.) He died last week, after a 50-year-plus career on the radio.

Among Paul Harvey's signature commentaries was his regular "And the rest of the story..." anecdotes. He would begin by citing some well-known fact about someone or some thing, and then give some entertaining, riveting little-known background passage that enlightened the listener.

Recently, I received the following excerpt from an e-mail message from Sigma Graduate Brother Lowell Hedlund (1978): "Skip, your kind words and pleasant memories are what I treasure most about PGD... Proud to be a Fiji!"

And now, the rest of the story...

I wrote this to Lowell the night before: "Honestly, although I’ve been a member of PGD for over 30 years, it’s still really hard NOT to see your name and think of you up at the Treasurer’s Desk in the House! I’ve worked with over 30 chapter treasurers during that time, but I (swear) I can still see you up at the desk. Night after night… You were a wonderful role model for me when I was an undergraduate, and I only have fond memories of the key role you played in Sigma Chapter in the late 1970’s."

Lowell and his fellow Brothers were an important reason why I pledged Sigma Chapter back in 1977. They were impressive, studied hard (Lowell was pre-law, which is what I wanted to do), and were leaders in the chapter and on campus. They seemed different from the other fraternity men I met in the other houses at Wittenberg. They had class...

As we approach our 125th anniversary Pig Dinner celebration in a few weeks, I find myself recalling historical anecdotes from my 32-year affiliation with the Sigma Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta at Wittenberg. Not just of the 3-1/2 years I spent in Springfield as a Fiji, but of the literally thousands of Sigma Brothers I've met and come to know as an advisor since I graduated in 1980. Impressive young men, dedicated and ambitious, and with one distinction from the others -- they had class.

125 years' of Sigma Chapter is impressive, but I'm intrigued by what lies ahead for our fraternity's future. It's the next 125 years -- "the rest of the story" -- that drives my passion to do everything we can to ensure that tomorrow's Sig Fijis have the same opportunities we had to grow, learn, develop, and mature under Phi Gamma Delta's guidance and principles.

Paul Harvey would have been impressed with Sigma Chapter, and its storied and classy history. I know I am...

Fraternally,

Skip Buckley '80

Register for Sigma Chapter's 125th Anniversary Pig Dinner Weekend on April 17 - 19, 2009!

Sigma Brothers:

If not by now, you will soon receive your formal invitation to attend the festivities of Sigma Chapter's 125th Anniversary Pig Dinner over the weekend of April 17 - 19, 2009. In fact, you should receive TWO separate invitations!

Here's a brief re-cap of the weekend's activities:

Friday, April 17th:
6:00 pm - Informal get-together at Casey’s (formerly Yannucci’s, 2205 Park Rd., Springfield)
All Day - Open House at the Chapter!

Saturday, April 18th
10:00 am - Annual Meeting of the Sig Fiji Alumni Association Board of Trustees
(All Graduate Brothers are welcome to attend!)
12:00 pm - Buffet Luncheon – Chapter House
6:00 pm - Fellowship Cocktail Hour/Cash Bar: HPER Center, Wittenberg Campus
7:00 pm - 125th Anniversary Norris Pig Dinner: HPER Center, Wittenberg Campus
All Day - Open House at the Chapter!

Sunday, April 19th
12:00 pm - Third Annual “Fiji Event for a Cure” Charity Golf Tournament
(Separate registration required -- see invitation -- $100/Brother)

The registration fee for the 125th Pig Dinner is $60/Brother ($50 if you register by March 31st). The easiest way to register is to mail back your completed RSVP form with your payment. Some of you may be looking for an online option to pay, but we DON'T have that set up, yet! We've looked into PayPal as an available online payment option, but we don't have it ready.

So, to register, please send your completed form to:

Skip Buckley
Sig Fiji Alumni Association Secretary
114 Center Road
Streamwood, IL 60107

Please make checks payable to "Sig Fiji Alumni Association".

IF YOU NEED ANOTHER COPY OF THE INVITATION, please e-mail me a message at gabjr33@comcast.net and I'll e-mail you a PDF version you can print out and mail.

Thanks, Brothers! Please alert other Sigma Brothers you know to this Blog!

Fraternally,

Skip Buckley '80
Secretary, Sig Fiji Alumni Association

Perge!