Brother Rows Across Atlantic Ocean for Cancer Research

Brother Paul Ridley, Iota/Colgate University has just completed his solo journey, rowing across the Atlantic Ocean in an effort to raise funds and awareness for cancer research. Paul's story was featured on CNN.

Brother Riley is also on the board of directors of Row for Hope. Founded by Paul and Joy Ridley, after losing their mother to skin cancer in 2001, Row for Hope is public charity focused on funding the ongoing fight for progress in the field of cancer research.

Phi Chapter Battles North Dakota Flood

Here is an update from our Phi Chapter at North Dakota State University in Fargo. You can also read more and view video of the situation (showing Theta Chi's in action) at USA Today's website.--D.A.

The flooding has been a big concern to the Fargo-Moorhead community and I am sure the you have seen it on the national news. The flood is predicted to be the worst in recorded history.

NDSU canceled school for the entire week and the students are not sure when school will resume. Phi chapter's house is not in direct danger of water damage from the river, but there are many other risks associated with large scale floods.

We have been doing our best to do our part in the fight against the flood waters. We returned from Spring Break to the calls for a helping hand from brothers, family, alumni, and community members. We have been on duty 24 hours a day doing anything we can to help out.

The questioned was asked, "If the river floods, will we be able to say we have done everything in our power to help this community?" We hope to answer yes. The task has been daunting and it has been taking a physical toll on our bodies. Most of us are working 10-12 hours days throwing sandbag after sandbag. Sleep has been put on the back burner until this situation is cleared up and the river has crested.

Our impact is one that is being felt. We have already dedicated almost 1000 man hours in four days time to this effort. All of us are wearing our letters and making our presence known. I have single-handily witnessed the breaking down of fraternity stereotypes as we work diligently alongside people who never knew what Greek Life was founded on. Our sweatshirts have become a sign of hard-work and a welcomed sign of great help. We have been noticed by the media and continually noticed by our university as one of the most service-dedicated groups on campus.

Belonging to this group of gentlemen is a personal point of pride because no one is being forced to help, its just understood that where there is a need, we can provide the help. I am writing this not only to let you know that you have a student group you can be proud of, but also to ask for your prayers.

Our community is in dire need of help, but there is only so much that man-made structures can do in a fight against mother nature. I would also ask for contact information for any chapters remotely close to Fargo so I may contact them for help if the need rises to that level. The clock is ticking and evacuations of the surrounding area have begun. Again, please keep us in your prayers.

Love and Respect,

Tony Clowe

Phi Chapter

For Second Year in a Row a Theta Chi Wins the NIC Award of Distinction

For the second year in a row, Theta Chi Fraternity's Reginald E. F. Colley Award recipient has also won the North American Interfraternity Conference's Undergraduate "Award of Distinction."

This year's winner is Brother Kevin Reilly, Tau/University of Florida. Brother Reilly received the Reginald E. F. Colley Award at Theta Chi's 152nd Anniversary Convention in Indianapolis last July. Brother Reilly is currently pursuing his Master of Science degree in Management at the University of Florida's Warrington College of Business. He also serves as the University of Florida Student Body President and is a member of the University's Board of Trustees.

The NIC's Award of Distinction seeks to recognize the fraternity man who has found in his experience an outlet for developing as both a leader and a better man. The four other 2009 recipients are:

Brian Gettinger a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon from the University of Missouri – Kansas City.

Jonathan Krueger, a member of Alpha Kappa Lambda from Emporia State University.

Thomas Reives, a member of Alpha Tau Omega from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

John Savoy, a member of Alpha Tau Omega from the University of Maryland

Theta Chi's 2008 winner of the NIC Award of Distinction was Brother Erik David Lange, Zeta Kappa/Ohio Northern.

Founded in 1909, the North-American Interfraternity Conference is the trade association representing international and national men’s fraternities. Through advocacy, collaboration, and education, the NIC works to ensure that fraternities can operate in an environment conducive to their success.

Phi Chapter Celebrates “Theta Chi for Life”

The Phi Chapter/North Dakota State update was submitted by Jim Hardwick, Phi ’87, National Chaplain.

Phi Chapter/North Dakota State welcomed back alumni for their annual Pig Banquet event on March 7, 2009. The chapter’s Alumni Council and undergraduate chapter hosted house tours, the traditional roast pig for lunch and an alumni meeting at the chapter house. The evening’s activities included a social and banquet at a local hotel. Alumni awards were presented at the evening banquet.

Alumni who returned for the event were pleased to hear that Phi Chapter is the largest fraternity chapter on the North Dakota State campus at 77 members. The chapter also leads the men’s fraternities in scholarship with a chapter grade point average of 3.047. The chapter successfully recruited 31 new members last semester and 11 new members this semester. The chapter was also nominated by the campus for the Chapter of Distinction honor awarded nationally by the North American Interfraternity Conference. Past chapter president, Tony Clowe, Phi ’06, serves as the IFC President. Ron Storhaug, Phi ’08, serves as the executive commissioner of government relations for the student government.

Steve Link, Phi ’94, Alumni Council president, served as emcee at the evening’s banquet. Past chapter president, Tony Clowe, Phi ’06, provided an update on the undergraduate chapter. The banquet speaker was Jim Hardwick, Phi ’87, National Chaplain, who offered his comments on what it means to be a Theta Chi for Life. Hardwick recognized the presence of long-time house corporation president, Russ Handegard, Phi ’69, and his wife, Kyle, a local and national volunteer for Kappa Alpha Theta, as examples of alums who have made a lifelong commitment to their Greek chapters. Hardwick also noted that Jack Haines, Phi ’81, who had served the Fraternity as a chapter consultant for two years after graduating from NDSU, was the first Theta Chi he met at NDSU. Hardwick highlighted an experience he had with chapter brother, Brian Hankel, Phi ’85, who had an artery detach from his colon two years earlier. Brother Hankel was in a medically-induced coma for six weeks and spent another four weeks in the hospital before he was released. At one point when Hankel was heavily medicated and still on a respirator, he wrote a note to his wife with two words: Phi Arrow, the name of the chapter’s newsletter. Hardwick commented on how much this gesture had impacted him to see that a brother in a life and death situation would reach out to his brothers in Theta Chi Fraternity and the tremendous amount of support that chapter brothers offered Hankel and his family. Hardwick also noted the Helping Hand examples of brothers Dennis Vonasek, Phi ’83, for his involvement in Theta Chi on a national level; the upcoming trip of Rich Koechlein, Phi ’85, who was going to teach photography skills to children in India; and an unnamed alumnus brother who donated a kidney this past year to another unnamed brother—both of whom he mentioned were present at the banquet.

Recognition awards were given at the banquet. Richard Ruud, Phi ’68, was recognized as the Most Generous Financial Supporter of the chapter during the past year. Brian Hankel, Phi ’85, was recognized as Outstanding Alumnus for his email campaign to recruit alumni to return for this year’s Pig Banquet. The near-record attendance—probably the largest in recent years since the chapter celebrated it’s 75^th Anniversary—had 185 guests at the banquet. The kidney recipient, Jon Kragness, Phi ’89, identified himself as the brother referred to in the keynote and he presented the Alumni Council’s Helping Hand Award to the kidney donor, Dale Hetland, Phi ’87.

Phi Chapter alumni who were unable to attend this year’s Pig Banquet can look at photos of the event on the Facebook page of Tim Ressler, Phi ’86.