KAPPA TAUK Kappa Tau Chapter at the University of Tennessee - Fall 2011 Edition A NOTE FROM THE CHAPTER PRESIDENT By: Wil Southerland (2012), Chapter President Newsletter Highlights Looking back over the past four years, there is no shortage of good memories or lessons learned through our fraternity. We have been through some rough times and managed to prevail by making improvements in almost every instance. As I am sure many of the graduates would agree with me, college goes by almost before you know it. • Kappa Tau welcomed thirty new pledges this fall. • Phi Gamma Delta mourns the loss of Brother Bill Sims (1946). He will be greatly missed. • The 117th Annual Norris Pig Dinner will be held in April 2012. Make plans now to attend. (L - R) Johnny Dillon (2013), Sam Sigman (2013), Jordan Felts It seems like just yes(2013), Jack Steffner (2013) and Austin Burress (2013). terday I was a wideeyed freshman with high freshman girls’ dormitory) doubt that the seniors, most hopes for the next four, or racing through my mind. of the juniors, and I are “over five, years with dreams of the the hill” in terms of our unmysterious Humes Hall (the (Continued on page 2) However, now there is no ANOTHER STRONG RECRUITMENT By: Jack Steffner (2013), Recruitment Chairman This year we had a great fall recruitment. Over the summer, we had several events including a statewide party in Nashville and a Lake Day at Lake Loudon. We began the fall with a great Rush Week. The house looked great the entire week and formal rush could not have gone better. All of the moms did a great job preparing each night. Each and every brother did a great job of getting to know all the rushees who visited. We achieved a pledge class of 30 great young men from Knoxville, Nashville, Memphis, Columbia, Lenoir City, Morristown, and Buffalo, NY. All of the men will make fantastic brothers and they have gotten off to a great start. Each year our recruitment is getting stronger, and I believe next year will be even better. If you have any questions about future rush, please feel free to contact me at jsteffne@utk.edu. CHAPTER OFFICERS President Wil Southerland (2012) wsouther@utk.edu Treasurer Blake Deaton (2013) bdeaton2@utk.edu Historian Patrick Thomas (2013) ptpar2@aol.com Corresponding Secretary Austin Burress (2013) cburres3@utk.edu Recording Secretary Carl Forsberg (2012) cforsbe1@utk.edu \r\nKAPPA TAUK Page 2 PHILANTHROPY UPDATE By: Blake Deaton (2013), Chapter Treasurer The semester has gotten off to a great start for the brothers of Kappa Tau. Many brothers participated in the recent philanthropic event Delta Gamma’s Anchor Splash. Similar events, such as Kappa Delta’s Shamrock Week, and Delta Delta Delta’s charity golf tournament benefiting St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis will also include various brothers. Brotherhood events are planned in the coming weeks, including a 3 on 3-basketball tournament and an afternoon trip to play paintball. The largest philanthropic event planned for the semester includes a workday at the “Phi Gam” library at The Love Kitchen, a facility that brothers attend weekly to give out meals to those in need in the Northern Knoxville area. The semester is already almost half over, but there are still a plethora of events that the brothers of Phi Gamma Delta will be participating in! Pictured right: Cody Taylor (2013), William Ball (2013) and Drew Shapiro (2012) at the SAE Boxing Tournament. A NOTE FROM THE CHAPTER PRESIDENT continued... (Continued from page 1) dergraduate careers at the University. While this may sound disheartening, I personally believe that there could have been no better way for us to spend our time other than through an involvement in Phi Gamma Delta. Through the leadership and traditions of our brothers who have gone before us, Phi Gamma Delta has prepared us all to be better leaders and better men after we graduate. It is our hope that we can continue these traditions and provide the same experience for the underclassmen that we had. I believe whole-heartedly that we have some of the finest men on campus who make up our fraternity and I think we all should have high expectations for what they will do in our chapter in the future. “Through the leadership and traditions of our brothers who have gone before us, Phi Gamma Delta has prepared us all to be better leaders and better men after we graduate.” Pictured Left: Wyatt Lindsey (2012), Oliver Benton (2012), Taylor Thomas (2012), Conner Pera (2012), Drew Shapiro (2012) and Tyler Bowland (2012). \r\nKAPPA TAUK Page 3 REMEMBERING BOB SIMS (1946) By: Steve Carr (1973), House Corporation President Brothers, We have lost one of our best and most loyal brothers. Robert M. Sims (1946) passed away on September 16, leaving a long and cherished legacy. I believe he was a two time recipient of the H Calvin Walter Spirit Award. In his later years he was the driving force behind the Knoxville graduate luncheons, always phoning to encourage us to attend and then entertaining us with his wonderful and sometimes biting sense of humor. He loved the old Fraternity songs and made sure they were a part of Pig Dinner. He possessed a strong spirit and will be remembered fondly by all who knew him. Originally printed 9/18 - The Commercial Appeal – Memphis, TN Robert Mann Sims, retired, age 86, of Knoxville, went home to be with his Savior, Friday, September 16, 2011. He was born February 1, 1925 in Memphis, TN to the late Mr. Robert and Mrs. Carrie Mae Mann Sims. Mr. Sims was a member of Union Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He lived in Memphis during the early years of his life until going to McCallie School in Chattanooga. Mr. Sims came to Knoxville to attend The University of Tennessee in 1942. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity. Mr. Sims joined the Naval Air Corps in 1943 and served in Hawaii during the war in the Pacific. He married May 16, 1946, and moved to Knoxville, where he joined the insurance business of his father-in-law Edward C. Fowler. He remained in the insurance business with Fowler, Shafer and Sims, Kennedy, Sims, Sterchi and Cormack, Robert M Sims Co., and TIS Insurance Services. His wife, Shirley Browning Sims, preceded Mr. Sims in death. Mr. Sims served as President of the Insurers Association, was a member of Civitan Club, and served as President of the Knoxville chapter of the American Red Cross. He was an avid handball player and loved fishing, boating and gathering with his friends. He is survived by sons and daughters-in-law, Rob and JoAnn Sims, Ed and Jeanie Sims, Tim and Holly Clifton of Whitehouse, TN; daughters and sons-in law, Ann and Jim Schirmer of Lexington, SC and Kelly and Bobby Kimball of Strawberry Plains. His surviving grandchildren include Elizabeth and Carrie Sims, John and Amanda Sims, Andrew, Joseph, Jonathan, Joel and Jacob Schirmer, Sydney, Cole and Bailey Kimball, Taylor, Travis and Jessica Clifton, and great-grandchild, Ryleigh Kimball. (L - R) - Adam Copesky (2013), William Alexander (2013), Matt Moore (2013), Patrick Thomas (2013) and Cale Harrington (2013). (L - R) - William Ball (2013), Buck Towner (2012), Phillip Henninger (2013) and Tyler Bowland (2012). \r\nNonprofit Org Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity 1201 Red Mile Road Lexington, KY 40504 US Postage Paid Lexington, KY Permit # 540 FIJI FLASHBACK Forty-four years ago in 1967 brothers gathered together to celebrate the Norris Pig Dinner. Do you see any familiar faces? Our tradition will continue in April 2012 when we will hold our 117th Annual Norris Pig Dinner. Details will be passed along as they are determined and we hope you make plans now to attend. Come and gather with your fellow brothers, both young and young-at-heart! DONATE TO KAPPA TAU I am pleased to make a contribution to the Kappa Tau Chapter of : $1,000 $500 $250 $100 $50 $25 Other ___________ I would like my donation to be used in the following area: _______________________________________________ Donations can be sent to: Kappa Tau Chapter, 1836 Fraternity Park Dr., Knoxville, TN 37916. Please make checks payable to Kappa Tau Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta. Design, printing and mailing services provided by the International Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta.