KAPPA TAUK Kappa Tau Chapter at the University of Tennessee - Spring 2011 Edition PIG DINNER - ALWAYS A SUCCESS By: Morton Massey (1974) The setting for Pig Dinner this year at Cherokee Country Club on April 9 could not have been better. A warm sunny evening on the spacious patio overlooking the Tennessee River once again provided the backdrop for many old friends to get reacquainted and enjoy some special fraternal friendship. After cocktails, the group retired to the grand ballroom for dinner and the program. Foster Arnett (1978) was the MC for the evening. The guest speaker was Archon Councilor Brian Douglas • Kappa Tau welcomed eight new pledges this spring. • The house is completely furnished thanks to the generous donations from graduates. Stop by the house anytime to see what has been accomplished. (L to R) Brian Douglas (TN Tech 1998), Steve Carr (1973) and Matt Carr (2003). (TN Tech 1998). Brian shared with the group how Phi Gamma Delta has been aggressively expanding over the last several years and now has more chapters that As usual, there were a number of awards but of special note was Brian Douglas presenting (Continued on page 2) Delivering cupcakes on Valentines Day, participating in a Habitat for Humanity Build, collecting an entire truck bed full of canned foods At the 2011 Greek Awards Ban- AAA Scholarship Winners quet, Drew Shapiro (2012) was awarded IFC Junior of the Year, Ryan Sowell (2011) awarded IFC Senior of the Year, and Steve Carr (1973) was named Chapter Advisor of the Year. Academic Achievement Awards (AAA) are just one benefit the Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation provides to undergraduate brothers - a $250 check to new initiates for achieving at least a 3.0 GPA during their pledge term. Thanks to those donors who support the Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation. Overall this has been an outstanding semester for our chapter and it has set some excellent precedents for the upcoming fall semester. Since its inception in 1999, 102 AAA scholarships have been awarded to Kappa Tau brothers, including seven from this 2010-11 academic year. By: Wil Southerland (2011) - Chapter President to donate to the Love Kitchen, winning the SAE Boxing Tournament, and sending supplies to Marines in Afghanistan are just a few of the other great things that the undergraduate chapter did this semester. The infamous Fiji Island philanthropy week was also brought back this semester for the first time in two years and was a great success. • The Rush Committee has set a goal of 40 pledges for the upcoming fall semester. Any recruitment recommendations should be sent to Jack Steffner at jsteffne@utk.edu. at any time in its history. FROM THE CHAPTER PRESIDENT Over the past semester, the Kappa Tau Chapter has achieved some great accomplishments. Giving out eight bids and signing all eight in return was an excellent start to the spring of 2011. Chapter Highlights \r\nKAPPA TAUK Page 2 HOUSE UPDATE - WE ARE ALMOST THERE! By: Steve Carr (1973) - House Corporation President As the school year winds down, all is well at Kappa Tau. Thanks to the generous donations of many of you, the house is totally furnished. Thanks also to Bill Emendorfer (1973) for helping to select the appropriate dining room furniture. Dick Coffey (1978) generously manufactured and installed six study cubicles in the new office/study room, located at the far end of the living room. The cubes are getting a lot of use and are a big hit (seriously) with the undergrads. The upstairs card deck/library is com- plete with a big screen TV and seating for twelve. At long last, the living room is furnished. Dick Coffey, who is in the cabinet “Thanks to the generous donations of many of you, the house is totally furnished.” business, worked with a furniture dealer friend to complete the living room, including new carpet, furniture, and accessories. The place looks great and is now a room we can all be proud of. The only items missing are window treatments. We need about $7,000 to install drapes, which will complete our makeover of the house. If you have thought about giving to the fraternity, now is the time. Please send your tax-deductible contribution to the Kappa Tau Chapter, 1836 Fraternity Park Dr., Knoxville, TN 37916. Please memo or attach a note that it is for Phi Gamma Delta. Thanks for all your continued support. Newly furnished living room and dining room. PIG DINNER - ALWAYS A SUCCESS continued... (Continued from page 1) Steve Carr (1973) a Distinguished Fiji Award that was voted on by the Fraternity Board of Directors and Tommy Wolf (2003), current Purple Legionnaire, received the Calvin Walter Award for the alumni of the year. With a coordinated effort this year by both undergraduates and graduates, Pig Dinner has become a quality event that graduate brothers will look forward to attending year after year. Pictured Right: Brothers during the golf tournament: (L to R) Drew Shapiro (2012), Matt Price (2011), Conner Pera (2012), and Blake Deaton (2013). \r\nKAPPA TAUK Page 3 RECRUITMENT AT ITS BEST By: Jack Steffner (2013) - Recruitment Chairman Recruitment this last spring could not have gone better. As most of you know, our number of brothers was low, and getting a large spring class was a very important step in starting the process of rebuilding the chapter to the size it was two years ago. We normally average three pledges each spring. This year we pledged eight great guys, who are now eight great brothers. This fall, we are looking to bring in another large class of solid guys that will help us keep moving the chapter in the right direction. Through serving on the Rush Committee before, talking in depth with previous Recruitment Chairmen, and attending Fiji Academy, I feel that I have learned how we can obtain this pledge class that Kappa Tau needs. Additionally, our Rush Committee is made up of four brothers who are very excited about this fall. Jimmy Beard (2013) will be serving as Assistant Rush Chair. And we have three brothers who are each responsible for a section of Tennessee: Spencer Hunt (2014) will handle West Tennessee, William Ball (2013) Middle Tennessee, and Grant Blevins (2014) East Tennessee. Our committee Fall 2010 Pledge Class. and the chapter as a whole are very excited for this fall. Our goal is to If you have any questions, or know of pledge 40 men. I believe that we have the any young men who would be interright people and the right tools to make ested in Kappa Tau, please contact me this goal a reality, and if we succeed, we at (901) 481-9201 or jsteffne@utk.edu. will have over 120 brothers, which will make us an even larger chapter than we were two years ago. PHILANTHROPY UPDATE By: Patrick Thomas (2013) - Chapter Historian had so many that it will be tough to name them all, so I will hit on “As a chapter, we are our biggest projects. Each Wednesday we serve groceries to becoming one of the the less fortunate at The Love leading fraternities on Kitchen in downtown Knoxville. campus in terms of In fact, one of our brothers serves philanthropy and service.” on the Board of Directors. On Valentine’s Day, we delivered cupcakes to people all throughout town. Each one represented a $50 donaThis semester has been a huge suction to provide someone with healthcare cess. As a chapter, we are becoming for the day. Needless to say, they did one of the leading fraternities on camprovide us with a few extra to take home. pus in terms of philanthropy and service. Many of you know that our house is beginning to become well furnished and decoBeginning this year, every underrated. To continue that same appeal from graduate brother is required to give 10 the outside, we had a brother work day in hours of community service. We have March to redo the front flower beds, pressure wash, and clean the gutters. We will do this again during the summer, and once more before Rush Week. If you have not come by the house in a while, I strongly suggest that you do. You will be amazed at the changes that have taken place. \r\nNonprofit Org Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity 1201 Red Mile Road Lexington, KY 40504 US Postage Paid Lexington, KY Permit # 540 FIJI FLASHBACK Ten years ago in 2001 brothers gathered for The Love Kitchen library dedication (pictured). Kappa Tau continues its service weekly to the community through The Love Kitchen. Kitchen founders Helen Ashe and Ellen Turner have impacted many Kappa Tau brothers over the years and we look forward to a continued partnership with them for many years to come. 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.