The Nittany Fiji Pennsylvania State University ‐ Gamma Phi Chapter ‐ Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity ‐ Summer 2012 CHALLENGING TIMES - STRONG BROTHERHOOD By: Tyler Schmitt (2013) - Chapter President As we know, this year was not the easiest of times in Happy Valley and on the Penn State campus. It presented some challenges, but the brotherhood remained strong and faced these challenges with great persistence and endurance. The Gamma Phi Chapter continues to move forward as we are growing in both brotherhood size and members living Inside this issue: At the golf outing the Friday before Pig Dinner. in the house. We pledged a very diverse group of over 25 new initiates in the last school year. These new members have actively taken roles both inside the Fraternity and on campus as well. Thank You Donors 3 A Note from the Purple Legionnaire 4 Focus on Service 5 Lost Brothers 7 Do you have news for an upcoming edition of The Nittany Fiji? Send your details and photos to phigam@phigam.org. (Continued on page 2) CHARLES HARTE MEMORIAL DONATIONS I need not remind you of the passing of a great FIJI, Chick Harte (1964). An appeal letter went out several months ago asking for funds to renovate portions of the kitchen in Chick’s name. He was emotional and very concerned about how the brothers and pledges did not experience the fraternity life of sitting down to meals together. This is where true bonding takes place. We are trying to correct this by hiring a service that will prepare lunch and dinner in the kitchen on a steady basis. We are returning to dishes and flatware and eliminating the old paper plates and plas- tic. Recommendations to upgrade the kitchen have been received (not a complete overhaul at this time) and under the direction of Bill First (1968), we are proceeding with the work. We estimated the total cost to be around $10,000. To date we have received over $5,000 from graduate brothers and friends. We need your help to complete this project in time for the fall semester. The legacy of Chick Harte will live strong with your contribution to: Bob Knechtel, 220 Lois Lane, State College, PA 16801. \r\nThe Nittany Fiji Page 2 REMEMBERING FLORENCE CURLEY Born March 16, 1925, in St. Mary's, she was a daughter of Ralph and Thecla Schatz. She married William N. Curley on August 27, 1947 who preceded her in death on June 26, 1996. For many years, Mrs. Curley met monthly with each Gamma Phi Chapter Treasurer to balance the books and review all income and expense items. She kept the house finances the number one priority for the treasurer. Florence S. Curley, 86, of State College, died Friday, December 23, 2011, at the Fairways at Brookline Village. She is survived by her children, Stephen R. Curley and his wife, Judith, of State College, John J. Curley and his wife, Kathleen, of Clifton Park, NY, Michael K. Curley and his fiance, Mary Rodman of Mechanicsburg, Timothy M. Curley and his wife, Melinda of State College, William G. Curley and his wife, Barbara of Beech Creek, and Terence P. Curley and his wife, Lorrie of Chester, Va. She is also survived by 12 grandchildren Kevin and wife Allison, Greg and wife Jennifer, Matthew and wife Laurie, Patricia, Emily, Devon, Tanner, Lisa, Jenna, Will, Aaron, and Hannah, and three great-grandchildren Caroline, Nathanial, and Gabriel. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Edward and Robert. She received her bachelor's degree from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1947. Florence was a bookkeeper at Bostonian Limited for many years. She was very active and supportive of State College Area High School and Penn State sports. She took great joy in watching her children and grandchildren participate in their sports activities. She was a member of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church and attended Penn State Catholic Ministry. Challenging Times - Strong Brotherhood continued... (Continued from page 1) “The brotherhood will continue to work tirelessly to make our impact as leaders be felt on the Penn State campus.” Pig Dinner was very successful this year with one of the largest attendances in some time. We hope to hold an even bigger event next year as we celebrate our 125th anniversary. The Gamma Phi Chapter also maintained over a 3.0 GPA for the 2011-12 school year, which is something we take very seriously. We look forward, as always, to hosting Who said that Gamma Phi cannot have a successful Pig Dinner? With over 50 graduates returning (pictured), this was one of the largest attended Pig Dinners in several years. Plan now to attend the 125th anniversary Pig Dinner April 26-27, 2013! graduate brothers at the Lodge in the upcoming year. The brotherhood will continue to work tirelessly to make our impact as leaders be felt on the Penn State campus. We wish you all a good summer and are excited for our return back to the Lodge at the end of August and hope to see you all there. \r\nPage 3 THANK YOU DONORS Gamma Phi would like to thank and recognize our annual fund donors for the fiscal year 2011-12. Your generosity has resulted in over $9,000 of donations. Donations have significantly declined this year and we would greatly appreciate your continued support. To make a donation visit www.phigam.org/netcommunity/PennStateDonations or send a check along with the form on the back page. Robert R. Hutchison, Jr. 1939 J. William Bowman, III Roy D. Bertolet In Memory of Lydon H. Beam 1944 E. Robert Emmers 1948 Robert M. Allen, MD 1950 A. Wayne Cole (Washington & Jefferson) 1950 1966 Kenneth A. Schwartz 1976 David L. Young 1966 In Memory of William H. Ritts In Memory of Donald K. Haney In Memory of William R. Schrader In Memory of Joseph J. Bellas In Memory of Thomas A. Reich Richard K. Dandrea 1977 Gregory M. Kubas 1977 Richard R. Etling 1978 Gregory A. Hanks 1978 Raymond H. McCune 1967 Jeffrey A. Miller 1978 David C. Necker 1967 Alan W. Gesalman 1979 Jeffrey C. Neyhart 1967 Edward C. Graham, Jr. 1979 William L. Oliver 1967 David B. Watson 1979 A. Bennett Orme, Jr. 1967 Terence P. Curley 1982 Robert J. Abraham 1969 James I. Tarman, Jr. 1982 Gerald A. Curtin 1969 Graham C. Parsons, II 1984 Ronald P. Moehler 1969 Steven R. Schwin 1984 David E. Freas 1971 Marc A. Rossow 1991 Peter S. Miller 1971 Kevin M. Hanson 1995 Robert K. Knechtel 1972 Gary L. Generose 1997 Michael J. Stewart 1972 David M. Csontos 1998 E. Stuart Tuthill 1972 Ralston W. Merchant, III 1998 Robert S. Jones 1973 Matthew D. Nee 1999 Stephen J. Gamble 1974 Christopher J. Strom 1999 Thomas M. Kirsch 1974 Jason T. Gahres 2003 Frank H. McKean 1951 Edward E. Birkinshaw, Jr. 1955 Charles V. Henry 1956 Douglas B. Henderson 1957 Richard J. Shutt 1959 Louis C. Tronzo 1959 Louis J. Curry 1960 Harold J. Heffner, Jr. 1961 Samuel E. Kellams 1961 Gregory P. Kelley 1961 A. William Kettenring, Jr. 1961 Larry R. Bason 1962 Winfred R. Boyer, USAF(Ret.) 1962 James D. Bruce 1962 Robert B. Evans 1962 Frank R. Mascia, Jr. 1962 David A. Oechslein 2003 1962 Michael F. Leisey In Memory of Marguerite Leisey 1974 W. John Soost 1963 John M. Reihner, DDS 1975 Brendan M. Smith In Memory of Charles R. Harte 2006 Harry A. Streamer Charles R. Harte, III 1964 Robert S. Buxton, Jr. 1976 Michael F. Niznik, Jr. 2009 Mark D. Knipe (Wittenberg University) 1965 Wayne P. Fulin 1976 Richard L. Stover 1965 Mark C. Krauss In Memory of Florence Curley 1976 Robert L. Andronici 1966 \r\nThe Nittany Fiji Page 4 A NOTE FROM THE PURPLE LEGIONNAIRE By: Gary Generose (1997) - Purple Legionnaire Another semester is in the books, another pledge class has been initiated, and the house is once again quiet as the brothers head off for internships, summer jobs, and some well-earned relaxation. However, keeping Gamma Phi going is a year round job – and one that could use some additional help. As you may already know, we lost one of our graduate advisors this year when Charles “Chick” Harte (1964) passed away. Chick was more than just an advisor; he was a mentor and friend to the brothers, a dedicated volunteer, and someone who gave his time unselfishly. We’ll never replace Chick, and we definitely need others to step in and help fill his role. Offering to help can take any number of different forms: • Sitting on the Board of Chapter Advisors. • Making a connection with an undergraduate and staying in touch through Facebook, email, or during visits to campus. • Recommending quality potential new members. We’re definitely looking for brothers to get engaged with a formal position on the Board of Chapter Advisors. In this role, you will be part of a group that works with the brothers and alumni to steer the future direction of our chapter. If you’re interested in the strategic decisions for our chapter and house, this is a great opportunity. Please feel free to contact myself or Bill Oliver for more information on this role (contact information follows). “Please consider what you can do to help make sure there is a Phi Gamma Delta Chapter on this campus for another 125 years and beyond.” Another way to stay involved and support the house is to build a connection with one of the current brothers. One of the great benefits of fraternity life is exposure to mentors and contacts in the business world. Quite frankly, this is an area alumni can and should do a better job. By staying in touch via email, you have the opportunity to make a difference to someone exploring careers, learning to balance the demands of college, or looking to gain perspective on what life was like in the Lodge during your time on campus. Engagement with our chapter also means thinking about future members. Every year, each one of us knows a family friend, a co-worker’s son, someone from your congregation, or someone from your neighborhood who is headed to University Park as a freshman. Why not encourage him to stop by the Lodge, and give one of the brothers or grads advance notice so we can reach out to him during rush? We have a compelling story as to why someone would want to pledge our chapter. Your help in getting qualified applicants to the doorstep can go a long way. In my role as Purple Legionnaire, the question I get most often is, “How’s the house doing these days?” My short answer is the Lodge is in great shape, and the quality of brothers is fantastic. These guys are leaders on campus, and truly get what it means to be a brother in our house. There’s a great partnership between the brothers and the house corporation to keep the operation going on a daily basis and plan future projects. However, we can use some additional help. Please consider what you can do to help make sure there is a Phi Gamma Delta chapter on this campus for another 125 years and beyond. Contacts for more information: Gary Generose garygenerose@psualum.com Bill Oliver ollierock1@verizon.net IMPORTANT DATES October 27 - House Corporation Meeting at 10 am (Ohio State football game starts at 6 pm) April 26-27, 2013 - 125th Gamma Phi Anniversary Weekend \r\nPage 5 FOCUS ON SERVICE By: Dan Greenberg (2015) - Community Service Chairman Gamma Phi is beginning to take noteworthy strides in its community service efforts on campus and in the local State College community. During the fall semester, a handful of brothers began to volunteer at the Food bank of State College, providing assistance with unloading and organization of stock. I am looking to establish at least weekly visits to the Foodbank for this next academic year, as well as tutoring at local schools and soup kitchen events in the State College area. For our upcoming mini golf philanthropy event, we are planning on holding at the Lodge, we are also hoping to run a can drive to collect cans to donate to the Food bank. We also had seven brothers participate in Walk A Mile in her Shoes, an event to spread awareness of domestic female violence where men walk down Pollock Road wearing women’s heels. I am hoping to at least triple the participa- tion next year to get more brothers involved with service and build our presence on campus. THON was our largest community service event this past year. THON is a year-long effort that raises funds and awareness for the fight against pediatric cancer, organized completely by students. Three seniors, Frankie Santoriello (2012), Joshua Allen (2012), and Max Goldberg (2012) danced in the 46 hour dance marathon to benefit children with cancer. Eight of our brothers participated in THON committees, three of which were captains. As a brotherhood, we contributed $18,000 towards the $10.69 million raised for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State’s Hershey Medical Center. All of the brotherhood participation in THON, including work of committee members, hours of canning and watching our dancers dance, and more, added up to about 1400 hours of community service. In total, Gamma Phi participated in over 1500 hours of community service in the 2011-2012 academic year. With our plans for participation next year, and better organization of documentation of hours, I hope to increase that number by 100%, if not by at least 50%. Gamma Phi is making great moves within the Greek, Penn State, and State College communities with our community service efforts. GAMMA PHI GOES HIGH TECH By: Garuth Acharya (2014) - Corresponding Secretary Gamma Phi is going high tech! This semester we created innovative ways to reach our graduate brothers and foster more undergraduate and graduate communication. We now have an account with the world’s largest professional network, LinkedIn, where all Penn State Phi Gams can connect with each other. Just search Penn State FIJI on the LinkedIn website. If you would like to contact the undergraduates, send an email to our new account at psufiji@gmail.com. Finally, we have a website at http://www.psufiji.org. Pictures, news and events will be added to the website so you can follow what we are doing on campus. If you have any questions, please email me at sufiji@gmail.com or my personal email Garuth@psu.edu. It was great seeing many of you at Pig Dinner and I look forward to next year. \r\nThe Nittany Fiji Page 6 CAPITAL CAMPAIGN UPDATE - RENOVATIONS! This summer, we will spend most of the remaining funds available for renovations to the house. Our work includes complete renovations to the House Mother’s room (#13) and House Mother’s Annex (#14) on the second floor, as well as the corridor outside leading to the bathroom and pledge stairs. Additional work on windows in the kitchen will also be completed, and the dining room floor will be refinished. In addition, we are upgrading our water system to preserve our old piping network. This work is being completed by our construction crew of Bill First (1968) and Harry Streamer (1963). There is much more work to be done and all monies that have been pledged have not yet been fully received. If you are on this list, please complete your pledge payments so funds will be available for additional work next year. During the last year, our outstanding pledge donations have fallen from over $85,000 to under $50,000. If we can continue to receive these outstanding pledges, we will be able to continue our work in the house. These funds are kept separate from any annual dues or other contributions and are used solely for house renovations. With the economy improving, we hope to receive these outstanding amounts soon. We appreciate your support in keeping the Lodge a safe and well-maintained home to our undergraduate brothers. Please send your donation or outstanding pledge payments under $5,000 to: Robert Knechtel 220 Lois Lane State College, PA 16801 Pledge payments over $5,000 should be sent to : Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation PO Box 4599 Lexington, KY 40544-4599 Mark your check "Gamma Phi CHEF fund." Current Officers President - Tyler Schmitt (2013) Treasurer - Ben Bastian (2014) Recording Secretary - Jeff Glusman (2013) Corresponding Secretary - Garuth Acharya (2014) Historian - Chris Cioffi (2014) House Corporation Officers In early June, several from the class of 1962 joined together at the house. They were greeted by local brother Harry Streamer (1963). Front row: Charlie Fink, Jack Glassburn, Bill Parker, Rich Pigossi. Back row: Fred Boyer, Bob Evans, Jim Bruce, Skip Finkelston. President - Bill Oliver (1967) Vice President - Matt Nee (1999) Treasurer - Bob Knechtel (1972) We will celebrate the 125th anniversary of Gamma Phi in the spring of 2013. Committee members are needed to start planning this special event. If you are interested, contact Jim Bruce at jbruce63@aol.com or Dave Young at dlyoung66@aol.com. \r\nPage 7 HELP US FIND LOST BROTHERS We currently do not have valid addresses for the following brothers. If you have information on their whereabouts, please email address@phigam.org. Wells H. Denney 1928 Joseph D. Santinoceto 1974 Joel E. Mitchell 1928 Richard S. Charles 1975 Malcolm H. Townsend 1928 James M. Funk 1978 Ralph C. Scotney , Jr. 1929 James M. Musser 1979 Arthur R. Cunningham 1931 Kevin J. Murray 1981 E. Parke Montague , Jr. 1931 Tom Oprendek 1981 Samuel Enion 1932 Callas Richardson 1981 Harry M. Wilson 1933 James R. Rhodes 1983 Bryson M. Filbert 1936 Brian Cornog 1986 William Armstrong , III 1937 J. Drew Bycoskie 1987 Robert E. Schuler 1940 Michael A. Mosko 1987 Robert P. Kapp 1944 Matthew R. Sowash 1987 Juan M. Quiros 1947 Jason M. Scarpello 1988 Ross D. Pillsbury 1949 David P. Hughes 1990 Raymond G. Husted 1950 Mark E. Baer 1991 Roger D. Mulhollen 1951 Jonathan B. Leslie 1994 Robert W. Patton 1951 Alexander H. Schoonmaker 1994 Richard M. Tomb 1953 Cory S. Hillegass 1999 Randell Washburn 1955 Jonathan K. Whitenight 2001 Richard A. Rivers, Jr. 1956 Matthew A. Kicinski 2006 John A. Lessig 1957 Geoffrey C. Cherry 2008 Everett R. Girty 1961 William M. Nace 1961 Jonathan D. Stern , Jr. 1963 Thomas L. Parry, Jr. 1964 Peter J. Herrmann 1966 Steven L. Taylor 1968 Kenneth M. Thomas 1969 James R. Engel 1974 \r\nNonprofit Org Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity 1201 Red Mile Road Lexington, KY 40504 US Postage Paid Lexington, KY Permit # 540 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! With the untimely passing of Charles “Chick” Harte (1964), the House Corporation is looking for a graduate brother to fill the position of House Corporation Secretary. Just like JoePa, no one could replace Chick and his many duties at the house. However, we need someone to attend the House Corporation meetings and take attendance and minutes of the meeting as well as assisting the other officers. In addition, we are looking for a graduate brother to join our small group of active Board of Chapter Advisors. Current members include Bill First (1968), Harry Streamer (1965) and Mike Stewart (1972). Please indicate your interest to Bill Oliver at ollierock1@verizon.net or 610-496-7043. CONTRIBUTE TO THE GAMMA PHI ANNUAL FUND I am pleased to make a contribution to Gamma Phi of : $1,000 $500 $250 $100 $50 $25 Other $_______________ I would like my donation to be used in the following area: _______________________________________________. Donations can be made on-line at www.phigam.org/netcommunity/PennStateDonations, by phone at (859)255-1848 ext 136 or send checks payable to Phi Gamma Delta - Gamma Phi to: Gamma Phi/Pennsylvania State Donations, PO Box 4599, Lexington, KY 40544 and include this form. Design, printing and mailing services provided by the International Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta.