The Gem State Fiji Fall 1999 Mu Iota Chapter I Once again the mansion at 600 University Ave.is filled with the best and Fiji Rush '99 brightest at the University ofIdaho. We had a campus-topping number of pledges for the second year in a row with 25, all in a year with very low numbers across the Greek system. The house is filled to absolute capacity and all of the members could not be happier with the outcome of this year's Rush. The new pledges represent a wide and rich variety of young men and the future of Mu Iota is as bright as ever. Our success this year could not have been possible without the amazing assis House Renovations Summer '99 meant a serious facelift for the inside of600U. Two very generous alumni have donated money for total study room renova tions. These renovations included new, larger tance of all our graduate brothers across Idaho and the Northwest. Our calls for desks for the rooms, new aid were answered with amazing volume and quality, making this year's Rush program all the more effective and efficient. Over the last several years Mu Iota and floors and some re closet doors, new carpet has prided itself on looking first within its own membership for potential new pledges and avoiding attacking the same stock that the rest of University of Idaho Fraternities focus on. By doing this we have consistently recruited the top in coming men at the University, and have had much better retention throughout all wiring of the rooms for ofthe classes in the house. shower in the second Thank you all again for your support of the recruitment process, and thus sus taining the lifeblood of Phi Gamma Delta. However it is said every year that Rush is truly a year round event, so it is never too early to mobilize the active brothers if there is a positive prospect for recruitment next year. Please contact me at mcda2726@uidaho.edu or contact the chapter with any ideas on the Rush bathroom and the plans are on the table for doing the same next year in the third shower. Along process or a recommend for the fiiture. -P.J. McDaniel('02) Rush Chair shower, the donation more outlets. The house had also put up the money for a new with the new rooms and from another alumm had aided in the purchase of two new Micron com INTRAMURALS/SOCIAL SERVICE puters for the house. These are very helpful The Pledge Class of 2003 Graduate Stories: The Weeks Annual Pumpkin Throw for the members in their everyday studies. The Mu Iota Chapter Pi Mu/Mu Iota Pledge Football Game Bricks Still for Sale would like to thank those who donated and those who continue to donate making Mu Iota the best. —Jeremy Hull('00) \r\nThe Gem State Fiji imsl Fall'99 Intramurals The 1999-2000 sea son ofPhi Gamma Delta Intramural Sports is off and running. With teams currently participating in flag football, soccer, ulti mate fiisbee, and tennis it looks as though it should be a great year. The new pledge class mate just how well we will do in the point standings at the end of the year, but the partici pation numbers are there to really show some improvement on last year's finish. All ofthe sports have just begun their respective seasons but we have looking good also. Our Everybody in the team sits at 1-1 as of house, from the fresh now with two games remaining before play men up to the out-of- offs begin. Our recreation soccer team. Big Duke,is off to a great start also. The new pledge class house members, seem very eager to get signed up for anything and play. Participation like that is all it takes to win the games and score has numerous soccer points in the standings. The Phi Gam's are out seems to be full of ath already placed people letes for every sport and all ofthem are very excited to participate. in the finals for tennis players in it and they all seem to play great together so far, making doubles and semi-finals for a winning team on way. for tennis singles. Our the field. —Troy S. Braga('02) Being so early in the year it is hard to esti outlook for the rest of the football season is to win this year and starting off in a big The outlook for the rest of the year is great. Social Service Update This year's social joying our company for ing season. service for the Moscow every time the recess community is quite dif bell rings they always was successful once ferent from those in the want to know if we will past. Last year a few be back to play the next again this year with nearly forty brothers members from the day. The kids are mak participating and work chapter would go to a local thrift store to sort ing as much a positive impression on us as we ing together early on Saturday, September through and fold the are on them. 25"'. There are a few donated clothing. For a P.J. McDaniel and John Duncan, both other projects in mo more hands on project this year we have been attending McDonald Elementary School sophomores in the house, as well as Matt Ricks, a freshman, are donating time to coach Highway clean-up tion that have the chap ter working for the lo cal community. It looks like Mu Iota will hours organizing and a local youth football participating in the re cess fun for grades K team. So far the team have yet another suc cessful year and we are striving to win the is doing well with a 3-0 Baker Social Service record. It looks like it Cup. will be a fun and excit —Kevin Shawver('02) once a week for a few through 6. The kids really seem to be en \r\nThe Gem State Fiji |F>i31'y ti t-Vlj la'^ ■ ■0-5¥I Name: Bryan "Judd" Aeshbacher Hometown: Rigby, ID Major: Criminal Justice Name: Jason Boyd Hometown: Boise, ID Major: Chemical Engineering Judd likes almost any type of sport Josh likes to read, play soccer, and there is to be played. mountain bike and hike in the out doors. Name: Rich Bearg Name: Zac Crist Hometown: Boise, ID Hometown: Boise, ID Major: Electrical Engineering Rich enjoys many outdoors sports Major: Math Education Zac spends his leisure time playing soccer or tennis and listening to music. along with playing basketball and scoccer. Name: Joe Czamiecki Major: Comp Engineering/Business Name: Jake Emery Hometown: Parma, ID Major: General Studies Riding horses, swimming reading and Jake likes to both water and snow ski golf are some of Joe's hobbies. as well as fishing and hunting. Name: Mike Harper Hometown: Nampa, ID Major: Mechanical Engineering Mike is skilled with a yo-yo and likes Name: Luke Hayhurst Hometown: Boise, ID to mountain bike and skateboard. Hometown: Boise, ID Major: Biology/Music Theoiy Luke likes the guitar along with mountain biking and frisbee. Name: Brad Hershey Hometown: Boise, ID Name: Ryan Hill Major: Music(Performance)/Biology Brad spends his time skiing, biking, climbing, and creating music. Major: Chemical Engineering Ryan likes snow skiing, hunting, camping, and biking. Name: Mark Jewell Name: Peter Mann Hometown: Boise, ID Hometown: Boise, ID Hometown: Moscow, ID Major: Business/Art Major: Mechanical Engineering Tying flies, skiing, and mountain bik ing are Peter's favorite things to do. Mark likes outdoor activities like bik ing, camping, and backpacking. Name: Matt Merris Hometown: Boise, ID Major: Business Matt likes to make music, play golf, snowboarding, and enjoys good food. Name: Jon Nishikawa Hometown: Meridian, ID Major: Electrical Engineering Jon likes sports like soccer, street hockey, golf, and tennis and also col lects knives Name: Hieu Ngyuen Hometown: Boise, ID Major: Chemical Engineering Hieu plays ping pong and swims in his spare time. Name: Andy Olson Hometown: Boise, ID Major: General Studies Hiking and snowboarding are Andy's main hobbies. \r\nThe Gem State Fiji cl*"-',.---/- JfjiH Graduate Stories The Weeks Annual Pumpkin Throw As November passes into December,I am moved to write and inquire if the Good Brothers at 600 University have continued the tradition ofthe Weeks Annual Pumpkin Throw, or have ever even heard of this important event in the history of'Ole Phi? The annual event is named for Brother David Weeks, or as we called him then WEEEBEEE-EBEEEEEEKs!(accent on the second syllable),'68 from Twin Falls, Idaho, The inaugural event occurred on a cold night in early December 1964, when Brother Weeks was a pledge. His mother had sent him a pumpkin to carve and keep him company through that first daunting semester in col lege. Brother Weeks meticulously carved that pumpkin and displayed it proudly on the windowsill in his room facing the Kappa house. At that time, pledges had little they could call their own in their rooms since they had to share them with at least two upper classmen. On the eventfirl night in question, one ofthe (despised) upper classmen came home late from the bars, hav ing had a dreadful fight with his date. He staggered up the steps and fell into Weeks' room. Weeks had heard him coming and, realizing that he was trapped, retreated to the darkest recesses of the room.(During the 60s, pledges had genuine cause to fear provoking an upper classman - particularly this one and particularly in his current condition.) The upper classman began shouting profanities and was looking for some way to vent his wrath. He spotted Weeks' pumpkin, grabbed it, threw open the window and hurled it at the Kappa house. The pumpkin hit the house with a resounding SPLAT! Now remember this happened in early December, long after the Thanksgiving holiday. Weeks' pumpkin had been sitting on the sill, above a heater, for almost two months. When the upperclassman flung the pumpkin at the Kappa house, parts ofit disintegrated in his hand and a brand new cashmere sweater was covered with rotting pumpkin. It was all Weeks could do to keep from bust ing out laughing and revealing himself. Had Weeks not be able to control himself, we subsequently might have been mourning his demise rather than celebrating his victory. By the next morning, everyone in the house had heard of the ill-fated pumpkin toss. The Kappas were furi ous and demanded to know the identity ofthe perpetrator of this dastardly deed. Within the house, the Brothers at 600 U took great delight in the fact that Weeks,the lowly pledge, had unwittingly ruined this upperclassman's favorite sweater and caused him to be publicly humiliated for having to make restitution with the Kap pas - as it turned out, he was seen and identified by one ofthe Sisters. The event was celebrated as a triumph of good over evil, of the poor rookie over the dominating senior. The next year, the event was as spontaneous as the first. Once again Weeks' mother sent him a pumpkin and once again he had carved it and left it sitting on the sill to rot. One night, in early December someone, probably Brother Goss, Cain, Olson or White, or maybe Weeks himself, decided that Weeks should reenact the incident. Remnants of last year's toss still clung to the side ofthe Kappa house. As I remember. Weeks nailed an almost perfect hurl, and scored really big. [Scores are based on how high on the Kappa house the pumpkin hits and the size ofthe blotch it makes. The tradeoff between the size of blotch (rottenness) and distance up the wall(firmness) makes the sport the fine art that it is. The timing ofthe event is crucial.] Coincidentally(or maybe not), the house finished number one in grades that year and number two in inter-murals. The third Weeks Annual Pumpkin Throw was a well-planned, highly publicized event. On the aftemoon of the toss, there was a huge pre-function. Music was blaring out ofthe windows. People were crowded all around the area between the two houses. Even the Kappas got into it. They brought out a chair so their House Mother could comfortably witness the event. Floodlights(study lamps) were erected. Weeks had been prepar ing all day down at the local watering hole(Morts, by name). Well, you can guess the outcome. Weeks was poised in the window, spotlight on him, the crowd was shouting his name like he was Rocky Balboa. The (Continued on page 5) \r\nThe Gem State Fiji iK'iTVriir; ??5iU H Graduate Stories(Continued) crowd started the NASA countdown Jfrom ten. When they got down to zero. Weeks heaved the pumpkin and when he did, it slipped out of his hand and he almost fell out of the window. The pumpkin fell harmlessly to the ground. It never hit the house. The crowd was thoroughly disgusted with Weeks' pitiful effort. They be gan to shout out his name and call him all kinds of nasty thing. It became a contest to see who could insult Weeks the most. They ended the evening's festivities with a resounding chorus of boos directed at Brother Weeks. The Kappa's house mother was quickly whisked away so she would not be trampled by a very ugly crowd. This was a very humiliating experience for Brother Weeks, who didn't have an abundance of self- confidence to start with, as well as for the whole house. As I recall, the house lost its number one ranking that year. But in my last year at the house(1969), I think Brother Olson had the honors and he had a spectacular throw. It could be the best throw - ever. His score was so high that the Kappas felt obliged to paint their house that next summer. And, as I am sure you all know, we won the Cheney Cup the following year. So Good Brothers, maybe on some bright winter day, when the sun is hitting the Kappa house just right, you might be able to see some remnants ofthe past, evidence oflong-gone days of yore, when the fate ofthe house was determined by one throw of a rotting pumpkin on a cold autumn night. As for me, a year doesn't go by when sometime in early December my wife armounces that it is time for the Weeks Aimual Pumpkin Throw, and we dutifully take our rotting jack-o'-lanterns up to the second floor and toss them out the window and wish ourselves and 'Ole Phi good luck for the coming year. —^Michael Bradley ('69) For this new section to be a permanent part of the GSF, we need alumni participation. Please send stories of no more than 1000 words to me, Brian Post, at post2201@uidaho.edu. This is a great forum to share memories of fond Phi and increase the graduate content of the newsletter. An Old Tradition Reborn The brothers of the one, figure out a game ton State campus. Mu Iota chapter ofPhi plan and two, encour Gamma Delta are plan ning to start a new tra age bonding within we have had brothers a their pledge class. mere eight miles away and have not planned any social functions dition. We have con tacted the brothers ofPi Mu in Pullman and scheduled an annual football game between the freshmen of the fra ternities. Our freshmen have been practicing every night after dinner for the past month which served two purposes; The game will be played the moming of October 16, 1999, at Guy Wicks Field in Moscow,followed im mediately by a barbe ■ Bricks!!! For far too long now with them. Hopefully the suecess of the Mu Iota vs. Pi Mu football came will The renovation efforts to refurbish the University entryway are far from over. You still have an opportunity to have your name and class immor talized in brick and Mu Iota history for only $50. For more information or donations, contact: help build brotherhood cue at 600 University Avenue. We decided on the Palouse, and James Toyota to start the tradition in Moscow, with the show those Cougars how to play football. C/o Jim Hill 1212 Pullman Rd. game next year to be Bryan Crookham ('01) Moscow,ID 83843 played on the Washing \r\nNon-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Moscow, Idaho Permit #193 Phi Gamma Delta 600 University AvE. Moscow,ID 83843 PGD International Headquarters 1201 Red Mile Rd. Lexington,, Ky 40544 Name: Nathan Reagan Hometown: Payettc, ID Name: Aaron Papero Hometown: Boise,ID Major: Business All types of sports and reading are Aaron's favorite things to do. Major: Plant Science Nathan enjoys golfing, skiing, hiking, I I and hunting. Name: Matthew Ricks Name: Dillon Roberts Hometown: Boise,ID Hometown: Mountain Home,ID Major: General Studies Matt enjoys fishing, hunting, and Dillon enjoys playing golf as well as playing other sports. snow skiing. Name: Daniel Romano Name: Rick Surber Hometown: McCall, ID Hometown: Boise, ID Major: Environmental Science Major: Political Science Major: Accounting Dan likes all sorts of outdoor activi Rick kayaks, climbs, snowboards, ties along with golf and frisbee. and plays soccer in his spare time. Name: Jesse Sexton Name: Matthew Vande Water Hometown: Idaho City, ID Hometown: Buhl, ID Major: Computer Science Major: Bio-Systems Engineering Matt likes sports along with hunting, boating, wakeboarding, and snow- Working with computers, biking, an skiing are Jesse's favorite things to c boarding Name: Matt Weigand Hometown: Boise, ID Major: Biology Matt plays basketball,jogs, and en joys rock climbing and art. \r\nWHO'S DOING WHAT? Keeping you and your classmates informed Please write legibly Please be sure to check out Phi Gamma Name: Delta on the Intemet! On the World Wide Address: City: Zip: State: Web, point your browser to: http ://www.uidaho. edu/greek/fij i If you would like to reach us by email, contact Will Omdorff: Omd5371 @uidaho. edu Class: Please send correspondence to: 600 University Ave. □ Check here if new address Moscow, ID 83843 Personal News or Message to Anyone: If possible, send us a photo and a personal biography so Engagement/Marriage/Births, Etc.: we can highlight you in our Alumni Spotlight New Job/Promotions/Awards/Honors/ Achievements/Transfer/Retirement, Etc.: Thanks for replying to the Gem State Fiji! Any and all support is appreciated. We always look forward to hearing from our valuable alumni. —Brian W. Post, current GSF Editor. Post2201@uidaho.edu or (208) 885-7051 Please Help Support the Gem State Fiji Without your generous contributions, the regular publication of this newsletter would not be possible. To help, my check is enclosed: L klOQ I k'^O I I Please make checks payable to the Gem State Fiji bther