GEM STATE FIJI MU IOTA CHAPTER OF PHI GAMMA DELTA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO SPRING 2024 Named Best Chapter Publication Four Times PIG DINNER 2024 By Don Shelton '76 A surprise visit from the Cheney and Owen Cups and a champagne toast to Mu Iota's status as Phi Gamma Delta's No. 1 Chapter highlighted a somber yet celebratory 104th Norris Pig Dinner on March 2. The event was attended by 167 Fiji graduates, undergraduates and guests at the Best Western Plus University Inn, making it the Chapter's largest Pig Dinner since our 100th Norris Pig Dinner in 2020. This year celebrated Mu Iota's third Cheney Cup and first in 53 years by honoring not only the undergraduates and graduates who made it happen but also the 1968-69 classes who earned our previous award as Phi Gamma Delta's best overall Chapter. The memorable night began with congratulations from University of Idaho President Scott Green, included a moment of silence for 15 brothers who have died since 2022 and ended with a rousing pep rally from Vandal football coach Jason Eck. Yet the Cheney Cup was the star of the show and on Pig Dinner weekend turned out to be showtime for graduate brothers (from left) everyone's mind throughout the night. Ross Nelson '74, Roger Allen '74 and Dick Baranco '74. The class celebrated its 50th reunion and Mu lota's Cheney Cup at the Kenworthy Theater. Excitement reached a crescendo when master of ceremonies Bruce Pitman, Purdue '71 made a stunning announcement: Both awards somehow had made their way from Phi Gamma Delta headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky, to Moscow. Mitch Sonnen '86 and Don Shelton '76 carried the huge silver trophies into the room to a raucous standing ovation. The International Fraternity had shipped both to Mitch's home in the Seattle area and he secretly brought them to Moscow without telling the undergraduates. "Guess what? We are thrilled to have the Cheney Cup here tonight!" announced Pitman as applause erupted. "I give you the O.H. Cheney Cup!" The award was one of three first places and nine overall honors earned by Mu lota last September for 2022. Ken Nuhn '75's "An Exile's Toast," rewritten for our Chapter and delivered in his inimitable German accent, toasted the Cheney Cup with champagne for graduates and sparkling cider for younger undergraduates. The Chapter also had a champagne toast at its 50th Mitch Sonnen '86, Board of Chapter Advisors chairman, Norris Pig Dinner in 1970 to celebrate the 1968-69 Cheney Cup. proudly hoists the Cheney Cup at Mu lota's 104th Norris Pig Dinner. (Continued on page 2) INSIDE: Endowment Update I Page 3 Undergraduate Report I Page 4 Telling Mu lota's Story I Page 6 Impact of Scholarships on Display Awards, Recruitment and Activities Author's Secret Journey to Self-Discovery PIG DINNER 2024 (Continued from page 1) Among the special guests was the sister of hour every week. "Keep your brotherhood the late Don Huddleston '74, whose class alive," Steve said. "Keep sharing your stories. celebrated its 50th reunion. Valerie Moore, who Keep caring for each other." lives near Portland, Oregon, came to honor her brother, who died Jan. 19. She met his pledge Jaxon Cherry '25, one of the five Section Leader Steve Lamberson, Washington brothers at Friday's Welcome Gathering, joined undergraduates who accepted all the awards at '80, presents the Cheney Cup to Kaden us at the Chapter House for photos, lunch and the Fiji Academy in St. Louis last December, Orcutt '25 at the 104th Norris Pig Dinner. tours, and also sat with Don's pledge brothers gave credit to our Chapter's history of adapting at the Idaho men's basketball game Saturday to change and pushing forward. The Cheney Cup is "awarded to the Chapter afternoon against Montana. demonstrating the greatest all-around efficiency "These milestones, traditions and adaptations in scholarship, fraternity relationships and Steve Oliver '68, a retired advertising put us in a perfect place to chase after the collegiate activities." The Owen Cup is earned executive from Boise and one of the graduate ultimate goal: the Cheney Cup," he said "Being by the Chapter with the greatest improvement brothers who brought the Chapter its previous able to receive our awards this past December in scholarship. The Coon Plaque goes to the Cheney Cup, gave one of three short keynote was an extremely gratifying experience. Chapter with the best publication. It is Mu addresses. However, I wish I could have shared that lota's third Cheney, second Owen and fourth experience with all of you because we all Coon. Our newsletter, The Gem State Fiji, was "We were the last Chapter to win the Cheney contributed to the success that allowed us to first for the third-consecutive year. Cup-that is, until now, with your strong receive such a prestigious honor." efforts to earn that award, along with many Another surprise highlighted the night. A others," Steve said. "So, I say: Congratulations Steve Lamberson, Washington '80 was our recording of Joe Harle, Missouri '42, a to you. You have worked hard, studied hard, last keynote speaker, who then joined fellow Mu lota freshman in the fall of 1938 before served well, led on campus and brought pride Phi Gamma Delta section leader Bradley transferring, congratulated us and recalled to the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta." Whiting, Washington '80 and Bruce Pitman in polishing the cup after Mu lota's first Cheney. the awards presentation. He also issued a challenge: "Don't let your "So glad to learn from you that Mu lota is graduation date, that will take you to new Lamberson said he has always considered considered in this generation the best Chapter adventures, new lives and new friends, separate Idaho one of Phi Gamma Delta's flagship as in my generation in 1938," said Harle, who you from the brothers you have lived with, Chapters. "In the last decade or SO as section is 104 years old and lives in Texas. "I was a grown with, bonded with, shared life with. We leader I've seen Mu lota address challenges pledge then, and from what I remember, the are Fijis for life." with the hard work, persistence and love of Chapter celebrated by making the French [75s] Fraternity by undergraduates and graduates," in the Cheney Cup. It was a drink at the time Steve noted that Fijis from Boise in the classes he said. named after a World War I [artillery shell]. of '68 and '69 still gather for a Thursday happy They celebrated by drinking out of the Cheney Cup. It's a silver cup with a handle on each side. We pledges kept it shined." Eighty-six years later, French 75s-a concoction with champagne and gin-again were sipped by Fijis to celebrate another Chapter high point that will be recounted for decades to come. Brothers and guests toast Mu lota's first Cheney Cup in 53 years at Graduates, undergraduates and guests gather in front of the University Street the 104th Norris entrance of the Chapter House on Pig Dinner weekend. Pig Dinner.