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Winter 2009 DN Review
Dear Fraters,
Happy Holidays to you all. It is with hope that this latest edition of the Delta Nu Review finds you and your families in good health and good spirits this winter. Since the last printing of a newsletter in June following a tremendous 14th Annual Delta Nu Memorial Scramble golf tournament, much has happened in the world of TKE at Northwest Missouri State. The Board of Advisors (BOA) has increased its efforts to build the Alumni Association, to grow scholarship assets, to assist the active chapter in recruitment and management, and to improve the infrastructure of the house. Also, in the next few months, some major new features on www.nwtke.com will be added, including an online, searchable member database where you can manage your own contact information and reconnect with old friends as well. The layout and content will also be reviewed and your feedback is welcome, so let us know what you want from your website.
On top of all that, on December 5th, the Northwest Missouri State University football team made its fifth-straight trip to the D-II National Championship in Florence, Alabama, and returned with its third National Championship in 12 years. Way to go Coach Mel Tjeerdsma (father-in-law of Frater Jake Akehurst) and the rest of the Bearcat football team!
In this issue you’ll hear from the active and alumni leaders of Delta Nu in regard to the tremendous progress being made to keep Delta Nu a Top TKE chapter. Y.I.T.B., Michael Reiff, 1120 – Ogallala, Nebraska
Board of Advisors Chairman’s Report – Mark Witthar, 853 – Phoenix, Arizona
Dear Fraters,
As chairman of the Delta Nu Board of Advisors, I am writing to inform you about many of the really great things that are going on with your alumni and how you can re-connect with old friends and help the active chapter at the same time.
For many of us, memories of Maryville, Missouri, include 222 West Cooper and the many great times we had there. As is true with any organization, we have gone through many changes over the years including a new fraternity house that is now more than 10 years old! This facility houses 32 men in unique suite-type rooms, a very large chapter room, kitchen, parking lot and more. To keep this type of facility running properly, coordination between the actives and alumni is essential. I am pleased to report that we are servicing the debt and handling all ongoing expenses with rent paid by the active members exclusively! While this may seem inconsequential, for many of us who have made donations, this is a huge step forward.
This brings me to our Board of Advisors. We have a dedicated group that spends a good deal of time working on ways to help alumni connect with old friends and rekindle relationships.
This newsletter is a perfect example of efforts of the BOA. For us to effectively bring people together, we must find ways to communicate with alumni. This newsletter is the first of many ways we plan to share with you what positive events are happening with the active chapter and to show you how you can re-connect. We are working on updating our website, www.nwtke.com, with additional functionality so that Fraters can update their own contact information online and also find other fraters around the block and around the country. To address all eras of Fraters, you’ll find Delta Nu on different social media links like Facebook and Twitter to help alumni re-connect.
One of my goals as board chairman is to find ways for more alumni to get involved by doing smaller, focused projects. None of us have the time to spend hours working on volunteer projects. We are developing opportunities for many more people to get involved and to tackle smaller projects. To that end, I am asking all of you to take a look at the organizational structure and identify openings you may be interested in filling; or if you just want to find out more, send an e-mail to mwitthar@ford.com and I will get back to you with more information. We are looking for diversity on our board and want to recruit Fraters from many different "eras" to support that goal. If your scroll number is 150 or 1500, we need your input and perspective on how we can work more effectively.
The BOA is actively involved in financial scholarships and has "streamlined" our scholarships so we can provide larger awards to the most deserving recipients. Many of you know that the fraternity lost a great friend in Pete Greve this year. The Pete Greve Memorial scholarship was established in his honor, which you will hear more about in this newsletter. We want to provide these scholarship funds to alumni or friends of alumni who will be attending Northwest and we need to communicate the application process.
I also want to take a moment to tell you about the great work being done by our active chapter. We are taking large pledge classes, have won Top Teke awards in two of the last three years, and are taking leadership roles on campus in various organizations. We Delta Nu Tekes should all be proud of what these young Fraters are accomplishing. We are pledging more legacies each year, which is a testament to how Delta Nu has continued to thrive in what has been a difficult environment for fraternities everywhere.
It is important that the alumni understand how we fund these efforts. We have asked alumni to contribute $50 per year to fund ongoing activities of the Alumni Association. Think about if for a moment. Fifty dollars per year is the cost of one round of golf or one dinner date. What would this money fund exactly? With nearly 1,500 alumni members, just sending out this newsletter costs almost $2,000. To rebuild the web site could cost $5,000 or more. To support the active chapter with a "gift" contribution to the fraternity house for a study room, those expenses might be as much as $5,000 to $10,000. We want to expand our opportunities for alumni to get together by putting on more local events for the alumni but the promotion of these events also has costs. With our alumni base of 1,500, if we were able to get only 1/3 of our alumni contributing annually we could develop a healthy fund very quickly.
To summarize, I am asking you as alumni to take these actions:
1) Look at the attached organizational chart and see if there is an area you are interested in volunteering to support. If you are interested, contact me directly at mwitthar@ford.com.
2) Learn more about the scholarship programs and how you or a family member might benefit.
3) Donate at least $50 to the alumni fund as your annual gift. Send your checks to:
Chris Holder, 10714 West 115th Place, Overland Park, KS 66210
Thanks for your time and attention. I know that for many of us our fraternity experience is something we will always remember. Take the time to get re-connected with old friends and have some fun. I love the Fraternity!
Yours in the Bond, Mark Witthar, 853, Chairman, Delta-Nu Alumni Board of Advisors
Board of Advisors Organizational Chart and Roles
Chairman – Mark Witthar
· Oversee operations of the Board
· Work closely with the active chapter on all matters
· Provide leadership to the board on various issues related to the active chapter and alumni
Vice-Chairman – Brad Shelton
· Develop and maintain committee structure
· Work closely with the chairman to develop and implement on overall strategy for the Board
· Lead membership activities
· Lead fund raising activities
Treasurer – Chris Holder
· Maintain all financial records for the board
· Work closely with the active chapter on all financial matters
Recording Secretary – Dan Canchola
· Record all meeting minutes from BOA meetings
Director of Database and Web Portal –position is open
· Manage www.nwtke.com
House Manager – Kevin Smith
· Caretaker of the house property including repairs and improvements
· Work closely with the active chapter house manager to make sure the house is kept in good condition
· Assist the house manager in collecting rent from active members
Communications Manager – Michael Reiff
· Develop and distribute Newsletter
· Send out periodic communications to alumni (e-mail)
Philanthropic Committee – Merle Jones
· Manage scholarship funds
o Pete Greve Fund – Northwest Foundation
o TKE Fund – Northwest Foundation
o Special Projects Fund – TKE National
Capital Improvement Fund Manager – Steve Moss
· Raise funds for improvements to the house
Events Committee Chairperson –Ron Beaver
· Manage all alumni social events
· Appoint directors in key cities
Property Manager’s Report – Kevin Smith, 932 – St. Joseph, Missouri
Dear Fraters,
I am happy to report that communication and cooperation paved the way for a small revenue surplus in the spring of 2009. We used some of this surplus to start repairing, painting and flooring some of the rooms that were in the worst shape. The surplus in the spring of 2010 looks like it will be even bigger! We will continue to use this money to re-invest in our house so that the active members and alumni have a facility of which we can be proud.
Over the past 10 years, very little money was available for reinvestment in the house. Many years, we were fortunate just to be able to pay the bills, let alone reinvest. Some years ended in a deficit position and three years ago the house was sinking in debt. That trend has been reversed and our financial outlook has improved incrementally each of the last three years. We are doing our best to put policies in place that will help us maintain financial stability well into the future. The active chapter has done a great job of keeping the house at or near capacity the last three years and that has made all the difference.
We plan to schedule an active/parent/alumni work day in the spring as we have each of the last five years. We will let everyone know the date once we have an alumni volunteer to lead it. This role requires a short-term commitment and cries out for someone with solid group organizational skills. We generally hold it on a Saturday in April. Additionally, we are looking for another person to serve on the house committee in a close advisory role to the chapter House Manager. Both roles come with a great deal of satisfaction. If you are willing to serve Delta Nu in one of these two capacities, please contact me at (816) 205-1032 or kevins@npgco.com. YITB, Kevin Smith, 932, Property Manager
BOA Treasurer’s Report – Chris Holder, 1362 – Overland Park, Kansas
Dear Fraters,
The alumni association currently has 36 paid or pledges members with 10 members agreeing to a three-year membership. If rent collections remain consistent then the house will have a slight surplus for the 2009/2010 school year. The Alumni Association and Capital Improvements Funds received monies raised at the 2009 golf tournament and Alumni Association Dues Drive. Current fund balances are broken down as such:
Alumni Association Balance $5,893.00
Capital Improvement Fund $7,004.00
Emergency Fund (Savings Acct) $4,223.00
Total Balance All Funds $17,120.00
www.nwtke.com Enhancement Update – Michael Reiff, 1120 – Ogallala, Nebraska
Over the next few months, some major features will be added to www.nwtke.com to give you more control and access to your profile and contact information and to make it easier for you to contribute and support Delta Nu. One of the cool features you may not know about is the ability for you to subscribe to any new updates made to the site. To learn how this feature works, or to learn more about current or upcoming features on the site, please be sure to contact Michael Reiff at mwreiff@charter.net. When these new features are online, you’ll receive an email from nwtkemail@gmail.com – be sure to have this address entered in your “safe senders” list in your email application so emails from Delta Nu don’t go into you spam or junk folders.
Online Contact Database and Profile information, including search – you’ll be able to keep your mailing, phone and email information up-to-date, just by visiting www.nwtke.com/content/alumni. Also, if you want to locate a long-lost pledge brother, you’ll also be able to search the database. Additionally, you can view your donation history as well as let us know what events or information you’re interested in. This will also allow us to build a better networking site for recent graduates, fraters looking for new opportunities or even TKE-owned businesses hoping to promote their services. Centralized Donation Portal – through www.nwtke.com, you’ll be able to make your donation to any of the four philanthropic funds Delta Nu, or just sign up and pay your dues to the TKE Delta Nu Alumni Association. Through this portal, you’ll be able to read the latest information about a specific fund so you can make an informed decision about where you want your donation to go. More news and event information – More news and information from and about the active chapter, as well as alumni activities is on the way, as well as a redesigned and more streamlined website – all to make www.nwtke.com your one-stop-shop for all things TKE, Delta Nu and Northwest Missouri State University.
A Message from our Venerable Prytanis – Todd Sexton, 1518
Dear Alumni,
As my tenure as Delta Nu Prytanis approaches its conclusion, I feel more optimistic about the future of the active chapter than ever. We have made great strides to put Delta Nu on top, and we continue to ascend to this goal.
This fall, we pledged more men than any fraternity on the Northwest campus, and of those pledges that accepted bids we had one of the best retention rates of any pledge class in recent history. As a chapter, we committed to winning Homecoming Supremacy, competing in every event in the “highly competitive” category. We placed 1st in Clowns, 2nd in Jalopy, 2nd in mini-float with the Tri Sig’s, and 2nd in Skit with the Phi Mu’s and 4th in Float. Although we did not win Supremacy, we were seen all over homecoming and we looked good!
This past year, Delta Nu has been helping out the community with a variety of philanthropies. For the past few years, we have done a “Trick or Treat For Cans” with the women of Alpha Sigma Alpha and this year we collected nearly 400 pounds of canned goods to give to the Maryville Food Pantry. In mid-October, we held our 3rd Annual “Rock Out for Alzheimer’s.” Two live bands played at the chapter house and we had over 250 paid attendants and raised over $1,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association, a national philanthropic organization of Tau Kappa Epsilon. On December 6th, the chapter hosted a Mom’s Day fundraiser in which 27 mothers of the active chapter attended and participated in activities.
There currently are twenty-nine actives living in the house and we are making improvements where possible. We are looking into options to repair the upstairs balcony and possibly turn an area of the house into a study room or executive meeting room. We’ve also begun using a service called GreekBill, to assist with the collection of rent. Also, all new member candidate fees and initiation fees are paid with TKE, and the insurance inspection did not show any unusual conditions other than storage issues for tightly packed laundry/mechanical closet areas so we should not expect to see any increase in our current insurance rate.
With fall already having past, we now look towards this spring, which will bring a new pledge class and a new executive board. Spring recruitment begins the January 19th and ends the 29th. During the fall, many alumni helped us with fall rush and pledgeship and we would appreciate any visit to the chapter that any alumni can manage. The presence of alumni provided a very strong message of “TEKE FOR LIFE” for our current actives and our new pledge class. We would appreciate a visit this spring and this upcoming fall for homecoming. I wish you all a very happy holiday season and hope to see you all sometime in the future. Yours in the Bond, Todd Sexton, 1518, Delta Nu Prytanis, email: S402675@nwmissouri.edu
Fall 2009 Executive Board
President – Todd Sexton
Vice President External – Tom Hester
Vice President Internal – David Lewey
Treasurer – Nate Retzlaff
Secretary – Joe Herman
Historian – Kyle Andrew
Chaplin – Joe Masciovecchio
Sergeant-at-Arms – Brian Ascheman
Fall 2009 Rush and Pledgeship Report – Daniel Venditti, 1475, Fall 2009 Hegemon
Dear Alumni,
After an extensive rush and contributions by the entire active chapter, Delta Nu TKE offered invitations to join the fraternity to 34 men. We got all 34! The feeling among the active chapter was that by taking more pledges than any other of the 10 fraternities on campus, we had attracted the top quality guys as well. Unfortunately, about three weeks into the eight-week pledge program, two pledges resigned, and the two more were lost as we neared the end of the program. These 30 men were, were initiated just before Thanksgiving break. Thank you very much to the Alumni that assisted during pledgeship, not to mention my five assistant Hegemons.
I am very honored, proud, and excited to have had the opportunity to be the Hegemon this fall with the opportunity to get to know all 30 of these men. I know from first hand, that every single one of these new actives understands the importance of brotherhood, what TKE has to offer and that they are Tekes for life. For example, the minute pledge week was over and they become actives, most of the new guys have come up and asked how they can contribute going forward. One new active is already an IFC Representative and several others want to run for an Executive Board position in February.
Please join me in welcoming these new Fraters into the Bond. Y.I.T.B., Daniel Venditti, 1475
IOWA: Josh McNeely (Council Bluffs), Chris Nelsen (Lake View), Tyler Pieken (Lake View); MISSOURI: Tyler Tolle (Adrian), Cody Sutton (Archie), Aaron Hoeing (Arnold), Ian Echlin (Blue Springs), Vinnie Murrain (Braymer), Will Wilburn (Jefferson City), Ryan McFarlin (Kansas City), Trevor Scot (Kansas City), Nick Funesti (Kearney), Blake Davidson (Liberty), Cole Deshler (Liberty), Ryan Wolkey (Liberty), John Plummer (Oregon), Bret Stevenson (Plattsburg), Johnny Taylor (Raytown), Brock Spinner (St. Joseph), Nate Beaver (St. Joseph), Kyle Curtis (St. Joseph), Gunner Sumy (St. Joseph), Justin Wheeler (St. Joseph), Daniel Wilkinson (St. Joseph), Joe Sanders (St. Joseph), Houston Schubert (St. Joseph), Matt Menard (St. Louis); NEBRASKA: Kellen Schroeder (Lexington), Sean O'Gara (Omaha), Graham Young (Omaha)
Alumni Association Update – Brad Shelton, 651 – Naperville (Chicago), Illinois
Dear Fraters,
As we reflect on 2009 and look ahead to 2010, I would like to thank you for your commitment to the Delta Nu Alumni Association. Over the last year, we have made exceptional progress by helping to raise more than $3,000 to support BOA efforts with regard to the web, the building and maintaining the alumni database and producing and printing this newsletter. This extraordinary progress would not be possible without the support of Delta Nu Alumni Association members and their annual dues. It is especially inspiring considering the stressful times we have all faced this past year.
One simple question: Why did you join TKE? There are a lot of answers to this question, but all of them, to one extent or another, deal with belonging to an organization of men who shared common goals and ideals and the resulting brotherhood. Back in the day, we didn’t think much beyond the weekend and came to think of TKE as mainly a college thing. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Do you realize there are now over 1,500 men who have entered the Delta Nu Chapter? With so many alumni, we have a unique opportunity to transform our chapter. With the talents of that many Fraters, we can truly make our chapter part of the Fraternity for Life. No longer do the bonds of fellowship and brotherhood have to erode at graduation and we can continue to strengthen our relationships, as well as build new ones well beyond our college experience.
Attempts have been made in the past to more actively involve the alumni, but the burden was on a small number of men saddled with this task. We expected a Herculean effort from too few Fraters working with too little resources. We have a game plan now in place to avoid this type of situation in the future.
The Delta Nu Alumni Association leadership has significantly expanded and is now focused on enhancing the alumni experience through social and philanthropic events and supporting the active chapter. This reinforced group has already begun laying the groundwork for the future outlined in this newsletter. We have completed a compilation and validation of more than 1,000 Delta Nu Frater addresses and over 400 valid emails that will soon be posted on the improved website. These tools will make it easier for you to connect with Fraters.
Twenty-eight Fraters have already submitted more than $3,000 in annual dues to help promote these new initiatives. Transforming the alumni experience will only happen if we all work together, like we did as pledges. We are only as strong as our weakest link. Please consider ways you can get involved on a personal basis.
Delta Nu Alumni Membership options
· 1 year $50 ($25 if graduated within 3 years)
· 2 years $75
· 3 years $105 ($35 per year; Best value!)
· Recent grad $25 (within 3 years of graduation)
· Lifetime $1,000
The BOA has challenged all of us to raise $10,000 in dues by July 31, 2010 and already have committed the first $3,000. Please consider making a gift today to help us reach this goal.
How do I sign up?
Make your check payable to: Delta Nu TKE Alumni Association and mail it to this address care of: Chris Holder, 10714 West 115th Place, Overland Park, KS 66210-3835
Or visit www.nwtke.com/content/alumni and look for the Join Today button.
This is only the beginning of many great things to come! You will be hearing more in the upcoming weeks and will find periodic updates on www.nwtke.com. Remember you did not cease being an Active when you graduated; you are still an Active. Soon, you will have tools to help focus your activity. Be sure to respond and let us know how you can help. Continue to be part of something great! Y.I.T.B., Brad Shelton, 651, Membership Committee Director
1805 Arabian Ave, Naperville, IL 60565, Office: 630-416-9924, Cell: 630 240-2758, Email: bshelton@datasourcetech.com
Alumni Association Overview
The Delta Nu Tau Kappa Epsilon Alumni Association is a group working together to foster the TKE spirit among alumni of many generations. This association is chartered as a chapter-based Alumni Association which plans social and philanthropic events and awards scholarships and other funds to collegiate members.
Mission of the Alumni Association
The mission of the Delta Nu Tau Kappa Epsilon Alumni Association is to offer multiple ways Alumni can stay connected and engaged with Delta Nu TKE, solely based on the individual members’ preference. The main focus areas of the Alumni Association are:
· Host Social Events for Alumni Members of Delta Nu TKE in specific geographic areas
· Network with Alumni Members of Delta Nu TKE in specific geographic areas
· Mentor the local Delta Nu Chapter of TKE in the normal operation of the Chapter
· Mentor the local Delta Nu Chapter of TKE and its members for the purposes of continuing Education and Personal Development training of undergrad fraters
· Promote continuous improvement of Delta Nu, its members, its house, and its standing with Tau Kappa Epsilon, Northwest Missouri State University and the city of Maryville, MO
· Create Scholarship Opportunities for Members of TKE
· Participate in Community Service and Philanthropic events to improve the areas where we live and to raise money for scholarships and charities
· Regular Communication with Members of Delta Nu TKE both active and alumni
Exclusive benefits for Delta Nu TKE Alumni Association members
· Alumni Newsletter
· Online Alumni Directory Coming soon to www.nwtke.com!
· Children of members are eligible to apply for multiple scholarships through TKE and Delta Nu
· Delta Nu TKE Alumni Association decal
· Alumni Association Membership identification card which may offer discounts on Alumni activities
· Special invitations to and discounts at to Delta Nu TKE Alumni Association sponsored events
· Full access to new website features
· Recognition in the newsletter and membership directory
· Mailed copy of the Delta Nu Review
· Access to search contact database and to premium content on the chapter website
· Potential discounts at TKE-owned businesses
What activities will my annual membership fees support?
• General Operations of the Alumni Association to insure the long term viability of the Association
• Maintenance and Enhancement of the www.nwtke.com website
• Frater database support and development of the “Frater Locator Service”
• Funding an account for special projects approved by a vote of the membership
• Seed money for Alumni activities and events during the year
• Production and distribution of the quarterly Delta Nu Review
What activities will my membership fees NOT support?
• Payment for expenses associated with the daily running of the Chapter House such as mortgage, utilities, insurance, and regular maintenance and upkeep
• Funding of undergraduate activities like mixers, or expenses associated with attending Conclave or Leadership conferences. There are special funds for these.
• Contributions to the special funds managed by the Philanthropic Committee such as the TKE Scholarship fund or the Pete Greve Scholarship Fund other than to help offset the cost of the outreach efforts.
Philanthropic Committee Chairman’s Report – Merle Jones, 541 – Parker, Texas
Dear Fraters,
As part of the reorganization and revitalization of the Alumni Association, the Philanthropic Committee was created to oversee our tax exempt scholarships and funds, many of which have been in existence for many years, but have never been actively managed. Of the funds that existed, they have been combined into three funds, to simplify, add clarity to their purposes and give you focus for your investment decisions. These funds are:
TKE Delta Nu Scholarship (currently called the TKE Memorial Scholarship Fund): The current balance of this fund is $6,726.50. This fund is available through the Northwest Missouri State University Foundation and provides for annual tuition scholarships for our local actives. This fund is chaired by Frater Dave Teeter (dteeter@mc-wildcats.org). More information will be coming about this scholarship as the application process and selection committee are being determined.
The TKE Memorial Scholarship Fund was established by Delta Nu in 1989 through the Northwest Foundation. This award is a $1,000 maximum annual award. Multiple awards of smaller amounts may also be approved. Candidate qualifications: Sophomore level or higher with a 2.50 GPA or higher and must live in the house for the year of the award. An application to the selection committee is required.
To donate to the TKE Delta Nu Memorial Fund, make your check payable to Northwest Foundation, Inc. and specify “TKE Delta Nu Scholarship” in the memo of the check and mail it to this address care of: Northwest Foundation, Inc., 800 University Drive, Maryville, MO 64468-6001. There are also online donation options using a credit card through www.nwmissouri.edu/alumni/giving/onlinegiving.html/.
TKE Delta Nu Educational Fund (currently called the TKE National Special Projects fund): The current balance of this fund is $1,800.00. This fund is available through TKE Nationals and has two goals:
a. Assist the local chapter with expenses associated with attending Conclaves and Leadership Conferences;
b. Provide financial assistance to the house for educational projects, such as a study hall, computer equipment, etc.
To donate to the TKE Delta Nu Educational Fund, make your check payable to TKE Educational Foundation and specify “Special Projects Fund – Delta Nu” in the memo of the check and mail it to this address care of: Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, Inc., Attn: Mr. Robert Taflinger, 8645 Founders Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268-1393
The Peter J. Greve Memorial TKE Alumni Scholarship Fund: This is for tuition scholarships for incoming NWMSU freshmen sponsored by a Delta Nu TKE alumnus. The current balance of this fund is $7,720.00.This fund is available through the Northwest Missouri State University Foundation. This fund is chaired by Bruce Barlow (tkedn533@comcast.net).
The Peter J. Greve TKE Alumni Scholarship was established in 2008 by Frater Pete Greve with the goal of promoting Northwest Missouri State, TKE and the achievement of a college education. This is a $1,000 tuition-only scholarship that will be awarded to an incoming freshman/graduating high school senior. To be eligible, applicants must have maintained a high school cumulative GPA of 3.0, be accepted to NWMSU as a full-time student, and be nominated by a TKE alumnus. No specific major is required. A group of TKE Delta Nu alumni will serve as evaluators and will review student transcripts, supporting information, and recommendation letters in their deliberations. As monies allow, several scholarships can be awarded. The application is located at www.nwtke.com/content/scholarship.
Applications are due annually on April 1st. TKE alumni are encouraged to forward this application to another TKE alumnus, a teacher, a guidance counselor, or a friend who may know someone who plans to attend NWMSU in the fall.
To donate to the Peter J. Greve Memorial TKE Alumni Scholarship Fund, make your check payable to Northwest Foundation, Inc. and specify “Peter J. Greve Memorial Scholarship” in the memo of the check and mail it to this address care of: Northwest Foundation, Inc., 800 University Drive, Maryville, MO 64468-6001. There are also online donation options using a credit card through www.nwmissouri.edu/alumni/giving/onlinegiving.html/.
Donations to these three funds are tax deductible. If I can be of assistance to you in the administration of these funds, or if you have any questions, please let me know. Y.I.T.B., Merle Jones, 541
6704 Estados Dr., Parker, TX 75002, cell # 214-354-7514; email: mj@grayhawkins.com or merlehwk@verizon.net
For more information on these funds, go to www.nwtke.com/content/donation-opportunities and for more information about scholarships Delta Nu offers, please visit www.nwtke.com/content/scholarship.
TKE House Capital Improvements Fund Chairman – Steve Moss, 927 – Columbia, Missouri
Dear Fraters,
As you can see from all of the updates about our beloved TKE chapter at Northwest Missouri State, there are a lot of great things going on with the fraternity and our alumni. Many alumni have given long hours to get our alumni organization on solid ground and are now planning for the future by implementing some great programs to assure TKE’s longevity at Northwest. One of those programs as you might imagine involves the TKE house itself.
Can you believe the “New TKE House” is now 10 years old? With the house in mind, it is with great pleasure that I share with you the update on what we are now calling the “TKE House Capital Improvement Fund.”
First, let me explain the evolution of this fund, where it stands and what the plans are for the future. The TKE House Capital Improvement Fund is an extension of the fund drive established after the TKE house fire in 1996 that originally was set up to make the new TKE house a reality. Thanks to many of you through your generosity, the TKE house at 555 West 9th opened in August of 1999 as the first fraternity house built at Northwest specifically to house a fraternity.
TKE and the alumni board still maintain a mortgage and have traditional operating expenses. As it stands now, the Board of Alumni Advisors has decided to make those expenses rest solely on the shoulders of the active chapter through collection of rent and parlor fees from the chapter members.
The “TKE House Capital Improvement Fund” is now in place to provide support just as it is named and will be held on account only for “Capital Improvements.” It will NOT be used for ongoing operating expenses, utilities, mortgage payments, etc. Plans for this fund, once properly funded, include both short (1-3 yrs.) and long term (5-10 yrs.) permanent improvements to the house and grounds. The Board of Advisors is currently compiling a list of ideas, big and small to add to our house and improve its functionality, durability and overall fraternity experience for our members and alumni.
In 2010, we’ll be prioritizing the list and begin setting some goals and timelines to go along with our capital improvement projects. Some of the improvement project ideas include: storage shed for the house, building a study/meeting room on the 2nd floor, replacing tile and carpet where needed, improving the public restrooms and renovating the kitchen.
One major priority which we hope to make happen is the addition of a standalone multi-purpose building behind the house. This would allow for more storage, a place to build homecoming floats, props etc. as well as host social events, taking the wear and tear off the house itself.
Contributions to the “TKE House Capital Improvement Fund” will be recognized on the alumni donor wall established in 1999 and named for long time Board Chairman Frater Richard Wiles, DN 365 who recently passed and entered TKE’s Chapter Eternal this summer.
I hope you’ll consider sending some support to the TKE House Capital Improvement Fund as we solidify our plans for improvements at our fraternity home at 555 West 9th street. Every contribution counts whether big or small. We hope you’ll either give $50 or $100 or whatever your comfort level is each year. If you want to give a larger amount periodically, that’s great too. Please share this excitement with your fellow Fraters and join us with this great cause.
Yours in the bond, Steve Moss, 927, TKE House Capital Improvement Fund Chairman
To donate to the TKE House Capital Improvements Fund, make your check payable to Delta Nu TKE - Capital Improvement Fund, or Just Delta Nu TKE and indicate in the memo of the check that this is for the capital improvement fund and mail it to this address care of: Chris Holder, 10714 West 115th Place, Overland Park, KS 66210-3835
Upcoming Alumni and Chapter Events Calendar
TKE Founder’s Day – January 10, 2010
Delta Nu BOA Annual Meeting – February 6, 2010; Hyatt Regency, Kansas City; meeting and cocktail hour for all alumni
Bowling – Sunday, February 21, 2010; Kansas City
Red Carnation Ball – TBA, Spring 2010
7th Annual Active-Alumni Work Day – TBA, April, 2010
Delta Nu Founder’s Day – TBA, April, 2010
15th Annual Delta Nu Memorial Scramble (golf tournament) – Friday, June 4, 2010; Maryville
Kansas City Alumni Gathering – June 5, 2010; North Kansas City
Golf Tournament to have its 15th birthday!
The 2010 Delta Nu Memorial Scramble Golf Tournament has been scheduled for Friday, June 4th, once again at Mozingo Lake Golf Course. 2010 marks the 15th consecutive year for the golf tournament. The exact schedule is still being determined, but you can expect to be fed and clothed, have a chance at some great prizes, and most importantly to see some of your favorite alumni and fraters.
The 2009 tournament was an unexpected success, yielding a field of over 90 golfers on a day with near-perfect weather and contributing a little over $1,500 to alumni association activities and $1,000 to the capital improvements fund. Thanks again to all that have participated in previous events. We hope to see you all in Maryville again this year. To sign up for this year’s event, volunteer to help with the event, or just more information, please contact Brent Steffens at mrbrentsteffens@hotmail.com or Michael Reiff at mwreiff@charter.net.
2010 TKE Bowling Tournament – Max Knudsen, 779 – Kansas City, Missouri
This year’s TKE Bowling Tournament will be held on Sunday, February 21, 2010. Starting time for the event is 12:30 p.m. First roll is at 1:00 PM so please come a few minutes early to round up your team and stretch out your elbows.
This year’s event will again be held at AMF Pro Bowl – 505 E. 18th Ave, North Kansas City, MO. This is the same location that this event has been held for several years. Cost for the event is $20.00 for Alumni and $15.00 for Actives. We will play 3 games,
Please contact Max Knudsen at mknudsen@larsondoors.com or (816) 520-5225 to RSVP. Please RSVP by Sunday, February 14th. YITB and thank you, Max Knudsen, 779
