Sigma Phi Delta - University of Illinois

Spring 2019 Newsletter

Sigma Phi Delta Fraternity at the University of Illinois, Delta Chapter

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Onwards and Upwards Delta Alumni Vote to Move Forward with Castle Renovation W e held our Delta alumni winter meeting at Em- mett's in Downers Grove on January 26, which was an impor- tant milestone in Delta Chapter's his- tory. The Delta Executive Board, the Castle Renovation Capital Campaign Committee, the Relocation Explora- tion subcommittee, and four mem- bers from the active chapter met and agreed on the recommended course of action for a chapter house reno- vation. This proposal was then communicated to all Delta alumni via email and mail and voted upon in the month of February. First a little background –– the chapter house at 302 E. Gregory is in poor condition with a leaking roof, drafty windows and doors, fail- ing heating and plumb- ing, antiquated electrical, and outdated bath- rooms and common areas. To our knowledge, the chapter house has not had a major renovation, other than for fire safety, since the house was purchased in the early 1960s. In the fall of 2015, a group of alumni from the 1980s spearheaded what turned out to be the start of a multi-year project, which led to where we are today. At the winter meeting, we agreed to pursue the planning and cost estimating of a total renova- tion to the chapter house. This includes convert- ing what is left of the house into more rooms and building a house extension to the west. This would potentially add a total of four additional rooms and increase the size of the living room/ chapter room by 15 feet. If we find the renova- tion and the west wing addition more expensive than estimated, we have discussed scaling back the project to renovation-only without affecting the project timeline for a groundbreaking target date of May of 2020. I am proud to announce that the result of the membership-wide vote on this proposal was 80 ayes and three nays, which amounts to 96% ap- proval for renovation! Thank you one and all for taking the time to review materials, vote, and pro- vide your feedback. And as always, we welcome ongoing feedback as we continue to seek out pledges and donations to make this dream a real- ity. If you have not already done so, we ask you to please consider making a pledge or donation. We invite you to join us at our upcoming events on page 4. These are great opportunities to re- connect with your brothers and the brotherhood. We also welcome you to share your ideas on fu- ture events. Fraternally, Rick Woods '86 President, Delta Alumni of Sigma Phi Delta, Inc. rwoods613@gmail.com (815) 262-1602 More than $700,000 Raised Toward $1 Million Goal Emphasis on Increasing Alumni Participation to Secure Remaining Funds F or Delta Chapter, The Castle Renovation: Engineering the Future of Sigma Phi Delta is a once-in-a-lifetime op- portunity for the alumni of Delta Chapter to preserve the heritage of the house and the brotherhood of Sigma Phi Delta at the University of Illinois for future generations. While other fraternities are struggling with membership and local property taxes, our chapter is thriving with more than 70 members and a top 10 GPA. This is with the house in its current shape. Imag- ine what these motivated, young men can do regarding recruiting with a top-notch house to sell. As of March, we have crossed the $700,000 threshold with 89 donors. If you have not already done so, I urge you to add your name alongside mine and your Delta brothers to our growing list of donors. While 89 is great, there are more than 500 living Delta alumni who have benefitted from their time in Sigma Phi Delta. The average participation among Greek campaigns is 25%, and to date, 17% of our membership has made a commitment. If you are one of the more than 400 we have not heard from yet, we strongly encourage you to give what you can, because this is our one shot to do this renovation right. Pledges can be spread over five years, and gifts of more than $2,500 will receive permanent recognition in the chapter house. If you have already been contacted by a fellow brother about the campaign and have been putting it off, I encourage you to reach out to them and make your pledge today. If you have not been contacted and would like more in- formation, please reach out to me, Don Buckner '89 at don@donbuckner. com, or any alumni officer, and we will make sure you get the information you need. We are in the process of designing, and before long, will be bid- ding the construction work. The time is now to make your impact on Delta. If you have already donated, thank you for your commitment to the future of Delta Chapter of Sigma Phi Delta. If you have not yet, remember the great memories you made in that house on 302 E. Gregory, or wherever the brotherhood happened to be at the time, and help future students share in those same positive experiences. Fraternally, Mike Rohan '93, Era Campaign Chairman mprohan@comcast.net / (708) 420-8972 A PUBLICATION OF THE DELTA ALUMNI OF SIGMA PHI DELTA, INC. Delta Chapter • University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois • Spring 2019 Delta Dispatch

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