Pi Kappa Alpha - Purdue University

Fall 2023 CANDLELIGHT BETA PHI CHAPTER OF PI KAPPA ALPHA • PURDUE UNIVERSITY Published by the Beta Phi Foundation Published by the Beta Phi Foundation Stay conne cte d by visiting pikapurdue.org . Preparing for the Future of Our Home U P D A T E S O N O U R M A I N T E N A N C E E N D O W M E N T RSVP FOR GOLF BEFORE IT 'S TOO LATE! We hope you've already seen the emails regarding our golf outing on September 29 and the reunion on September 30. If you've not registered for the golf event yet, please do so immediately. We are hoping that by combining the golf outing with our reunion, we will get a larger turnout for both. SECURING THE CHAPTER HOUSE I wanted to provide everyone with an update on our current fundraising program. The Home Association has put together a "Depreciation Plan" for the Chapter House. By doing so, it enables us to look forward and plan for items like the roof or a new boiler. The Foundation initiated a fundraising campaign that would, at its completion, fully endow these types of recurring repairs. We announced this during our 100-year celebration last fall. As of July 18, we have received donations specifically marked for the maintenance program totaling $5,775. While this may seem like a slow start, we must remember that the first year the Beta Phi Foundation existed, we raised $1,000. Through your tremendous ongoing support, the Foundation has been able to fully endow all our scholarships and the tutoring program. This maintenance program endowment would be the culmination of over 30 years of existence, generous contributions, intelligent stewardship of those donations, and countless hours of work. HOW YOU CAN HELP The bottom line is that without you, our incredible alumni, none of this would be possible. The current target is to raise $500,000 to put into an endowment for the maintenance program. This is a long-term project that we believe will secure our Chapter House for decades to follow. Please keep this in mind should you decide to donate. Also remember that the BPF is a 501(c) (3) corporation and any donation from you is tax deductible. As always, the BPF will apply your donations where you instruct us to, so when you make your donations, please identify accordingly. Thank you! We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on September 29 and 30! In the bonds of ΦΦκα, Joe Conti '85 President, Beta Phi Foundation joscon_61@yahoo.com (715) 498-4498 A Great Time to Be a Pike P. Scott Ritchie '83 Recalls Early '80s House P. Scott Ritchie '83 visited several fraternities during recruitment at Purdue, but Pi Kappa Alpha stood out the most. Beta Phi not only had the best mix of academics, athletics, and social life, but it also had a good reputation, and the house offered many amenities close to campus. Witnessing the camaraderie between the "Four Ls," Greg Lernihan '81, Larry Leszczynski '81, Doug Lisak '81, and Mark Lamp '82, during recruitment events influenced Scott's decision to join PIKE, and throughout recruitment, he was grateful to have his big brother, Mark Kendall '82, to guide him. Beta Phi was at an all-time high when Scott was in school, as demonstrated by their five Smythes. From 1979-83, the Chapter had great leadership from Dave Heckel '78, Greg, and Rod Eaton '83. During that time, PIKE won all-campus basketball and flag football and the Grand Prix and was an intramural athletic champion for several years. Beta Phi was filled with diverse men, including varsity athletes in basketball and baseball, academically gifted members who boosted the house GPA, and members who were in key positions of PSUB, the Gimlet, the Debris yearbook, The Purdue Exponent, and other academic and service organizations. Other members used their talents to manage and maintain the house, coordinate recruitment, pledge training and instruction, and more. "It seemed like everyone did something to move the Chapter forward," Scott said. As Scott looks back, he recalls many memorable moments, including having Steve Mathy '81 serve as Ingress Coordinator and watching Brian Walker '81, Kevin Stallings '83, and Greg Eifert '84 play at Mackey Arena. Scott also enjoyed the summer work sessions to paint and clean the house, the "Snow Bowl" during the blizzard of 1981, and sleeping in the second- floor cold-air dorm. "I remember one morning when Ed Mackowiak '82 had to shake the snow off his comforter out the window that was next to his bunk bed. It was truly a cold-air dorm," Scott shared. Scott and his family at the December 2021 wedding of his daughter, Katie, and her husband, Matt. (Continued on page 4) SUPP ORT THE MAINTENANCE FUND TODAY!

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