SigEp
A PUBLICATION FOR ALUMNI OF MISSOURI ALPHA t SIGMA PHI EPSILON
FALL 2024
Tiger Heart
Inside: What's Happening with MO Alpha? t 2 News from 405 t 3 Alumni News t 4
I
n 1986, the first of 39 consecutive
adventures was made by Brother Ed
Clausen '84 and myself (Mason Laster
'84) on the Eleven Point River in Southern
Missouri. These excursions have been
documented and captured in prose under
the title of Parting Shots, a short newsletter
that includes photos and humorous tales, but
more importantly, illustrates that the founding
principles of Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly
Love remain as strong today as they did some
40 years ago when we were first introduced to
the ritual of our fraternity.
The attendance of SigEp brothers has varied
from a handful to as many as 20; in total,
50-plus brothers have taken time out of their
busy schedules to share in the camaraderie and
keep the annual tradition alive.
Over the course of 39 years, we've seen
an evolution of floating gear, which in the
beginning started with nothing, then came the
pickle buckets and eventually dry bags. We
have also seen an evolution in sleeping quarters
from gravel bars to float camps to Airbnb
quarters (in other words, glamping), which is
where this story now resides.
Our adventures always begin with a group
photo and end with the annual "passing of the
gavel" so that all those remaining have the
floor to share what is of importance in their life
at that moment.
These trips offer everyone a chance to
disconnect and unplug from the daily stresses
Four Decades on the Water
STRENGTHENING
BROTHERLY BONDS
Ed Clausen '84 and Mason Laster '84
The group (commonly referred to as the Debacle
Crew) in 2019 when they overlapped with the
group of Vern Smith '73 (a.k.a. The Peckerwood
Crew) on the banks of the Current River.
Our brothers reconnect and
strengthen bonds during our
annual floating excursion.
of life and to take in nature (rain, sunshine,
and tornadoes—that was 2010), see some
wildlife, and most importantly, see friends, and
strengthen the bonds that unite us.
In closing, with the words from the old
fraternity song, "rum, rum, rum, rum the
footsteps coming…!"
Fraternally,
Mason Laster '84
