Category: News

Got a used fridge to donate?

The House Corp and active chapter request any brothers or friends of the chapter who have a used fridge — preferably stainless steel or cream color and with no water dispenser or ice maker — and are willing to donate it to the House, to please let us know.

You can add a comment to this post, or via the Facebook group, or email me at jbgoodman@alumni.southwestern.edu.

Thanks!

Summer work weekends announced

We encourage all brothers and friends of the chapter to assist in summer house maintenance.

In advance of the work weekends, the House Corporation have engaged quality professionals to install a new roof, as well as new gutter screening east side gutter replacements. Having just replaced the 2nd floor HVAC system, the first floor HVAC system will also be done this summer.

How can you help?
Join one or both weekends: July 16 or August 6 from 8am to 5pm. Feel free to come down the Friday evening before and join in the prep work.

What work can you help with?
Landscape maintenance, trimming of trees and bushes, minor repair work to House, deep cleaning to floor restoration and painting/sheetrock work.

When again?
July 16 and August 6th, 8am to 5pm.

If contributions of time and energy are not possible, consider a monetary donation of any amount via Iotachapter.org. Just click on the Paypal link.

On Facebook? Let us know you’re coming here https://www.facebook.com/groups/2357739947/

John Roark, Distinguished Alumus, Passed Away

Brother Scott Hanson shared this news on the Iota Facebook group this morning:

John O. Roark, a distinguished alumnus of Iota Chapter, passed away yesterday. Services will likely be held in Temple, where he lived and practiced law for the past 42 years.

UPDATE 1/25 — Memorial Service:
A memorial service for Brother Roark will be held Saturday, January 30, 2016 at 1:00 P.M. at the First United Methodist Church in Temple. A reception and visitation will follow the service in the Family Life Center of at First United Methodist Church.

Alumni Weekend Will Be April 8th.

Save the dates, April 8 thru 10, for the 43rd Alumni Weekend! 

And, in unrelated news, enjoy a moment of holiday spirit here courtesy of the active chapter.

Work Weekend Returns This Weekend!

The ritual of Sigma summertime work weekends continues…

As Brother Pat Sparks describes, “progressive maintenance” entails upkeep of the grounds and the House itself.

Focus for this weekend:

  • Painting, a lot of it
  • “Spring” cleaning
  • Site improvements.

Recommendations, ideas, suggestions, questions are really appreciated.

Weekend schedule:

  • Friday 1pm – dark: Pat and Russell will be onsite getting this started
  • Saturday 8am: Start the day, divide and conquer Erik’s top ten list.
  • Saturday Dinnertime: the hungry bodies and congenial spirits find nourishment at a local spot.
  • Sunday 8am-3pm: Finish up and head home with the House and your own person better off for the effort!

Other ways to help and contribute:

  • we need a heavy duty vacuum cleaner like some cast off Kirby (preferably HEPA)
  • a large refrigerator/freezer up to 4’ or so wide,
  • repaired or replaced Chapter sliding doors,
  • stainless steel wall mount racking for the kitchen,
  • semi-permeable patio surface extension,
  • electrical work for lighting and outlets,
  • new weather tight doors on either side of the south main entry doors,
  • rain barrels to hold water away from the foundation and custom awnings over the doors on the south side.

Donations in materials or contributions to the general account are welcome. Home Depot, McCoy’s and McIntire’s gift cards are another avenue of support.

We’re lucky to have an amazing group of volunteer leaders — we need all the additional muscle and brains we can get.

Having more alums and active makes the time spent really fun.

RSVP via the Facebook group, add a comment below, or just show up!

Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2014

UPDATE (11/7): There will be an active & alumni meeting at 1pm (after the picnic and before the tailgate).

Homecoming and Reunion Weekend is jam-packed with gatherings, reunions, and events.

A few to note on Saturday, November 8th:

  • 11:00am – Celebrating Southwestern’s 175th – Alma Thomas Theatre: a short program peppered with exciting announcements, a brief recognition of Alumni Award recipients (including two young Iota Alums) and entertainment from current students.
  • 1pm: Active/Alumni meeting
  • 2-3:30pm – A special reception for the Class of 1964. All brothers are invited. Kappa Sigma House
  • 2-5:30 Tailgating at GISD Birklebach field
  • 6pm – Southwestern vs. Trinity

We look forward to seeing everyone this weekend!

August 8 Starts Final Weekend for House Maintenance

It’s August in Texas, what better time to join your alumni and active friends and brothers and put some sweat equity into this summer’s house maintenance?

The crew will get started on Friday, August 8 and work through to Sunday.

On the to-do list:

  • Parquet floors patching, sanding and finishing
  • Patio stones, laying the base and top stones, and
  • Advanced work, e.g. overseeing the electrical work in the kitchen

More details to follow on specific help and tools we’ll need.

Join when you can.

See who’s coming on the Alumni and Friends of Iota Chapter Facebook Group, or just post a comment here and let us know you’re coming.

Floors In Focus For Summer Work Weekends, May 31, June 28

Preserving and protecting the parquet floor will be the focus for the first work weekend, beginning this Friday afternoon May 30 and concluding Sunday.

Brother Sparks has led this effort and will manage the work. Regarding the floors he writes, “This will be, and should be for all of us given proper future maintenance, the last major effort regarding this particular issue.”

It’s a big job. Come lend a hand in the set-up and prep or in the treating and varnishing as you can. All are welcome.

UPDATE: Alumni Weekend 2014 To Take Place April 5th

UPDATE: Planning your Alumni Weekend 2014

  • Saturday, April 5th
    • 8:30am: coffee and donuts
    • 10:30am:  active/alumni meeting
    • 11:30am: meet the Spring class
    • Noon-2pm: catered BBQ lunch
    • 2pm: softball (location: Round Rock Memorial Field)
    • 7pm: reservations for up to 45 at Walburg Restaurant
    • 10:30pm: back at the House
    • After that, it’s up to you…
  • Sunday, April 6th
    • 9am: coffee and donuts

Continue reading →

Pictures and News from Spring 2013 Alumni Weekend

Weekend highlights:

  • A great turnout this year. It was a big surprise.
  • Jeff Allen told the story of the first alumni weekend 40 years ago – way cool and worth retelling.

Chapter news:

  • Iota Chapter scholarship report ranks them number one among all fraternities and above the all men’s average. Great work actives!

House:

  • The maintenance fund will provide for a new hot water heater as well as minor up-keep and repairs.

The softball game:

  • Alumni 25 – Actives 5
  • Thanks the Spring Class of 2013 for their impartial call of the game.
  • Cort Greer played first base. And the alums still won 🙂

 

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Ben Aderholt Recognized as Outstanding Adjunct from the University of Houston-Downtown

This news item, like so many, comes from Brother David Wilson, who came across an article about Brother Ben Aderholt in the Texas Bar Journal:

Ben L. Aderholt, a member in Looper, Reed & McGraw, P.C., received the 2012 Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award from the University of Houston-Downtown.  Aderholt has taught a commercial law course at the university for more than a decade.

Congratulations Brother Aderholt!

Alumni Weekend Schedule

As promised, here’s the schedule of events of this weekend, Iota’s 39th Alumni Weekend.

Friday, March 30:

7:00 p.m. – late:  Alumni and Guests Welcome Gathering at the House

Saturday, March 31:
11:00 a.m.: EC Meeting of Active and Alumni
12:00 p.m.:  Lunch
12:30 p.m. General Meeting
1:30 -4:00 p.m.:  Softball Game (played again this year at the Southwest Williamson County Regional Park softball fields, directions from campus here)
5:00 p.m. -8:00 p.m.:  Cook out / fire at booties (burn ban is lifted, its a rare opportunity!)
9:00 p.m. – late: Walburg / House Fun

Sunday, April 1:
Coffee. Donuts. Depart.

See you at the House!

Thomas Randall (“Randy”) Lankford dies at 69

We are saddened to report the passing of Brother Randy Lankford this past Saturday, February 18th, in Galveston, Texas.

As reported in the Galveston Daily News, a Memorial Celebration of Life will be held from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm Saturday, February 25, 2012 at his residence in Galveston.

You can find Randy’s full obituary, a very colorful read, here: http://galvestondailynews.com/story/295126/

Brother Larry Rydell dies at 75

Brother Larry Rydell, a lifelong resident of Williamson County, died today at the age of 75. Larry was a 1960 graduate of Southwestern.

Visitation will be Friday, February 10th from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at Providence Funeral Home in Taylor.  Memorial services will be held Saturday, February 11th at 3:00 P.M. at Hutto Lutheran Church in Hutto.

Editor’s Note: thanks to Brother David Wilson for sharing the news of Brother Rydell’s passing.

A plea from struggling Actives

Greetings Iota Brothers,

We are Douglas Thayer and Stephen Brown, Iota Fall ’10 pledge class, and we’d like to help you with your next technical project. We’re both artistically as well as very technically inclined: Stephen is a third year computer science major with a background in software development and web-design, and Douglas (a senior) is a top-notch graphic designer with experience in a range of print and digital media. Our experience working together closely through the chapter means we can accomplish your project to your specific needs within a reasonable timeframe.
We have a particular reason for appealing to the brothers of Iota for your business – both of us are at Southwestern on a combination of loans and scholarship and are having trouble paying our chapter dues. The proceeds from our work would given entirely to the chapter treasurer in order to pay our dues in full and allow us to remain active members of the chapter. We’re open to any kind of project, but here’s a list of some of the things we do well:

-Web design (personal or business oriented)
-Software development
-Graphic design and corporate Logos
-IT work and computer repair
-Custom computer construction
-Mobile and tablet application development
-Home and business network setup

This list is by no means comprehensive! Our primary goal is to, by any way possible, pay our dues to the chapter and be in good standing. Please contact us if you have any project (technical or not) in mind and we can work it out – we’d be glad to do some landscaping too! We have a portfolio available upon request if you are interested.
We look forward to meeting all of you that we haven’t yet at the 125th next month!
AEKDB

Stephen Brown
4109197945 or browns at southwestern.edu
Douglas Thayer
8057045575 or thayerd at southwestern.edu