Brother Matthew Kenneth Jones

Friends and Brothers,

We wanted to share the news of the passing of Brother Matt Jones, who died after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Below is an excerpt from and a link to the obituary from the “The Daily Sentinel” of Nacogdoches.

Matthew Kenneth Jones was born in St. Louis, Missouri on Sept. 21, 1967 and made the journey to his eternal home on June 29, 2007, following an eight-year battle with a Glioblastoma Multiforme 4. Matt passed away in the peace and comfort of his home in Nacogdoches, where he resided for the majority of his life. Matt enjoyed life immensely and maintained his enthusiasm and zest even throughout his lengthy battle…

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to M.D. Anderson, The American Cancer Society, or The Juvenile Diabetes Association, St. Jude’s, MS Association of Seattle.

Extreme Makeover: Sig House Edition

Brothers,

The brothers of Iota are heading to the fraternity house for back-to-back work weekends, July 7th and 14th. Our beloved house needs help.

Among our intended goals are:

1) Floor repair, along with sealing

2) Prime and paint staircase

3) Paint ALL interior walls including all upstairs bedrooms

4) Install laminates on bathroom walls

5) Install new bathroom vanities

6) Build shelves in Zeke’s closet and wherever else needed

7) Replace non-working or broken door locks-interior and exterior

8 ) Replace light fixtures and ceiling fans if necessary

9) Assess exterior doors for possible replacement

10) Trim rear hedges to match front hedge height

11) Trim trees, sod where needed

12) Pressure wash all sidewalks,deck and needed parts of house

13) Discard leftover articles from closets and bedrooms

14) General clean-up of house and yard

To accomplish all the things on this list, it will take man power and
money. As previously mentioned in the first newsletter, available
funds have been designated for specific projects. We need donations
for the work weekends as soon as possible in order to purchase the
needed supplies. Send your donations ASAP to the alumni association,
the address listed below.

We have a new stainless steel commercial stove on the way, thanks to
previous donations. New shower doors, and toilet partitions, are
waiting to be installed. Completed projects include: fixing the
horrendous plumbing problems, installation of new upstairs showers
and toilets, bathroom sheet rocking and texturing, and repairing the
kitchen stove hood vent to meet code.

Anyone coming to these weekends is encouraged to bring paint supplies
(rollers, brushes, pans, etc) or tools that might help with the above
list. Below are the committee heads and their contact email addresses.
Below that, are the committed workers that we have heard from thus
far. Some that could not make either weekend have volunteered to come
later to follow up and finish any needed work. If you plan on
attending one or more dates, respond to this email so we can put you
on the list and get an accurate head count.

As we approach the weekends, an email will be sent out notifying
everyone of the various details. Unless you plan on sleeping in a
construction site, go to the Southwestern Web site for a list of area
hotels. S.U. Alumni get discounts at some hotels. Georgetown hosts
many sports events, so rooms go quickly. The advice is to do it now.

Check your email for committe head information, or contact Iota Scribe to be added to the newsletter list.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Send donations to: Iota Chapter Alumni Association
10400 Westoffice, Suite 114
Houston, Texas 77042

Now get on the phone or computer and contact your worthless pledge
brothers and re-live a little of your own Kappa Sigma History.

AEKDB
The Work Weekend Crew

Swing a hammer for Kappa Sigma! Come Alumni and Actives!

A note from Brother Erik Harpst:

How long has it been since you have lifted a paint brush or swung a hammer for Kappa Sigma? Well that’s too long!!

We have planned a face lift of the Iota Chapter’s beloved Sig House to complete the 2007 renovations. On July 7 and July 14, alumni and active members will be working to restore its overall condition. This will take dedicated workers, materials and money. Among the needed work is painting, floor repair, door repair/replacement, door lock replacement, hedge trimming, carpentry repair, landscaping, bathroom construction, pressure washing, general repair and clean up. We are getting committee members that will be in charge of certain projects. They will be gathering workers on certain dates to get their projects completed.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have donated thus far, especially those who have given large donations. These funds have been wisely spent on much needed plumbing and kitchen repairs ($6000). Other funds are earmarked for up coming expenses such as the floor, bathroom stalls, shower doors, etc. We need funding for our upcoming work weekends. If you are unable to make it to Georgetown , show your support by donating to the much needed funds. If you can do both, as many will do, a sincere AEKDB to you.

In the coming days or weeks you will receive information with committee member’s names and contact information. Each committee member will be responsible for organizing their project, including getting the needed supplies to the house for the job and coming up with a head count. Many volunteers will be needed for the painting committee.

Our fraternity house will be 50 years old in 2010. It has served us well and we have many memories, both happy and sad, of our days within those limestone walls. Most of us would not trade those memories for anything in the world. Let’s give our house the respect it deserves and bring it back to it’s former glory.

AEKDB

Erik Harpst, 1970

 

Benjamin Ramirez, Active GM
ramirezb(at)southwestern(dot)edu
512-775-1351
Georgetown

Erik Harpst, Weekend Commander
loeran(at)aol(dot)com
Sugar Land

Danny Middlebrooks
DanMiddlebrooks(at)targaresources(dot)com
Houston

Blake Stanford, Alumni President
blake(at)swhuman(dot)org
Austin

Marshal Crenshaw, Alumni Advisor
marshal_crenshaw(at)hotmail(dot)com
Austin

Jonathan Goodman, Alumni VP & Scribe
jgoodman(at)hrmarketer(dot)com
Fort Worth

Alumni Association Plans for Summer Work Weekend

What better way to spend a Central Texas summertime weekend than by grabbing those dusty coveralls, picking up your PB or local Iota brother in the SUV and heading on over to G-town to spend a weekend with Alums and Actives getting sweaty and knocking out some much needed work on the House?

Committees are forming to address specific projects (painting, yard, kitchen, floors, doors, bathrooms) and the dates are being set now. Follow the link below to tell us when dates you’re free and willing to particpate.

http://www.pollmonkey.com/p.asp?U=9207438310

We hope to see you this summer!

New Website

I think I can speak for everybody when I say that Jeff has done a fantastic job with the new site, so Jeff, thank you very much. I will start spreading the word about it and getting people to register, so if you’re reading this and you have not yet registered, do so, it takes only a minute or two.

Ben

Alumni Association Update

An excerpt from the Fall Alumni Newsletter: 

Alumni dues are akin to SU’s annual giving, or a public radio fundraising campaign, and like every other non-profit, the Iota Alumni Association fundraising goes to support operating costs for our fraternity, of which we all still derive great benefit.

Operating costs pay for the following in priority order:

  1. Loan repayment
  2. House repairs (Next up: stove, vent hood, and plumbing)
  3. Homecoming and Alumni weekends
  4. Scholarship and rush

We spent many years fundraising in a “crisis environment” and we still need to make the shift toward fundraising in a “normal” environment for simple fi scal and operational health.

Membership dues averaged $158 per alumni last year with gifts ranging from the minimum of $60 to $5,000.

Recent Financial History:

  • Summer 2003: Iota Alumni Association took out a 15 year note of $150,000 at 5.5% interest per annum from Southwestern University for House improvements including, but not limited to kitchen, deck, floor, windows, fire alarm and security.
  • 2004: More than 110 alumni and friends contributed in $15 to $5,000 contributions.
  • 2005: More than 70 alumni contributed in $25 to $5,000.
  • Fall 2006: Our first scholarship of approximately $1000 is granted for this fall semester for Robert Atkinson, a sophomore active from San Diego. The next scholarship awarded should be for approximately $3000
  • Fall 2006: Several alumni and an alumni pledge class paid dues for three Active brothers who were unable to pay. This enabled the Active Chapter to be 100% prepaid for the entire semester (dues and rent) for the first time in history.
  • Beyond 2007, what’s the picture for long-term financial stability?

Please join the Iota Alumni Association today by sending in a check or contact:

Charles Bedard
24 Greenway Plaza Suite 440
Houston, TX 77046
bedard at ephorgroup dot com
512.797.6786

Scholarship Report: Alumni Association President Blake Stanford

Dear Brothers,

Many of you have supported the Iota Chapter and Southwestern University in many ways over the years. As your Alumni Association President, I am pleased to report the fruits of our effort and the first Southwestern Greek endowed scholarship fund.

Through the effort of Friends and Brothers, the fund was initiated in the spring of 2005 and now totals $59,044. Our first scholarship of approximately $1000 was granted for this fall semester for Robert Atkinson, a sophomore Kappa Sigma active from San Diego, California. The next scholarship awarded should be for approximately $3000.

The Kappa Sigma Iota Endowed Scholarship Fund is a permanent endowment fund established by our Chapter’s Alumni Association for the benefit of Active members of the Fraternity. Iota Chapter University students in good standing and demonstrating the highest levels of academic excellence and leadership in the University are eligible for the annual scholarship awards. This is truly a new and unique way to assist its members with their University education, promote the Active Chapter on campus, and support your Alma Mater.

Many brothers have expressed a desire to give to the Chapter through a tax deductible donation. This is your chance. Please lend your financial support to this endeavor, and take this opportunity to make your donation to this worthy endeavor. If you are already giving gifts to the University, please designate them towards the Fund by noting this designation on your check.

When remitting your check, please make payable to: “Southwestern University – Kappa Sigma Endowed Fund”. Also, please check with your employer for availability of matching funds towards your personal, tax deductible gift. If you have any questions, please contact me personally at home (512-452-5260), work (512-467-7916) or via email, blake at swhuman dot org. Our contact person at Southwestern University, Kent Huntsman, Associate Vice President for Development, can be
reached at 512-863-6511. or by by writing to his attention at P.O. BOX 770, Georgetown, TX 78627-0770.

The Board of Directors of the Iota Alumni Association urges you to show your support for Kappa Sigma now. Remember – “Not for a day, an hour, or a college term only, but for LIFE”.

AEKDB,
Blake Stanford
President, Iota Alumni Association

Homecoming Fall 2006

Over 108 brothers attended this year’s Homecoming and the celebration of our 120th anniversary making it the most well attended Iota gathering since Centennial. Brothers came from as far away as California (Neil Ormond, Tim Stapleton and Thad Davis) to Colorado (Roger Davidson) to D.C. (Tyson Hinds) to Montana (Bob Blair) and from all around Texas (Jesse Blalock from Kingwood, Robert Barton from Kerrville, and Billy Davis from Georgetown).

Festivities included a poker tournament, champagne toast, and awards reception. And a little partying. Over 210 people attended the afternoon reception including Southwestern offi cials such as President Schrum, Iota actives, alumni, family and friends. A solemn and heartfelt moment occurred with a reading of passed brothers and moment of silence. Matt Barnes’ lineage project got off to a great start and will be unveiled at Alum Weekend 2007.

A big thanks to Bruce Barrick and Erik Harpst for planning a phenomenal Homecoming and 120th Anniversary. We look forward to a huge turnout at Alumni Weekend March 30th – April Fool’s Day when the Alumni lay the smack down on the actives in the annual Active/Alumni softball game.

Video of a skit written by Kevin Jones and Beau Henry and performed during the festivities is available here: