Our "Homecoming 2024" luncheon was a great event with a good turnout. Almost all of the 19 candidates joined us in the beautiful setting of the student-run restaurant at the Collins College of Hospitality Management. There was plenty of time to mingle before lunch, a chance to meet and talk with the candidates one-on-one, time to catch up with old friends, and time afterwards to hang out and have a beer at Innovation Brew Works.
For those of you who were there, tell your brothers who weren't that they missed out. For those of you who missed it, please join us next time. The more the merrier, and especially for us older guys, don't let these chances run out.
Fifteen or sixteen of the nineteen candidates were there and spread out to different tables. They were able to meet and chat with the many alumni who were there, and we with them.
KAPPA GAMMA NEWS
Vice President Jordan Wu (S96; EC 00-01) briefed us on the status of the Kappa Gamma re-establishment.
One of the highlights was hearing from Kappa Gamma's recently elected Commander, Bruno Mendez, a 3rd yr Finance major (at the lectern. above), who gave a great and very enthusiastic report on the progress they are making.
Bruno (above L) also gave special thanks to Chaysen Babcock, the Sigma Nu staffer that has been on campus this semester in charge of the the recruiting efforts, working with Vice President Jordan Wu and the Alumni Advisory Board and teaching the candidates how to establish and build the colony, with a goal of re-issuance of the Kappa Gamma charter next year sometime.
PRESIDENTS "VISION FOR THE FUTURE"
President Jack Carlino (F67), made comments reviewing the progress our fraternity alumni group has made in the past few years--organizing ourselves by incorporating and having a real structure and legal existence, re-building our connections to the Cal Poly administration, strengthening our brotherhood with the creation of a website that allows for better communication, building and improving our scholarship fund (the "Legacy Fund," close to $90K now earning money at Sigma Nu Educational Foundation) and working to re-establish the Kappa Gamma chapter at Cal Poly.
Jack also emphasized that this year there is a heightened need for brothers to get involved and help.
- The Kappa Gamma colony will want a house at some point, and we will have a role in helping them to find that house as a place to meet, have events and grow the brotherhood among our new young actives, all enhancing Sigma Nu's status and success at Cal Poly.
- Organizationally, there is a need for 5 directors this year.
- Next year the terms of the initial set of 4 officers (who are chosen by our directors and will "term out" next year) will expire and replacements will be needed.
Jack urged brothers to join in and get more involved at the committee and director levels to keep our brotherhood alive at both the active and alumni levels and continue our alumni gathering tradition of over a half a century--especially since there will be a big transition next year. Jack introduced all the officers and directors and asked anyone who wants to get involved to reach out to any of them.
FLAMMAE CUSTOS AWARDS
In keeping with the comments by Jack about the progress made and the transitions to come, the "Flammae Custos" awards at our luncheon this year reflected the transition that is underway from colony to chapter, with other transitions to come for our Kappa Gamma colony and for our alumni group.
Flammae Custos means "keeper of the flame," and it is awarded to brothers who have gone above and beyond to keep our spirit of brotherhood alive. As all of you should know, the award, named for Father Jerome Cummings (Honorary 66; CE 97), a young priest assigned to Pomona after graduating from LMU, where he loved being in a fraternity, and completing the seminary. He was made an honorary brother of Pi Sigma Chi and later single-handedly started in the 1970s our tradition of annual gatherings of alumni. Father Cummings taught those of us from that era to cherish our relationships and stay in touch. The award is considered to be the highest honor we can confer as alumni.
There were an unprecedented four "Flammae Custos" honorees this year, and each of them was absolutely deserving. Those four represent a transition from the Pi Sigma Chi era to the Sigma Nu era in that two of them, Larry Hurst (F62; Hon. Theta) [4th from L] and Mike Groener
(S66) [far L] were from the 1960s and two of them, Juan Lopez
(F78/KG#1 82; EC 81-82) [2nd from R] and Brian Rheinhardt
(F79/SN82) ]far R], were "THE GUYS" who were most instrumental in Pi Sigma Chi becoming the Kappa Gamma chapter of Sigma Nu, doing the work for Kappa Gamma to receive its charter in 1982.
- Mike went out of his way to keep us together after many of us in the 1960s graduated. He opened his home to many a party, including this one in this photo below, with Father Cummings and yours truly at the top left, Treasurer Steve Yoss (S66) facing the camera, and over his left shoulder Denis Kurutz (W66, Hon. Kappa; CE 20), and over his right shoulder Clark Nicholson (W66; Hon. Mu). Those gatherings, small and large, and there were a lot them, kept us together before the annual luncheons started. And in the years since Mike has been a supporter and a regular attendee when he was not across the country.
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Larry, in addition to being one of our outstanding Presidents in the Pi Sigma Chi era, has probably been to more of our events than anyone. He also enjoys a game of golf and probably has not missed many of our tournaments. And for many years, Larry, as a Catholic Deacon, officiated at many ceremonies for brothers that were happy, like weddings and baptisms, and those that were sad, like a number of memorial services for brothers who went to Chapter Eternal. For so many years Larry has filled a critical role in keeping our flame of brotherhood alive.
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Juan and others, including Brian, had the foresight in 1980-81 to see what the future held. The reality was that none of the local fraternities (Pi Sigma Chi being the first, followed by several others that lasted into the early 1980s) were going to survive the arrival of national fraternities at Cal Poly Pomona. And in fact, there are no local fraternities at Cal Poly today. And all the local fraternities that did not go national simply died. But, despite resistance by a few brothers, Juan and Brian led our fraternity in its transition to Sigma Nu, receiving its charter in 1982. In other words, maybe more than anyone else, they quite literally kept our brotherhood alive. And of course, before our alumni groups joined forces some years ago, Juan was very active in keeping the brotherhood alive among Sigma Nu era brothers. And in the last few years Juan has been active in PSC-SN Legacy, Inc., participating in events, serving as a Director and organizing events as Chair of our Events Committee.
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Brian embodies the spirit of brotherhood that makes our fraternity so special. He was side-by-side with Juan in keeping our fraternity flame of brotherhood burning by helping to lead his Pi Sigma Chi brothers to become Sigma Nus. In addition, Brian has served for many years on what was our "Legacy Board" (now our "Legacy Fund Committee") to raise money for scholarships. He still serves on that committee and he has been a regular and generous supporter of the Legacy Fund. He also serves currently on the Alumni Advisory Board, advising and guiding our candidates. If you have ever asked, you know that Brian has one answer when you ask him if he can help with something. It is, "Just tell me what you need me to do!"
The photo above includes all of the Flammae Custos honorees who were at the luncheon. As you can see, everyone but Jordan Wu is wearing an "RJ." Juan and Brian, in RJs but also being Sigma Nus, are representative of one transition--and were deservedly honored. Jordan was instrumental in the transition that united our alumni and has done much more--and was deservedly honored for all that he has done and continues to do.
In years to come, those who have been, are, and will be, keeping the flame of our brotherhood burning, eventually even some of the candidates who were with us at the luncheon and will graduate and join us as alumni, will be honored and join in similar photos--hopefully for many years to come.
CHAPTER ETERNAL
When we have meetings like our luncheon, or when we attend a memorial service for a brother who has passed, our tradition is to remember and honor our brothers who have passed away and to sing a version of a drinking song from the earliest days of Pi Sigma Chi.
"Chapter Eternal" is a term we have learned from our Sigma Nu-era brothers and embraced. At our luncheon last Friday, Juan Lopez introduced another tradition that helps us to remember and think about those with whom we became brothers. Juan arranged for a small table, with a single setting, a white rose and a red carnation, a Sigma Nu flag and, for our united alumni group, a Pi Sigma Chi RJ.
It was the first time we have done this, and it was a very touching scene.
Sadly, we lost six brothers since we last had an opportunity to gather and honor those who have passed. There names and photos were on the handout for those who attended --
Like always, it was a sad and solemn minute or two when we saw their faces on a big screen, remembered them, and then sang our song.
It was even sadder on Friday, because we had learned just hours earlier that Robert Marshall (F66), one of our Flammae Custos honorees last year, had passed away in the early hours that day after a very tough, up and down, two-year fight with cancer.
May all our departed brothers rest in peace!
The lessons in all this may be that:
- we are incredibly fortunate to have experienced the relationships we enjoyed so much during our college days;
- we are blessed to be able to help others--actives and alumni--enjoy those same experiences and relationships;
- we are blessed to continue those relationships through the years we have beyond college; and
- we should enjoy sharing time together whenever we have those opportunities.
In Brotherhood,
John Vandevelde, Secretary
