Only in the past year have I discovered that Brother Matthew Nelson and I are within 10 miles of one another each day. I work for the University of Minnesota (in St. Paul) and Matt is a student at the University of Minnesota School of Law (in Minneapolis). Being “out of my element” in Minnesota, it is great to have a Lambda Chi Brother to have lunch with.

Matt, we were both in school at the same time, but what years were you in Whitewater and what degree did you earn?

From 1995 until 1999…I earned my Bachelor of Business Administration with a Major in MCS (Management Computer Systems).

And what are you doing now, professionally?

I’m going for my JDMBA at the Business Law School at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.

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The Lambda Chi Alpha North American Food Drive will take place in 180 days from today. That may seem like a long way away, but with the summer days coming and the return of Lambda-Iota to Whitewater, it is sure to sneak up faster than we can imagine.

This year, we will have the Undergraduate Colony to work with on the Food Drive. Last year all of you helped the Alumni Association raise $1150 for the Whitewater Food Pantry, equaling 8,050 pounds of food! That’s pretty awesome for a bunch of guys donating from the comfort of their computer desks!

We are actively seeking volunteers to help brainstorm ideas for area sponsors and other fund raising ideas to help Lambda-Iota’s contribution to the Whitewater Food Pantry pass 10,000 lbs of food. We have some great tools set in place to facilitate these efforts, now we just need YOU to volunteer for some online brainstorming.

Will you help our Brothers with our most important philanthropic event?

If so, please leave a comment on this thread and I will get in touch with you, or contact me (Jeff) via the CONTACT US page.

Our Chapter at UW-Whitewater is well-represented in the May 2008 issue of the Cross & Crescent.

Lambda-Iota is noted in the article Expansion Plan Update, focusing on Lambda Chi Alpha’s expansion plans for the coming years. (See our info listed in the box on the right).

In the Chapter News Section, Brother Nick Schreck and I are highlighted. Nick, for his winning of the 2008 Assistant Division Manager Award from Physicians Mutual; and I am mentioned for my trip to Oklahoma City where I traveled on business and was able to visit the Lambda Chi Chapter at Oklahoma City University.

If you have accomplishments or happenings in your life you would like listed in the Cross & Crescent and/or on our website, please visit the Contact Us page and let us know what you are up to!

From The History of The Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, written by Charles S. Peyser.

Lambda Chi Alpha is a cooperative. We produce a way of life, for ourselves and for those whose lives we touch. Yet, we must never lose sight of the fact that despite our “product” being different, we operate like other organizations. That means budgets, committees, squabbles, and hopefully, successes.

The danger of a cooperative is that they are human organizations and human organizations are subject to human frailties and there are always going to be people in cooperatives who will want to be the “co” part while they let others do the “operating.” Another danger in the cooperative is that its members, when they become successful, are apt to forget the original purposes for which they were organized.

-Murray Lincoln (Massachusetts)

Just a quick posting to let you know that the current LambdaChi.org website is going to be going by the wayside in the coming months. Sources tell me that HQ is currently knee-deep in developing a new website which will focus on easier access to Lambda Chi Alpha info, Cross & Crescent articles and everything Lambda Chi.

I, as a designer, am excited for the new site, as the current one has been in use since I was an undergrad and appears a little dated. Best of luck to the HQ development team with their efforts!

Fans of Saturday Night Live will be pleased to learn that Will Forte is a Lambda Chi Alpha Alum from our UCLA Chapter, Epsilon-Sigma. (The now inactive UCLA Chapter is also home to soccer/football star Cobi Jones.)

From NBC.com
Will Forte is in his sixth season on “Saturday Night Live.”

Forte has appeared in many memorable sketches, most recently taking on the role of President George W. Bush. This past season, Forte showcased his singing talents as an unhinged “Fly High Duluth” band leader with a penchant for chugging Jack Daniels. He’s created lasting characters in “The Falconer” - the once-successful executive who’s mysteriously chosen to live in the woods with his faithful falcon, Donald - and the (very) soft-spoken politician, Tim Calhoun. Forte is also a regular on the show’s recurring “Hardball” sketch as the ranting, vein-popping former Senator Zell Miller.

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Everyone,
It is with great joy that I post this message saying that our return to Whitewater has been cleared on all levels.

The Dean of Students has signed off and given final approval of our return. Lambda Chi Alpha will begin the expansion process this fall, with a professional recruitment team coming to Whitewater for 3 weeks to build our Colony.

Keep tabs on this website to find out more about this important re-colonizing process.

The following is an open invitation to the summer get together, organized by the Class of 1961.

Greetings Brothers,

The date is set and we hope that you will all mark you calendars to attend. The date and location are:

Wednesday July 16
Great Wolf Lodge
Wisconsin Dells

This notice is just to make everyone aware of the date ect. The event will be the same, meet before noon, visit, have lunch, visit and then be on our way.

Every one is invited and last year we had 29 Bros and 17 ladies attend. As of now I have heard from Dave Engen that he will be attending. All of you other non Wis[consin] guys make your return trip to be here for the Lunch.

Please reply with your plans to me and I will keep everyone posted, the more attending will encourage others.

All Brothers are welcome at this luncheon. This includes Delta Kappa, Chi Delta Rho and Lambda Chi Alpha members, everyone. Ladies are welcome as well!

The reply is not a reservation so no cost is incurred, and we do not need reservations so you can come by just showing up.

More details and directions will follow.

Fraternally,
Mike Skogstad 61

Directions to Great Wolf Lodge can be found by using this link (CLICK HERE) and then put in your address.

    

RSVP List (below)
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So, what happens next?

First the Dean of Students needs to approve our return.

Pending that approval, a visit from our International Headquarters Recruiting Team to put together an interest group on campus. The goal is to get a group of 20 men who would be the new base of Lambda Chi Alpha in Whitewater. From there, the Colony Process begins.

When can all of this start?

The Recruitment Team will be on campus starting Sept. 20th, 2008. There are more specific details about the timeline, which will be presented in a future post.

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In a quick phonecall from Brother Mike Easton, it was reported that the presentation before the UW-W Expansion Committee went very well. We are now waiting for final approval, from the Dean of Students, Dr. Tisa Mason.

Many thanks to our Alumni Association President, Martin Hoke for doing such a wonderful job with the presentation.

The presentation to the committee was videotaped and should be available on this website for viewing, very soon.

More details to follow tomorrow…in the meantime, we should all take a moment to think about what each of us can contribute to make the new Colony a success.

Pride, Replacement, Money and Time.

Congratulations to the following Brothers who were the Top 3 finishers in the NCAA March Madness Tournament Challenge:

1) Trent Olsen (AKA: one of my Little Bro’s!) with 132 points (42 of 63 picks correct)

2) CJ Kactro with 122 points (42 of 63 picks correct)

3) Jeff Reisdorfer (me) with 105 points (43 of 63 picks correct)

Trent and CJ will both be awarded a Lambda Chi Alpha t-shirt of their choice from The Chop Shop (www.ChopShopping.com), my Lambda Chi Alpha Apparel shop-site.

Had it not been for that final 3-pointer by Kansas at the end of regulation, the standings would have been much different! Thanks to all of the Brothers who participated in this free contest. Be sure to visit the site regularly to learn of other contests where you can win prizes for free!

Brother Nick Schreck (2001) won the 2008 Assistant Division Manager Award, one of the “Big 5″ awards given out, for his company, Physicians Mutual.

Nick received his award during a ceremony which included being honored with a video documentary of his work accomplishments. The award was presented to Nick at the company’s 2008 convention held in Hawaii on the island of Kauai.

Brother Dave Baumgartner, also a member of the Physicians Mutual family, was on hand for the presentation of Nick’s award.

Congratulations Nick! Be sure to give us all a great quote on insurance when we call on you!

I was in Oklahoma City last week for a conference and was able to visit our Brothers at Theta-Delta at Oklahoma City University. Their house reminded me very much of our house, except that it was made of brick and was only 1 story (and a basement). Other than that, it was pretty much like being back in Whitewater. Many thanks to Chapter President Matt Schultz for taking the time to give me tour of the house.

(*Note: My apologies for blurry photos…my flash wasn’t working as well as I had hoped. I was told that the house had not been cleaned since Sunday evening, which explains the disarray of the living room/hallway).

	The front of the Oklahoma City University House
	A mosaic tiled Lambda Chi Alpha greets all those who enter the house

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I was an undergrad when Kevin Shumate joined us as a member of Lambda Chi Alpha. Having been a transfer student who was an upper-classman, Kevin had many unique ideas and experiences he brought with him. His efforts and attitudes towards the Fraternity came full circle when he took on the roll as Chapter President in Fall of 2000. I am very excited to have gotten an interview from this somewhat-elusive Lambda Chi…enjoy!

Kevin, where did you attend college?

Before coming to Whitewater I was at UW-Madison for 2 years and then 3 years at Whitewater.

And what degree did you attain?

BS in Geography

What are you doing now, professionally?

I work for the federal government in Virginia- here is me in a dunk tank putting your tax dollars to work
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I believe a good deal of stress should be put upon Lambda Chi Alpha Day. Morale is greatly stimulated by wholesome sentiment. Such sentiment is stimulated by anniversary speeches. We stand for something. Let us unite and say so.
…
Lambda Chi Alpha Day is a day upon which articulate expression is to be given as to what the Fraternity stands for, and recognition is to be given to all those who have made it what it is, and any time in its history, before, at, or after that particular anniversary.

John E. Mason - September 26, 1931

(Source: The Cross & Crescent-March, 2007)

If you have items you would like to have archived, be it Yearbooks, Fraternal antiquities, Membership Badges, please use the Contact Us page to send me, Jeff, an email about your item(s) and I will provide you the address to send them to.

Our goal is to keep items for a running history of our organization throughout it’s tenure at UW-Whitewater. From the creation of Beta Kappa Nu in 1929, to Chi Delta Rho, Delta Kappa, back to Chi Delta Rho and finally Lambda Chi Alpha…we feel it is important to preserve our history and share it with all of our Brothers, friends and the University. The men of our organization have contributed so much to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and to one another. We do this to recognize our combined effotrs and contributions.
…
Many thanks to Delta Kappa Brother Dwane Kamla of Janesville, WI.

Dwane has recently supplied the Fraternity Archive with color copies of the Whitewater Minneiska Yearbooks from 1953-1959, specifically the covers and all pages mentioning Delta Kappa.

A letter from Brother Tom Boelk.

As you all know, I stepped down as High Pi (Fraternity Advisor) after serving for many years.

I found it very rewarding, but thought it was time for new leadership as we make the transition to recolonize Whitewater. So, I am happy to announce that Brother Nick Weisensel will be stepping up to be the next High Pi for the Lambda-Iota Chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha. Nick attended the Winter Leadership Conference in January 2008 and has been working hard to learn as much as he can to assist the new colony. This will become official as soon as we recolonize and fill out some paperwork, but please join me in congratulating Nick on taking on this important role. I know he will do a great job and I will continue to help him in whatever way I can and hope all alumni will do the same. It’s a very rewarding role, but one that works best with support from all the alumni.

Tom Boelk
Lambda-Iota 269

Having taken advantage of Google’s newest selection of tools for Organizations, we are now offering the following for all of our Members:

You need to email me (or Fuzz) to get set up with an account. Use the Contact Us Page (in the right hand navigation to email me) or email me (chopper744@uwwlca.com) to get an account set up for yourself. You can also just comment on this thread and I will get in touch with you.

..You can always find a link to Chopper Apps in the right-hand navigation, using this button:

Here’s a photo I dug up from “The Badger”, the official University of Wisconsin (Madison) yearbook. It’s a 1969 entry for Lambda Chi Alpha’s Alpha-Beta Chapter. The Chapter was removed from campus in 1968…yet they managed to gain entry to the college yearbook the following year.

The entry that goes with the photo reads:

National expose’s have drive the Mafia underground, only to reemerge by infiltration of such a fine, upstanding, high-principled, God-fearing group as the Lambda Chi Alpha’s. Whether wearing sunglasses or standing symbolocally behind a barred window, these fellows fit right in at the annual Casino party. In order to keep up a good front, they’ve even taken to playing football, basketball, softball, badmitton, and organizing entertainment for inmates of Central Colony in the spring. Still, it does look a little odd when they all stay indoors ever St. Valentine’s Day.

Did you know that Lambda Chi Alpha used to have an Official Fez? Check out this great photo featuring the fez(es) from the 1915 General Assembly in Philadelphia where some Lambda Chi All-Stars are shown.

Can you name anyone in this photo? If so, comment on this post, leave their name and location in the photo.