2009 was a banner year for Theta Chi, Chico State

1st floor and basement renovated, sprinkler system installed, refinance of old 11% APR mortgage, Greek Week winners, top rush numbers, unprecedented alumni involvement, revival of the “Eta Omegaphone” newsletter. The chapter and the alumni organization are running on all cylinders.

We have bigger goals for 2010 and beyond

Despite all of the hard work and good fortune we will not stop until the Theta Chi house at 630 W 5th Street is completely restored. We’re half way there, but we need your help to finish the job.

Plans for phase 2 of the house remodel

We already have architectural plans for the 2nd and final phase of the chapter house remodel. Now we just need to raise the funds for the work…and we can do it with your small $19.81 donation when you join the “1981 Club”.

Join the “1981 Club”

Pledge a recurring donation of $19.81 per month (in honor of the founding of the chapter in 1981), and become a member of the new “1981 Club” – and help move us one step closer to fully restoring the chapter house.

The 1981 Club is makes it easy for you to make a small donation automatically by credit card each month. You just sign up once…set it, and forget it

If 500 alumni sign up for the 1981 Club we could pay for the 2nd phase of the house remodel in cash after about 2 years. That’s our goal. Click to join: http://www.etaomega.org/donate/1981-club/

What the money is for?

We will complete the much needed renovation of Eta Omega’s chapter house in Chico. The downstairs (phase 1) renovation, completed in 2009 was funded by a loan from Theta Chi Headquarters. To pay for the rest of the renovation (estimated to be about $250,000) we have to raise the money up front. We cannot afford to borrow this money – we must raise it ourselves.

How will my small donation help?

This small contribution is probably less than you spend on coffee in a week – definitely less than you spend on beer. Yet if only 200 brothers join the 1981 Club, we will raise nearly $50,000 in just over 12 months. If enough brothers sign up we could pay for this renovation in cash in just 30 months. Don’t wait for “someone else” to take care of this. The chapter’s success rests in your hands. Take a few seconds to sign up online with your credit or debit card, and you’re done. That’s it.

The first members of the 1981 Club

To demonstrate our absolute commitment to this effort, every member of the Eta Omega Alumni Board joined the “1981 Club” back in January. After just 3 months we have raised over $475 by ourselves.

• J. Reither – F’95
• T. Hyatt – F’93
• P. Smith – F’03
• E. Stone – F’89
• B. Davis – F’82
• M. Geenen – F’80
• T. Ticen – F’97
• W. Shoffner – F’00
• Be the next member: http://etaomega.org/donate/1981-club/

These eight brothers are a start

But again, we can’t achieve our goal without you. We must have full participation. Click the link above and join these brothers who have already made their commitment to Theta Chi, Eta Omega.

Pledge class competition

Oh yeah…we’ll be periodically announcing which pledge classes have signed up the most members. DFYPB!

UPDATE (3/16/2010): Spring ‘96 is off to a good start – two brothers from that pledge class (C. Boden and D. Campbell) signed up before we even announced this campaign

Thank you for your continued involvement and support.

Fraternally,
Your Eta Omega Alumni Volunteer Leadership

Eta Omega has over 700 initiates since we were first became a chapter back in 1982. But having all those initiates is meaningless unless each and every alumnus participates in the betterment of the fraternity as a whole. That is why I am asking each and every one of you who reads this email to go online and make a minimum pledge of $10 to the Foundation Chapter of Theta Chi Fraternity. 

As many of you may already know we are in the planning stages of a major renovation of the house.  The funding for this huge effort will be made possible through a loan from Theta Chi.  Without their assistance a loan of this size would be next to impossible to obtain.

We are only as strong as our weakest link…

Sound familiar? This begins with you. As part of this renovation there is a strategic plan within Eta Omega to increase alumni participation and elevate our presence within the national fraternity. With a minimum $10 donation you will receive a subscription to the Rattle and your name will  be placed among your Eta Omega brothers who donated in the fall edition of the Rattle when they list the donors by chapter. The focus is not on amount but on participation.  Our goal this year is to get 5% of our alumni to donate to Theta Chi. That is only 35 brothers. I know we will exceed that goal. Action is the key to the success of Eta Omega. The participation of each brother who reads this is key to us achieving this participation goal.

Learn how to donate at http://www.etaomega.org/donate

Also See: IHQ Fundraising Letter 2009 (PDF)

[Ed Stone - Fundraising Committee Chairman]

The alumni task force that was initially focusing on fundraising has shifted to evaluating our options regarding how to update/upgrade or even totally re-build the house. One of our best options might be to apply for a housing loan and a life safety loan from National. But to do that we’ve got to get our ducks in a row and submit an application this Spring. Basic items we’re trying to put together for the application include:

• New blueprints / plans (looking for an architect to help with this)
• Historical significance study (make sure we’re not restricted in terms of the types of changes we can make to the house)
• Financial records (we have good record keeping, and are in good shape here)
• Projected rent revenue, assuming 75%-80% capacity, sustained chapter size of 60 or so (we have to be able to cover the mortgage)
• Capital campaign plans / alumni donations (we need regular annual donations from alumni, and a regular campaign to collect them)

We can always use an extra hand when it comes to preparing this documentation for the loan – especially from guys who have architectural or construction experience. Contact us if you can help.

Oh yeah – about that $3.7 Million chapter house. Here it is:

You can see more photos of this house on the Auburn Theta Chi webiste (http://www.authetachi.org).

• Shane Pickett (S’87)
• Poul Willerup (F’89)
• Tyler Ticen (F’97)
• Brian Alt (F’98)

Update (7/25): A couple more guys stepped up recently…

• David Scotto (S’87)
• Ed Stone (F’89)

Way to go guys – thank you. Every dollar is going to pay off the re-roofing project that was just completed. But we still have a long way to go.

Time for everyone else to chip in. When we receive checks, we’ll give credit on this site, too.

Here’s the e-mail newsletter, by the way (minus all the fancy photos)…

Eta Omega Chapter Update
July 2008: Keeping the Momentum

Brothers, 

In 2007 we collected over $30,000 from alumni and celebrated our 25th anniversary. A dozen house projects including a complete remodel of the back cottage were completed. Meanwhile the active chapter had the highest rush numbers among all fraternities at Chico. Despite all the success we are not resting until the job is done. Theta Chi deserves a house worthy of its history and reputation at Chico State.

Big Goals More Achievable Than Ever
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The alumni corporation has embarked on the process of conducting a feasibility study to determine the cost of a total house remodel. The goal of this remodel is to gut the house and start from scratch. This would involve redesigning the interior to create an environment specifically tailored to the needs of our undergraduate brothers. Currently, actives view living in the house as a sacrifice. Our beloved house is significantly below par with regard to standard living conditions around the campus. Our objective is to make the Theta Chi house competitive housing where “living in the house” is coveted by the actives as well as profitable for the chapter. At the completion of this plan we should have increased capacity as well the ability to charge more competitive rates for rent while providing a living situation unlike any other on campus. However this endeavor will cost over $300,000. In order to do this we need your support.

Incredible Alumni Support
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Since 1982 Eta Omega has initiated over 700 members. Let me say that again, 700 members. We have the highest number of initiates of any Theta Chi chapter since 1982 and more than any chapter established back to 1972. This is unprecedented. That level of success inspires many to volunteer their time and resources towards our continued success. Like Jeremy Reither, who spent hundreds of hours in 2007 planning and executing last year’s alumni fundraiser and 25th anniversary celebration. Like Erick Sondeno and Jim Hull who worked countless hours managing the remodel of the back cottage. There are many others who could be listed as donating their time to keeping Eta Omega’s doors open. None of these individuals could have done this without those who made financial contributions.

Eta Omega Has Something Others Don’t 
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The Chico Greek culture has undergone numerous changes and challenges since many of us left campus. There have been a number of chapters who have come and gone. Chapters that have either died out or had their charters revoked include TKE, Delta Sigma Phi, Beta Theta Pi, Lambda Chi Alpha, ZBT, Pi Beta Phi, and Pi Kappa Phi. There are some new houses on campus including Sigma Pi, Alpha Delta Phi, Alpha Phi, Sigma Chi, and Kappa Sigma (in process of colonizing). The reason I point this out is that some of the closed chapters were once strong and now they no longer exist. Those that folded all had one thing in common; they each lacked alumni involvement.

Those of us involved with the fraternity in our postgraduate years have learned that many if not all of the strong chapters nationwide have continued success due not to their location on campus or their Greek Cup standings but from the strength of their alumni. Alumni play a pivotal role in guiding, mentoring, supporting, and assisting the undergraduates in the management of many aspects of the house corporation.

What Kind of Alumni Are You? 
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Continued success is having a model for others to follow. What kind of alumni would you have liked while an undergraduate?  You have the opportunity to be that person and be a part of something truly great.  A donation today is the way to start.
 
Funds raised this summer will put us one step closer to a house fitting the Eta Omega chapter, specifically, a new roof and rain gutters. The work is already underway, in anticipation of donations to help pay for it.
 
I am asking each and every one of you who receive this letter to be a part of Eta Omega history and contribute today. Every man counts and no donation is too small.  ”We are only as strong as our weakest link” could not be truer as alumni today than when you pledged. Please send the most generous gift you can, as soon as possible…and forward this newsletter to your pledge brothers!

How You Can Help: 

Make a pledge online at www.etaomega.org/donate/
                -OR-
Mail a check, payable to ‘Theta Chi Alumni’ to:

                Theta Chi Alumni
                c/o: Jeremy Reither
                2269 Chestnut Street, #907
                San Francisco, CA  94123

Fraternally,
Ed Stone (F’89) – Alumni Fundraising Chairman

Quick Links…
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EtaOmega.org (the official Alumni website)
Donate Online
January 2008 Newsletter
Join the Alumni OX List (165 members strong)

Fundraising Board Members
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Ed Stone  (F’89) – Alumni Fundraising Chairman
Mark Geenen (F’80) 
Brian D. (F’82)
Tyler T. (F’97)
Jeremy Reither (F’95) – Alumni Treasurer

1. Ed Stone
2. Mark Geenen
3. Brian D.
4. Tyler T.

If you’d like to help out, contact the group at: alum.fundraiser@etaomega.org

• April’s Active/Alumni work weekend at the House was a success, and on a shoestring budget. All funds were donated by alumni. Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/reither/tags/20080330/
• EtaOmega.org website went down because Esposto was the administrator, and he moved to the Bay Area. Obviously it’s back up now…brand new design.
• Our finances/books needed attention – they were all still paper-based until this year. Everything has been migrated to QuickBooks now.
• We found a new CPA in Stockton to file our taxes (charges $500, but says he can eliminate some fees that we currently owe)
• New Chapter President (Adam Shea) and his exec are working to get 16 leases signed for 2008/2009.

CURRENT:

• Got volunteers (Ed Stone, Mark Geenen, Brian D., and Tyler T.) to help out with Alumni Fundraising.
• Priority summer project is to fix the house roof and gutters to prevent further leaking.
  • Brian Flournoy is heading this and donating all materials.
  • We still need to raise money to pay for the labor…which is estimated at $25,000 – please donate to the House Fund if you can.