Slideshow of photos from “work in progress”:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/reither/sets/72157621963800052/show/

Check back for more pics as the work progresses. The house will be ready for move-in by August 15, but finishing work will continue into the fall semester…so it’ll be a little while before it’s all polished.

This is how we’re using the funds:

• Payoff existing 11% mortgage (yes, 11%) from Gary Foster and 5th & Ivy Partners: ~$175,000
• Life safety repairs (including foundation leveling, new doors & locks, sprinklers, fire alarms, rain gutters, etc.): ~$65,000
• Remodel 1st Floor interior and some exterior (including full kitchen, functional living room, real dining room (red and white room), new windows and doors, remodel 1st floor bedrooms and bathrooms and (this is pretty cool) extending the main staircase to the basement: ~$230,000

Here’s the catch: we obviously have to pay this money back…it’s a loan, not a grant. Overall our monthly expenses will go up about 50%…so we raised dues and rent accordingly for the chapter this year so that we (they) can afford the new higher loan payments.

Why remodel only the interior of the 1st floor?

Because (1) tht is the area that needed the most love and (2) this loan wouldn’t afford us much more than that. The plan is to start a fundraising campaign and raise enough from alumni to cover a some of the rest of the work on the 2nd floor, attic, basement, and exterior. It may be a 2- or 3-phase project when it’s all said and done…but the plan is to re-do the whole house within the next 5 years. We are relying heavily on alumni donations to help us fund phase 2 of the remodel – hopefully to start in or around 2012: Donations Appreciated

Props:

There are a lot of guys that deserve credit for getting this loan approved, organizing the contractors, and just generally seeing this project through, but the one guy who stuck it out when the alumni board was losing steam, held things together, assembled a new board, and continues to donate time and effort to the cause is Tom Hyatt. No way would this be happening without him. Big thanks to Jereme Grinslade of Theta Chi’s Norwich Housing Board and the guys at Chico Home Improvement as well.

We need one or two volunteers to go! As soon as we get a volunteer we’ll update this page and let you know. Right now we’re still looking.

If you can spare a few hours of your Saturday, please…

Register to Attend

We’ll even reimburse your $20 registration fee. Just contact us to let us know you registered.

Eta Omega Alumni Update – Jan 2009

We’re Going Big 

Here it is – your annual e-newsletter, with updates from all the key players in the Eta Omega Alumni Board, the Active Exec, and “members at large.” Catch up on 2008, then tune in and chip in for a huge 2009.

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Alumni Prez Update  

The House Needs More than a Facelift

It’s been another successful year for the Chapter and the Alumni Association. We continue to build upon our successes and strive to achieve higher standards of excellence in the Community and in the eyes of the Theta Chi, National Fraternity. The chapter has come full circle since the re-organization, and we’re now working toward a total house re-model in 2009.

The ball is already rolling with the House Improvement Project. This plan has been discussed, as most of you know, for several years now, but the Chapter and the Alumni Groups are finally in positions where we have to move forward. It’s time to stop applying the band-aids to the house. In other words, pending loan approval, we are going to rebuild the fraternity house inside and out.

Brother Jeremy Reither and myself will be flying to Nashville, TN in March to present the loan application (along with architectual drawings, and a construction bid) to the National Fraternity Board of Directors. Your alumni board, alumni fundraising taskforce, chapter executive members, and representatives from National are all working very closely to make sure that this project is financially feasible and that we consider all re-model possibilities to maximize the usability, desirability, safety, and rent revenue potential for the house.

Both National and the Alumni BOD are pushing for a complete renovation that includes a centralized kitchen and dining area, living rooms on each floor, and many two-bedroom dorm-style suites with community bathrooms. Also on the table is a library/study room in the basement, laundry room, new siding/windows/drywall/electrical – I could go on. Although I can’t speak for National, I believe they recognize, as we do, that the house is in dire need of a re-model, and the safety and security of our undergrad brothers is at stake.

Although the loan application won’t be submitted until March, and the status won’t be known until possibly April, we are hopeful that we will get this much needed assistance from National. If all goes well, construction could begin as soon as May, 2009!

Thanks to Those Who Kicked Down in 2008

Thanks to everyone for their financial support and donations over the years. Top donation award goes to Brother Brian Flournoy for donating over 10k worth of roofing material and even more in man-hours in 2008. Snaps to you all for your contributions!
 
I want to thank everyone for their continued support and dedication to the fraternity. Brother Reither has continued to be a very active partner on the Board of Directors. We now have several committee’s that are active and filled with distinguished brothers from Mark Geenen, Ed Stone, Tyler Tycen, Chris Boden, and Willie Shoffner. Big thanks to previous board members as well – John Crenshaw, Torrey Sullivan, Matt Warmerdam, James Suver, Chris Livermore.

Get In the Mix

If you feel like you’d like to see your name among these, contact us us at alum.board@etaomega.org, and find out how you can help. It is easy to move on with our lives and forget about all the “great and meaningful times” we had during our tenure at CSU Chico. But it’s impossible to forget about “being Eta Omega” and all the connections and life skills you learned during your time as an active brother. Keep the legacy alive for future generations…after all, your son might be Eta Omega some day.
 
Brother Tom Hyatt
Fall ‘93, Alpha Gamma
Alumni Board / President

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Active Prez Update

Strong and Getting Stronger

Now that I have been president for the last semester I’m starting to understand how to keep the chapter running smoothly like a ship. The most remarkable thing to happen to this chapter is the improvement in chapter communication. The exec board now uses a mass text message method of informing brothers about events and dates to remember. And this exec board makes themselves accessible to brothers at all times. The result has been better attendance at chapter meetings and an overall excitement to be a part of this great brotherhood that the founders made possible. This new and improved chapter has been like a snowball and things are getting bigger and better as we go along.

I’m hoping that we could reach the pinnacle by getting this loan for a new house, but chapter moral is high, and people respect the house and clean the place up. More brothers are getting involved with the chapter and extending that helping hand. 

Highlights from 2008

• Our chapter was selected of 10 eligible Theta Chi chapters to be on the undergraduate advisory committee which keeps close contact with national for ways to improve Theta Chi nationally.
• 10 new brothers were initiated which was the most pledges for all of the chapters in Chico.
• We won the championship for football and placed second in soccer.

• We won Greek Week for the first time in our chapter’s history.

• Thanks to the alumni donations to St Judes Research Hospital our school raised about $200,000 which made us the #1 school to fundraise money for the hospital, two years running.

Alumni Weekend Reminder

Alumni weekend is May 2nd at every alum’s favorite place in Chico: RILEYS! This alumni weekend is for all Chico Alumni so spread the word and make sure to get details from the Facebook event page.

Adam Shea
Undergrad / Chapter President

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Chapter Relations Update

How We See It 

The active chapter has experienced great success in the last year – with Adam Shea (chapter president) and a strong active exec leading the active chapter and working closely with key alumni. 2008 has been one of the most productive years in terms of chapter/alumni relations. The communication between the Active Chapter and the Alumni BOD is the best it has ever been, and the active chapter has taken a more responsible role in running the fraternity.
 
The alumni board and the active exec have regular conference calls, document the results of those calls, and follow up on action items to get things done. Simple changes, like creating “group e-mails” for the alumni  board and for the active exec board have simplified communications, and increased participation.
 
The actives have been as organized and on top of their responsibilities as any exec in recent memory. They’re managing the fraternity in an effective and responsible way, building morale, learning from alumni input, and participating in national conferences. There are a lot of young promising leaders in the chapter. The future looks bright for Eta Omega.
 
Peter Smith
Alumni Board / Chapter Relations

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Why Your Contribution Matters

We are in the process of applying for a $600K lower interest loan from IHQ which will retire our $200K existing higher interest mortgage and allow for a $400K renovation of the house. But with your help we can do more than just renovate, we can bring the standard of living at 630 W. 5th Street to a level that truly sets Theta Chi apart.

In our first year of the House Renovation Capital Campaign, we have a goal of 100 alumni stepping up and pledging $20,000. I am certain we can achieve and exceed this goal. But only if you participate by visiting etaomega.org/donate

Every Month each of us receive phone, mail, and email requests for financial assistance from organizations from your child’s school to the presidential campaign. The decision to provide financial support often depends on what impact that organization has had on the life of your family. Typically a college fraternity may not rank high on one’s list of charitable priorities, but if you take a minute to reflect on your Theta Chi experience, you may be surprised by how big a role the fraternity has had in your life.

Many of us met our future wives directly or indirectly through the fraternity. Some of our closest lifelong friends are the brothers we met in our late teens and early twenties at Theta Chi. And even as Chico graduates, our social circles often include Fraternity Brothers and their families. While at Chico, those few years in the fraternity continue to have a lasting impact on our lives today.
 
The alumni and undergraduates are asking for your support in our campaign goalThe active chapter has risen to their challenge by winning Greek week, excelling in sports, setting the academic bar for fraternities, by continuing to be the most desired fraternity with the top rush numbers (20 quality new men this past year), growing the total chapter size back to 50. Your individual campaign contribution does make a major impact on the future of Eta Omega Chapter as an institution of learning and an environment where young men can realize what it means to be a Theta Chi, Eta Omega.

There are no professional fundraising middlemen, just fellow alumni asking for your support. Donate by credit card or check now.

Campaign details are also available the website.

 
Ed Stone
Alumni Fundraising Chair

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Bro News & Secretary Updates

2008 was a crazy year for our bro’s! Many of us are settling down, starting families and businesses, and nearly 3 decades of Eta Omega alumni are taking the world by storm! Here are a few choice highlights from 2008:

• Brad Burrell (F’98) is getting married to Kristin Hylton of Walnut Creek on June 13th at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in downtown Sacramento.
• Rob Wurgler (F’86) works for ENTRIX offers a wide array of environmental management services such as: natural resource assessment, environmental damage assessment, regulatory due diligence (CEQA/NEPA), ecosystem restoration, and oil and chemical spill response. ENTRIX specializes in Water and Energy-related services, and is known in the industry for those two core service areas. For more information visit www.entrix.com or call Rob at (916) 386-3825.
• Hudson Tree (S’96) is still single
• Jeremy Reither (F’95) runs R3R, an internet marketing consulting agency, based in San Francisco. He is offering ‘friends and family’ rates to brothers who contact him and mention this newsletter before Feb 28, 2009. www.r3r.com
• Dan Campbell (S’96) is still not engaged.
• Matt Warmerdam (S’88) started a new career; personally mating and spawning giant corn-backed trout out of his house. His business is growing by leaps and bounds.
• Scott Harris (F’96) & wife Amanda had a baby girl named Emily…yes, he actually reproduced!
• Chris Perry (S’96) & wife Erica are expecting their second little one in March.
• Doug Osumi (S’88) interviewed and declined the Offensive Coordinator position for the San Francisco 49ers. He’s waiting for a head coaching position.
• Brian Flournoy (F’98) got engaged in Jan ‘09 to Lisa Bothwell, looking to wed in early 2010. Brian also opened his own Business in 2004: Roofing Supply Group in Rocklin, CA. Roofing Supply Group is one of the leaders in the building products industry. www.rsgroof.com
• Chris Poncabare (F’97) and Chad Hinds (F’94) are both in the internet porn advertising business
• Mike Dunbar (S’93) is getting over his [edit], sprained his ankle while hiking Briones Park and is interviewing for a job in the [edit] industry.
• Chris Boden (S’96) will donate $10 to one of 3 charities whenever a bro calls or refers someone for a insurance quote: visit www.bodeninsurance.com
• Terry Sullivan (F’91) is going on tour with Sammy Hagar’s new band, Cabo Wabo Red.
• Ninous Hinaro (F’96) has tossed his name into the ring for the new Governor of Illinois.
• Tom Christy (S’98) and his wife Megan celebrated the first birthday of their son Cole on the 27th of January.
• Ryan Test (F’94) has started a snow plowing business in Boston, MA. He uses his hair to melt the snow.
• Ryan Esposto (F’95) has been sitting in front of his computer screen for the past 4 years straight…but he did move out of Chico, and into SF!
• Bill Hu (F’92) is still the most ripped Asian dude in the world!
• Eric ”EZ” Wright (S’98) got married May 08′ to Jen Sisselman of Newbury Park, CA. Currently living in Westminster, Colorado as of 2006, 20 min. north of Denver. He works as a field chemist for an environmental company (www.veoliaes.com)
• Bobby Andrade (S’94), married, two kids, lives in Kihei, HI. He’s a chef at a major hotel chain. He’s still under FBI investigation of the 1998 eyebrow shaving of Brett Gilbert.
• Josh Wolcott (F’95) & wife Elise had a baby girl names Ella. He finished a half marathon, but don’t worry he is still the major stake holder in Anheuser-Busch stock.

Can’t wait to see what great things Eta Omega does in 2009!!!
 
Chris Boden
Alumni Board / Secretary

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Quick Links

• EtaOmega.org (the official Alumni website)
• Donate Online
• Join the Alumni OX List (170+ members strong)
• Join the Eta Omega Facebook Group (85+ members strong)
• Contact Us

• Phil Boden
• Peter Smith

We still haven’t covered our costs, though. Visit etaomega.org/donate to chip in.

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]

This is a great shot of the chapter founders at Installation in Chico - November 13, 1982. Thanks to Jereme Grinslade of National. Click the image to view a larger version.

Pay special attention to the all the feathered hair and high proportion of trailor trash style moustaches. The epitome of cool at the time…I think.