September 2007 Omegaphone
Alumni Report
Now that the fall is upon us, the familiar site of brothers moving into the chapter house has already happened. What makes this familiar act so special for Omega chapter this year? For the first time in two years, the third floor of the chapter house has brothers living in rooms. All 20 bedrooms are available!
With a great helping hand from National, the physical chapter house has made great strides. The third floor has new windows and rooms from the studs up, a house wide sprinkler system has been installed, and other projects have been completed to bring the house up to State College borough code.
Now as you might imagine, none of this work had come cheap or for free. National has put a lot of time and money into Omega Chapter and are expecting the alumni association and undergraduate chapter to take back control of the day-to-day operations as well as to start paying National back for all the money spent on the house.
It’s been many years since Omega has done a capital fund drive. The Alumni Association is in the early stages of developing and implementing a major capital campaign – one big enough to pay off National, and to bring the rest of the house up to the standards of the third floor.
I hope when you are contacted you will recall all the great times you had in the house and will help us continue those memories for future brothers to come, and sustain those memories of brothers before and after us.
If you have any questions or concerns about Omega Chapter, the house, or about the alumni association, please feel free to contact me. As always, thank you very much for your continued interest in Omega Chapter.
Undergraduate Report
Never has The Hamptons been so close to 523 South Allen Street than this year. Believe it or not, thanks to a large loan from the Norwich Housing Corporation led by Jereme Grinslade, and endless hours of work by Greg Butts and his hardworking crew of FratFix gentlemen, our third floor is complete... and glorious. A new wind has swept through the Omega chapter, and it is a wind of enthusiasm. Upon feeling the wonders that a refreshing summer and a beautifully renovated house can do to a brother’s morale, the rejuvenated brothers have set out on a mission to recruit as many people as we can.
A lot has stemmed from the third floor opening up. The Penn State room located on the first floor that housed Brothers Metzger and Uhrich last semester is now vacant. We have two bunks (therefore four beds) in the room and wide open invitations for any alumnus to stay at the house on any given day of the year. Bring sheets and a pillow, and you’re golden.
The semester looks to be a fantastic one, so be a part of it. Our numbers are on the rise, involvement on campus is reaching new heights, and it seems the only thing we’re striving for is more support from our alumni. It’s a great time to be an Omega, so come out and visit us and we’ll make you proud. Homecoming and K.I.C.K.S. are right around the corner, so expect updates concerning those events as well as everything else we’re doing here at Penn State. That’s all from me at the moment. See you out there!
Alumni Updates
James Taylor ’49 - I am quite pleased about the news of the current brothers and your scholastic achievement. With mine in 1949, you would have thrown me out of the house. I am especially glad to hear that extensive repairs are being done to the fraternity house. I’m currently living a life that some people might envy. I’ve been retired for 20 years and have enjoyed every minute of it. My favorite pastimes are shooting, woodworking and aviation. When I moved to Bloomington 2 years ago, I sought out the local shooting range and almost immediately bought a new Ruger 357 magnum single six revolver. It’s a lot of fun to shoot but a little rough on the arthritis. I have several target rifles and my shotgun for trap shooting. I’ve also become a volunteer at the Prairie Aviation Museum. I run the place every Tuesday afternoon.
Last April the Navy sent us an F14 TomCat fighter, which is now on display in our yard, along with an F4 Phantom, T33 Shooting Star and a Huey helicopter. Although I was never a pilot, I used to fly a lot. At the museum we have a flying DC3 transport; I’ve flown it several times. I’m having a lot of fun for an 83-year-old man.
John Lichliter III ’56 - We moved to Santa Rosa from Scottsdale, AZ in 2006 to be closer to our 2 children and 4 grandchildren. We enjoy the great website and seeing that many brothers from the ’50’s are still kicking.
Joseph Zimmerman ’56 - I am enjoying retirement in Maine. Randy and I celebrated our 50th Anniversary in Florida with our 4 kids and 14 grandkids. I am thinking of starting a new family to keep from being bored, or a rest home for the senile.
John McIntyre Jr. ’91 - As both of my daughters will be in school full-time in the fall, I am currently searching for a teaching job again. Last month I ran into G. Scott Fitzgerald ’91 at the “Point to Point” in Delaware, where we shared a few beers, reminisced about some good times, like the “Flaming Butt Comet,” and caught up on our present-day lives. I hope to get together with the PSU of DE alumni to watch a game this year.
Jason Ross ’92 - I will be beginning my third year as an assistant college football coach at Seton Hill University, a Division II college in Greensburg, PA. A secondary English teacher and assistant athletic director at Hempfield Area School District, I am coaching track and field this spring. My wife Heidemarie and I have two children: Nicholas (6) and Katelyn (4).
Gregory Enos ’00 - I was married in April 2006, with fellow OX’er Greg “Nutz” Sefcheck ’01 (big brother) in attendance. My wife and I are expecting our first child in March 2008.
Thank you to all those brothers that shared their news.
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