Recall we need to raise $1 million in order to secure a bank loan of $1.5 million to build the new clubhouse. Your Fund Raising Team members, David Falconer ’62, Howard Gandelot ’64, Keith Hellems ’62 and Frank Morrey ’64, have been hard at work soliciting funds from brothers during the initial phase of the campaign. So far we have commitments of $342,500! The major next step is launching the “all alumni” phase of the campaign. We are currently developing an informational brochure that describes why we need to build a new chapter house, our Michigan chapter ΔX history, the funding strategy, layout drawings, project schedule and testimonials. You will receive your brochure late January.
Brother Keith Hellems ’62 is doing an excellent job of soliciting ΔX historical pictures and posting them on the Alumni Association web site deltachimichigan.com. I encourage all of you to renew your memories of the fun times at the venerable old ΔX house. Please send any photos you have to Keith at: [email protected].
As team leader, some brothers have asked me what are the risks on the project? There is some small risk we will make a design mistake or two. However, the much larger risk is we do not raise the $1 million we need to build the new chapter house in a timely fashion. This outcome will certainly cause the decline and eventual failure of the Michigan chapter of ΔX because it will not be able to compete with the other living arrangements an undergrad can choose. It would be a shame if the Michigan ΔX alumni (who have never been asked to participate in a capital campaign) do not honor one of the key values of a ΔX… “I will sustain my commitment to and involvement with our fraternity throughout my lifetime.” Today, our chapter helps about 30 teenagers a year make an effective transition to a young man with the skills to embark on a successful career.
At its core, the new chapter house initiative is less about building a physical structure and more about the joining of generations of brothers to: support our chapter, maintain our proud legacy and forge our chapter’s future today. Please join with your brothers in this undertaking.
Howard Gandelot ’64
Fund Raising Team Leader
