Lots of pics on my flickr page: www.flickr.com/photos/stephenj/sets
The Lambda Chi Alpha, Beta Eta Chapter, Centennial Celebration was a magical event. Lambda Chi Alpha is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, and the Beta Eta Zeta chapter at the University of Central Florida is celebrating its 38th anniversary. The event celebrating these dates was held at the Fairwinds alumni Center at UCF on Friday, November 20, 2009.
I arrived in Orlando about 2pm on Friday after spending the morning in Gainesville, FL getting my stereo fixed in my truck. I had spent the night in Gainesville, FL, leaving my home on Thursday afternoon after work.
Orlando sure has changed in 30 years! I came in on the Florida Turnpike and from there on things were way different. Alafaya Trail even has its own exit on the East/West Expressway! When I was here in 1979, Alafaya trail was a red light. I found the hotel where I was staying and relaxed a bit before heading off to the Fairwinds Alumni center. Arriving there a bit before 6pm, the first person I saw when I walked in the lobby was Stu Caldwell, one of my brothers from the chapter! Stu and I were part of the same initiating class in 1979, and it was good to get caught up with him again. Other brothers began arriving, and I was thrilled to see so many familiar faces. And of course the current brotherhood classes were there – a good looking bunch of young men, energetic, excited, strong students and a good group to carry the legacy of Lambda Chi Alpha into the 21st century.
As we entered the fellowship hall, along the left wall were old scrapbooks and photo albums, as well as chapter photos for the past 38 years. How melancholy to look through all those photos! Other brothers began to arrive: Steve Simmons with his newly-initiated son John, Randy Crews, Victor Collzono. The “happy Hour” was just that, with lots of catching up to do. Dinner started promptly at 6pm, and after that, the nights program.
As expected, James Blount came in fashionably late. James and I were close during my time at UCF, and roommates for part of that time. James was the Student Body President, the first black ever elected to that position at UCF, and a good politician. I always thought he would have a future in politics. It was so good to see James – I have been looking for James for the past 30 years! Some folks are very hard to find – either by chance, or by choice.
The first event of the evening was the chapter roll call. Each brother stood and said his name and Beta Eta number – I was Beta Eta 227 (out of over 1690), so I was pretty early on, but there were several before me. Next came a presentation by the current High Alpha of Lambda Chi Alpha history, from Warren Cole in the early 1980’s to now. Next, Mike Saunders gave a very moving Chapter History presentation. He has been around so long that he knows where all the skeletons are buried.
Next came a roast of Michael by various brothers. Some older, some younger. Stu Caldwell gave a rousing roast using memories from my time here at Beta Eta, including the Daytona Beach spring break trip. Lots of great times, and great memories.
After the roast were announcements and then a slideshow. The slideshow really took my breath away. The various historians over the years had kept so many pictures and items that many of us would have just overlooked, but it is times like this, during this celebration, that the importance of those historical items comes to light. The pictures in the slideshow were so important – the clothing styles and hair-do’s have changed so, and the glasses people wore! There were brotherhood pictures from beach parties, community events, fund raisers, dinners, and just horsing around. Steve Simmons was in several of the photos, and I could see his son sitting there next to him taking all of this in. It was, and is, quite a legacy. During the slideshow, the soundtrack played several songs that have meaning to the fraternity, with the final song being “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”. As that song started, James rose and when he did, so did the rest of the crowd. We locked arms and sang that song along with the soundtrack at the top of our lungs, culminating with a group hug and celebration of the past, the present and the future.
As I sat down to catch my breath, I realized that this evening is “one of those moments” that you could never repeat. There might be another celebration in a year or two, but the enthusiasm, the love, the brotherhood shown last night were magical – and singular. Mike Saunders, in his closing remarks, said that 2012 will be the Beta Eta Zeta’s 50th anniversary, and we will have a celebration then as well – but he also said there would be others, more frequently than just every 38 years! I know there will be, but I wonder if they can recapture the moment we had last night. It will be, as they say, a tough act to follow.
After the dinner was over and people started to leave, the High Alpha said that some of the current brothers were heading to a local watering hole, Delaney’s, to continue the party. My happy (and old) self was ready for bed! It was almost 10pm…. I walked to my truck and sat on the tailgate for a minute, not really wanting the evening to end. Two of the current brothers walked by and stopped to shake my hand. I told them how proud I was of the way they have “kept the flame alive” of Lambda Chi Alpha at the University of Central Florida, but also challenged them to “do what we just did” – when they have graduated and been away for decades, be able to look back 3o years at what the current brothers here at Beta Eta have done and be able to say “good job”. It is a remarkable legacy, to see these young men starting their lives and wondering what their future holds, but bonding with other like-minded men in the traditions of a Greek organization like Lambda Chi Alpha, carrying on traditions of service, loyalty, ideals, and brotherly love. I don’t think they grasped what I was trying to get across, but one day, they will.
I arrived in Orlando about 2pm on Friday after spending the morning in Gainesville, FL getting my stereo fixed in my truck. I had spent the night in Gainesville, FL, leaving my home on Thursday afternoon after work.
Orlando sure has changed in 30 years! I came in on the Florida Turnpike and from there on things were way different. Alafaya Trail even has its own exit on the East/West Expressway! When I was here in 1979, Alafaya trail was a red light. I found the hotel where I was staying and relaxed a bit before heading off to the Fairwinds Alumni center. Arriving there a bit before 6pm, the first person I saw when I walked in the lobby was Stu Caldwell, one of my brothers from the chapter! Stu and I were part of the same initiating class in 1979, and it was good to get caught up with him again. Other brothers began arriving, and I was thrilled to see so many familiar faces. And of course the current brotherhood classes were there – a good looking bunch of young men, energetic, excited, strong students and a good group to carry the legacy of Lambda Chi Alpha into the 21st century.
As we entered the fellowship hall, along the left wall were old scrapbooks and photo albums, as well as chapter photos for the past 38 years. How melancholy to look through all those photos! Other brothers began to arrive: Steve Simmons with his newly-initiated son John, Randy Crews, Victor Collzono. The “happy Hour” was just that, with lots of catching up to do. Dinner started promptly at 6pm, and after that, the nights program.
As expected, James Blount came in fashionably late. James and I were close during my time at UCF, and roommates for part of that time. James was the Student Body President, the first black ever elected to that position at UCF, and a good politician. I always thought he would have a future in politics. It was so good to see James – I have been looking for James for the past 30 years! Some folks are very hard to find – either by chance, or by choice.
The first event of the evening was the chapter roll call. Each brother stood and said his name and Beta Eta number – I was Beta Eta 227 (out of over 1690), so I was pretty early on, but there were several before me. Next came a presentation by the current High Alpha of Lambda Chi Alpha history, from Warren Cole in the early 1980’s to now. Next, Mike Saunders gave a very moving Chapter History presentation. He has been around so long that he knows where all the skeletons are buried.
Next came a roast of Michael by various brothers. Some older, some younger. Stu Caldwell gave a rousing roast using memories from my time here at Beta Eta, including the Daytona Beach spring break trip. Lots of great times, and great memories.
After the roast were announcements and then a slideshow. The slideshow really took my breath away. The various historians over the years had kept so many pictures and items that many of us would have just overlooked, but it is times like this, during this celebration, that the importance of those historical items comes to light. The pictures in the slideshow were so important – the clothing styles and hair-do’s have changed so, and the glasses people wore! There were brotherhood pictures from beach parties, community events, fund raisers, dinners, and just horsing around. Steve Simmons was in several of the photos, and I could see his son sitting there next to him taking all of this in. It was, and is, quite a legacy. During the slideshow, the soundtrack played several songs that have meaning to the fraternity, with the final song being “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”. As that song started, James rose and when he did, so did the rest of the crowd. We locked arms and sang that song along with the soundtrack at the top of our lungs, culminating with a group hug and celebration of the past, the present and the future.
As I sat down to catch my breath, I realized that this evening is “one of those moments” that you could never repeat. There might be another celebration in a year or two, but the enthusiasm, the love, the brotherhood shown last night were magical – and singular. Mike Saunders, in his closing remarks, said that 2012 will be the Beta Eta Zeta’s 50th anniversary, and we will have a celebration then as well – but he also said there would be others, more frequently than just every 38 years! I know there will be, but I wonder if they can recapture the moment we had last night. It will be, as they say, a tough act to follow.
After the dinner was over and people started to leave, the High Alpha said that some of the current brothers were heading to a local watering hole, Delaney’s, to continue the party. My happy (and old) self was ready for bed! It was almost 10pm…. I walked to my truck and sat on the tailgate for a minute, not really wanting the evening to end. Two of the current brothers walked by and stopped to shake my hand. I told them how proud I was of the way they have “kept the flame alive” of Lambda Chi Alpha at the University of Central Florida, but also challenged them to “do what we just did” – when they have graduated and been away for decades, be able to look back 3o years at what the current brothers here at Beta Eta have done and be able to say “good job”. It is a remarkable legacy, to see these young men starting their lives and wondering what their future holds, but bonding with other like-minded men in the traditions of a Greek organization like Lambda Chi Alpha, carrying on traditions of service, loyalty, ideals, and brotherly love. I don’t think they grasped what I was trying to get across, but one day, they will.
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