TKE – Beta Phi Fall Newsletter
Welcome!
My name is Sam Barton and I am the current Histor for the Beta Phi Chapter at LSU. You are receiving this newsletter because you part of the TKE Alumni group. Some of you be might aware of the activity on the LSU campus and the current TKE chapter.
New Beginnings – Let’s Make TKE Great!
Brotherhood. In December 2015, 47 young men found themselves without a fraternity. We had stayed together all year as a tight pledge class and then discovered that our options for staying together were slim. Other organizations offered to accept us, but wanted to separate our class. That wasn’t an option. Enter TKE. The TKE chapter and the 8 members offered to take us all in. Needless to say, it was a crazy week. From there, things just started falling into place. By the spring, we had picked up 7 more members and with this recent Fall recruitment we added in 47 more new members this Fall!
A House in Repair
With a house that was used to have only 8 members, you can imagine having 50 plus on a daily basis proved to be a challenge. From food service, chairs and even couches for boys to sit – all were needs that had to be addressed. Enter a great alums Smiley, Jesse and Jody quickly got a group of parents together to see how we could rally and get these issues solved. Enter one active group of parents. Parents came to the house on a weekend and scrubbed it from top to bottom. Kenny Rabalais, parent of a new member and alum, championed the landscaping improvements and house cleaning. In one weekend, parents and boys rolled up their sleeves and put some much needed work towards the house.
Parents then stood up and donated not only furniture for the house, by patio tables, and even the Juneau family donated the funds for a full basketball court in the backyard!
More is Needed
While our parents have been so involved and we couldn’t have done this without them – we are looking to alum group to help us with future projects. We currently have 8 bedrooms and use the 9th bedroom as a library. The library is empty except for a few tables. Last semester, our class was in the top 5 for academic success. Having a quiet place to study and focus is needed at the house. We would like to set up a Go Fund Me Account. We would like to extend an invite to ALL alum to give what they can so this TKE chapter can be the best chapter on campus. https://www.gofundme.com/TKELSU
The funds raised from this go fund me account will be directly supervised by the Alumni Board and will be used with their discretion.
TKE’s get involved
From Greek Week, to Songfest to having a full social calendar (including a memorable Spring Break), we haven’t missed a beat! In recent news, you are most likely aware of the flooding in the Baton Rouge Area. While many college kids found an opportunity to sleep in, the TKEs were busy giving back. From helping flood victims in clean up to delivering Ice Cream Sundaes to the local Children’s Hospital.
WEBPAGE under construction!
To keep you informed on more frequent basis, we are creating the first TKE webpage that can be accessed by collegiate members and alumni! We will post all recent activities as well as upcoming events. LSU Tailgating is a rite of passage. We welcome our TKE alumni to come and cheer on the Tigers!
FALL RECRUITMENT!
During the 2016 Fall Recruiment, TKEs hosted over 700 young me. From Tailgates, Couchon DeLaits and Fried Chicken dinners, we welcomed another 47 fine young men into the Beta Phi Chapter. We are looking forward to this new year!
TKE Parent’s Weekend
We hosted our 1st Parent’s Weekend on October 14th. A Big Thank you to both Nunez and Gitz family for being the lead organizers and the McCain family for hosting the cocktail reception On Ocotober 14th that had over 300 people in attendance.
On Saturday, October 15th, the TKE chapter hosted an LSU Tailgate at the house. Once again, parents showed up and the backyard was full. The finished full size basketball court – thanks to the Juneau family – made for a great entertaining space.
Check out pics from the weekend – https://tkeparentweekend2016.shutterfly.com/