The 2012 RB Stewart Award is posed next to the four others the chapter has won in the last five years. Behind the awards are apparel created for events during the 2011-12 school year as well as the most recent composite photo of the 138-man chapter.
Pi Kappa Phi named Purdue’s best fraternity
Pi Kappa Phi has been named the R.B. Stewart Outstanding Purdue fraternity for 2011-12 at a Greek Awards ceremony in April.
The fraternity was one of two Purdue fraternities to be named one of the three finalists in each of the eight judging categories. In fact, Pi Kappa Phi was the individual award winner in each of the eight – brotherhood, social, alumni relations, philanthropy, scholarship, chapter pride, leadership and recruitment.
“It really is a great accomplishment,” president Alex Prichodko wrote in a congratulatory email to chapter members. “I know I'm proud of everyone in our chapter. It's the individual efforts and mentalities of every one of our members that collectively makes us the best chapter at Purdue.”
The 2012 award was Pi Kappa Phi’s fifth consecutive – a feat never before accomplished in Purdue fraternity history, dating back to 1875.
Pi Kappa Phi’s programming helps set it apart from other fraternities. It approaches the routine differently. For example, recruitment events oftentimes have speakers who espouse fraternity values. Others explain how leadership and service are expectations of new members.
One of the recruitment events each semester showcases how the chapter is involved in its national philanthropy, Push America, on a local basis. Fraternity members volunteer in special needs classes at Lafayette Jefferson High School on a daily basis during the fall and spring semesters. It will have five members participating in the 2012 Journey of Hope – a cross-country, summer cycling trip from the West Coast to Washington, DC, to raise money and awareness for the disabled (collectively raising more than $15,000). And the chapter consistently raises more than $10,000 each year for Push –10 years running as the top fund-raising Purdue fraternity.
In October 2011, it held a 72-hour David Feltner Memorial Bike-A-Thon to raise funds for three organizations – Push America, Midwest Assistance Dogs and the Arc of Tippecanoe County. After the cycling event, it hosted a Halloween party for more than 100 special needs clients of the Arc, complete with an outdoor concert by campus band, Mirror Men, which is made up of Pi Kapp members.
Other non-traditional events done during the year, include a totally volunteer, off-campus leadership retreat that involved alumni and senior chapter members as facilitators. In March 2012, Pi Kappa Phi had its annual “War of Roses,” a weeklong event focused on empathy training and disabled awareness. The capstone event – which involved 11 campus sororities – was a talent show attended by nearly 1,000 people.
The chapter involves parents, too.
In October, the fraternity hosted dads for a cookout, golf tournament and to watch Purdue football. In April, it had more than 250 moms, chapter members and guests for a Pi Kapp 100/Moms Day event that raised more than $5,000 for Push America and another $7,500 for a chapter improvement project.
The Pi Kapp 100 is a 100-kilometer cycling event from Zionsville to campus. This year, it simultaneously hosted regional Journey of Hope riders in the area for training.
“Pi Kapps around the country look to Purdue to set a standard for excellence,” 2002 chapter alumnus Phil Leslie wrote in an email to the chapter president, “and this is another example of why.”
Congratulations came from far and wide.
“It's a great testament to the organization to win through successive generations of members and leaders,” said Pi Kapp 1992 alumnus Chuck Smith, a Fortune 500 executive.
National fraternity CEO Mark Timmes joined the well-wishers, too.
“The brothers of Omega chapter continue to impress and make all of Pi Kappa Phi proud,” he said.
Pi Kappa Phi moms compete against each other during the April 14 auction that benefitted Push America and a chapter improvement project. The chapter hosted 260+ people at the annual Pi Kapp 100/Moms Day event.
Moms Day 2012 a huge success
A record attendance and number of Pi Kapp 100 participants were part of the huge success of Moms Day on April 14.
More than 260 people attended the 2012 version of the annual Moms Day/Pi Kapp 100 at Pi Kappa Phi. The crowd was buoyed by 17 regional Journey of Hope riders who were in the area training for their summer excursion. They rode along the chapter’s 100-kilomter cycling event to raise money for Push America, the national outreach program benefitting the disabled. Those JOH came from five states, including Indiana, Tennessee, Ohio, Illinois and Missouri.
The Pi Kapp 100, which started in 1999, has riders and crewmembers pledge a certain amount of fund raising for Push America – $150 for riders and $75 for crew. This year, the chapter had 23 riders and crew, which included alumnus Mark Nigh (Omega 1262)
The Journey of Hope riders, who will start their cross-country trek this summer, were being trained by Omega undergraduate Branden Sowers, who made the ride in 2011. They participated in the Zionsville-to-Purdue ride on Saturday, observed some of the Moms Day events, then traveled back to the Indy area for additional training over the weekend.
The Moms Day events started with a luncheon buffet provided by the chapter. That was followed by the noon arrival by the cyclists – who received a police escort through West Lafayette to the fraternity house. An hour-long program let moms and accompanying family members learn about how many activities chapter members participate in during the school year.
The chapter was the proud host of Chad Coltrane, CEO of Push America from Charlotte, as its keynote speaker. He lauded Omega for receiving Push’s highest honor for 2010-11 – the Star of Hope – as the No. 1 Pi Kapp chapter in the nation (out of 160) in fund-raising, chapter-sponsored programming and awareness of members. During his weekend visit, Coltrane also participated in the chapter’s volunteer relationship with the special needs classes from Lafayette Jefferson High School.
Coltrane tweeted throughout the event. One of his tweets repeated what a mom told him about his son’s membership in the fraternity.
“Thank you for showing me joining Pi Kappa Phi is one of the best things he’ll do in his life,” Coltrane’s tweet said.
“While the chapter riders make the Pi Kapp 100 special already, the addition of the Journey of Hope trainees and Brother Coltrane at the event made it especially significant,” Sowers said. “I am very proud at how well the day’s events went and the fact that we were able to further the mission of Push America through our programming.”
The Moms Day speakers included Omega JOH alumnus Chris Ruff, academic advisor Rita Baker, Push chairman Sowers (also a JOH veteran), president Alex Prichodko and chapter advisor Pat Kuhnle. The program also recounted the two highly successful 72-hour bike-a-thons held in 2011 – the first in March/April to raise money for an assistance dog and the second in October as a Push fund-raiser. Both bike-a-thons were related to chapter member David Feltner who died on June 5, 2011. The first was to raise funds for a dog to aid him while he was living and the second was a memorial event that benefitted the chapter’s Push annual fund-raising.
The early-afternoon speaker portion ended with chapter members – directed by alumnus Bob Griffiths – singing “The Rose of Pi Kappa Phi” to their moms. The moms stood, while the sons went to one knee sang. Afterwards, the sons gave their mothers a red rose.
“It was an honor for our chapter to host such a successful Pi Kapp 100/Moms Day event,” said event coordinator Michael Schmierer, chapter historian. “The feedback we received from moms and visitors was extremely positive. We were able to expose family members to what makes this chapter so successful, memorialize Brother Feltner and raise money for important causes.”
Moms and their guests had some down time with their sons for a couple of hours after the speaking engagements to bid on silent auction items. Then, the chapter had a 4 p.m. reception with appetizers with a public auction starting at 5 p.m.
A home-baked pie drew $55 silent auction bid and other items – such as NHL replica jerseys and White Sox-Brewers’ tickets – drew hundreds each. A total of $9,716 was raised during the event with $3,120 going toward Push America and the remaining $6,681 targeting a yet-to-be-determined house improvement project.
The Pi Kapp 100 also raised nearly $5,000 toward the chapter’s annual Push America total, allowing the school year’s total to top $10,000 in fund-raising.
Moms who were brave enough to stick around during the evening, attended a social at the house. Pi Kapp moms (and sons) buddied up with a sorority and their moms late into the night.
The next Pi Kapp 100/Moms Day will be held on April 13, 2013.
Members of Delta Delta Delta and Pi Kappa Phi pose with the 2012 Rose Queen Susan Kurth upon the conclusion of the weeklong 2012 "War of Roses" competition that concluded on March 23 in Loeb Playhouse on the Purdue campus.
Delta Delta Delta wins 5th annual War of Roses
Pi Kappa Phi extends its thanks to the 12 sororities that participated in the annual “War of Roses” and its new rose queen, Susan Kurth of Delta Delta Delta.
The crowing of the new queen occurred in front of a crowd of nearly 1,000 March 23, 2012, in Loeb Playhouse on the Purdue campus. It ended a week of events where chapters had the opportunity to participate in various programming efforts coordinated by Pi Kappa Phi. Some of those events included a Skip-A-Meal at Hot Box Pizza, an empathy dinner at the fraternity, visits with special needs classes at Lafayette Jefferson High School, penny wars and t-shirt sales.
On Friday, sorority representatives were asked about the value of working in the special needs classes alongside a random question of amusing options – such as which emcee Prichodko brother would they most like to go on a date with, Nick or Alex (BTW, Nick was selected primarily due to his height). Following questioning each candidate, there was a talent competition that featured dance routines or musical talents. 2012 Rose queen Kurth did an acrobatic, interpretative dance.
The event raised nearly $4,000 for Push America, its national and local outreach for those with disabilities.
"It was heartwarming to work alongside the caring and empathetic sorority women during the week,” event coordinator Branden Sowers said. “Push America and its efforts are special to members of Pi Kappa Phi locally and nationally. The sorority and fraternity members' efforts during the War of Roses will assist the disabled in our community and nationwide. We were humbled and blessed by the outpouring of compassion and support Pi Kappa Phi received."
Between Friday’s Q&A session and the talent show, Pi Kappa Phi’s Chris Ruff spoke emotionally about his Push America Journey of Hope cycling ride in 2011. Ruff, alongside chapter Push chairman, Sowers, cycled cross-country raising awareness and funds for the disabled. They participated in one of three teams that totaled 90+ Pi Kapp members from various chapters across the country.
“When we signed up for the Journey of Hope, neither of us really understood how much it would change our lives and the lives of those we visited with along the way,” Ruff said. “No matter how challenging the day’s ride was, we always mustered up enough energy to spend time with these (benefitting) organizations … the time we spent with these organizations usually lasted only an hour or two and consisted of dances, karaoke, games, wheel chair basketball, and much more.”
Ruff proudly announced that five of his Purdue fraternity members would ride in the 2012 Journey of Hope – Nick Eckstein, Peter Bassick, Eric Miller, Brett Ponscak and Erik Moeller.
While votes were being tallied for the Rose Queen, a video was shown to the capacity crowd in the auditorium. The video showed the sororities competing in various events during the week and included still photos of the Jefferson High School special needs classes visit.
Pi Kappa Phi wishes to thank all the Rose Queen candidates and their sponsoring organizations. They included:
• Susan Kurth - Delta Delta Delta
• Macall Twaddle- Alpha Gamma Delta
• Maura Mckay- Kappa Alpha Theta
• Stephanie Bennet- Delta Gamma
• Sarah Mack- Alpha Xi Delta
• Erika Ostrom- Zeta Tau Alpha
• Kirsten Ross- Sigma Kappa
• Lizzie Teer- Phi Mu
• Caitlin Caroll- Sigma Delta Tau
• Patricia Acheson- Pi Beta Phi
• Danielle Goeman- Chi Omega
• Athena Davros- Phi Sigma Rho
Winners of the various events included:
• T-shirt competition: Delta Delta Delta
• Date auction: Phi Sigma Rho
• Disability race: Alpha Gamma Delta
• Sheet sign: Phi Sigma Rho
• Penny wars: Sigma Delta Tau
• Hotbox skip-a-meal: Alpha Xi Delta
• Best talent performance: Patricia Acheson, Pi Beta Phi
• Rose Queen runner-up: Lizzie Teer, Phi Mu
