The Don in the Collegian

As I browsed the collegian website, I found a small letter to the editor by one Donne Storino.

http://www.thecollegianur.com/2009/11/30/letter-living-spaces-should-include-fraternity-houses/

Philanthropy Update

Beta Beta has been up to various philanthropy events during the past year. As a chapter, we have recognized that we need to be more visual on campus in what we do. A great way to be more visual and to give back to the community has been our increased efforts in philanthropy as an entire chapter. Placing more of a concentration on the Chapter involvement rather than individual endeavors. These philanthropy events have not only been gratifying to all involved, but also have served as excellent brotherhood development events. One of our Philanthropy Chairs, Brother Ryan Buhl has sent me a couple of highlights from Beta Beta in the Community from earlier this year.

Earlier this year the current brothers of Beta Beta hosted a car wash. The event took place on Saturday, September 5th, and was a huge success. We tabled in the Tyler Hanes Commons during the week preceding the event, and put up signs on campus that morning. The weather was beautiful and all the brothers were there to pitch in. Before we knew it, cars started rolling in. Before the day was over we had raised over $200 charging just $5 per car. The money was donated to CARES, an emergency response shelter for women and children suffering from domestic violence. We also managed to have a little bit of fun while scrubbing away.

The current brothers of Beta Beta are gearing up to make an impact on the community. Our first initiative has been to partner with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and volunteer for a number of cleanups onthe James River and other watersheds in the greater Richmond area. Our first cleanup was on Saturday, September 26th. The weather wasn't perfect but we all woke up early to start by 9:00, because there was alot of cleaning to get done. We almost lost a few brothers in the river as they we reaching for trash, but we established great relationships in the community and made a difference in the environment. More updates to come, but until then, enjoy some select photos from the clean up!

Our service has not been limited to our own events. We have also participated in the events hosted by various sororities and other groups on campus.

• Relay for Life- We won the Most Outstanding Team Award for having the most participants and raising the largest sum of donations. I would like to thank the Foundation for their gracious gift to help support this wonderful event.
• Kappa Alpha Theta's Capture the Kite- We placed 1st in the event (giving us some IM points) while helping to contribute to their philanthropy, CASA.
• PiPhi LipSync- We placed 3rd in this event for the second straight year and donated our winnings to charity. 3rd place against a bunch of girls that have danced their whole lives, and going up against the UR Dance team, I'll take 3rd any day.

We hope to see you all this Weekend at our Homecoming Festivities.

Trick or Treat Street 2009

The University of Richmond will be hosting its 11th Annual Trick or Treat Street on Saturday, October 31 from 11 AM to 3 PM. Sponsored by the Panhellenic and Interfraternity councils and other student organizations, Trick or Treat Street provides a fun and safe Halloween experience for all children in the metro Richmond and surrounding areas. Activities include a ghostly graveyard tour, a haunted pirate ship, a costume contest, three moonbounces, a straw maze, pumpkin painting, food, games and more! Tickets are $5 for one child, $12 for three and all proceeds will be donated to the Children's Organ Transplant Association benefiting Cole Hafer, a four year old boy from Richmond in need of a liver transplant. We will be sponsoring an Inflatable Bounce House and a Bean Bag Toss.

Homecoming

Brothers,

It is that time of year again. Time to bro-out and get really fratty with Beta Betas across generations. This year includes a trip to Nationals Friday afternoon and a Lodge Reception that night. Also, there will be a Steak and BBQ Tailgate on Saturday followed by the second to last game at U of R Stadium (aka City Stadium). The schedule is below, provided for us by El Presidente Donne Storino.

HOMECOMING

NOV. 6-8, 2009

YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN YOUR KAPPA SIGMA BROTHERS FOR A WEEKEND OF FUN AND A CHANCE TO WIN A WEEK IN FABULOUS ST. THOMAS, USVI.

COME CELEBRATE HOMECOMING AS UR PLAYS ITS LAST HOME GAME AT CITY STADIUM AND LOOKS TO NEXT SEASON’S PLAY AT THE NEW ROBINS STADIUM.

FRIDAY, 11/6 BUS TRIP TO KAPPA SIG NATIONAL HQ.

DEPART 12:30PM, RETURN BY 5:30PM

RECEPTION AT LODGE AT 7:30PM

SATURDAY, 11/7 STEAK & BBQ TAILGATE AND FOOTBALL GAME, 11AM

PLEASE PLAN TO JOIN TO SEE OLD FRIENDS, MAKE NEW ONES

AND ENJOY THE SPIRIT OF KAPPA SIGMA

AEKDB

The weekend will be one to be remembered. If you have not registered already make sure to do so ASAP because they need the numbers ASAP. Sorry for the late notice. If you need an order form email me at ryanthomasobrien@gmail.com.

Last Call for Spider Football (...at U of R Stadium)

The #4 ranked and the defending FCS National Champion Richmond Spiders will be playing their last regular season game at old University of Richmond Stadium. Though the stadium is far outdated and becoming more of a burden to the university with each year that passes, it is a great place to watch a game. The natural grass playing field and excellent sightlines make just about anywhere within the stadium a good place to watch the game.

Built in 1929, University of Richmond Stadium, aka City Stadium, cost the City of Richmond about $80,000 to build. With a capacity at around 22,000 people, U of R Stadium is not exactly logical for the University to maintain, even though the lease is impossible to beat. The City of Richmond leases the stadium to U of R for $1 a year in exchange for the university upkeeping the stadium. However, the stadium does not exactly have the amenities of a modern athletic facility. Spider football will be moving to First Market Stadium following the completion of the $25 million dollar renovation which will allow it to seat around 9000.

Some things I will miss about University of Richmond Stadium

1. The concentration on tailgate, not enough people tailgate events anymore. There is just something about drinking out of the back of a car in a parking lot before a sporting event, concert, work(Okay, so that is not socially acceptable, but who wants to be that. The days would definately be quicker), etc. They will eventually be replaced by lodge pregame hangouts.
2. Kids riding cardboard boxes down hills. I support every parent that allows this to happen for multiple reasons. One, it looks like a lot of fun. Two, if the game gets boring you can always take a glance over for 5 minutes and one kid sliding down will undoubtedly take out another kid walking back up. Three, some dad will try to ride a box down, stop short and face plant into the dirt.
3. The Men's Bathrooms... Sorry for the idea of a bathroom as a memorable point, but with all of this green initiative, there is no way that they will have a large wall to pee on. The idea of peeing on a wall, legally and it being kosher is an idea that will be missed by this young man.
4. Convenient Parking- The University of Richmond Campus cannot facilitate the parking needs of a football crowd near E. Claiborne Robins Stadium. There will be many who will have to trek from the Westhampton side of campus/ the Intramural Fields near the University Forest Apartments is where I hear they are planning to park many of the cars.

But, gentlemen there is much to look forward to next year in the form of Lodge Hangouts before the games and a modern stadium. And lets look towards the end of this season, beating the William & Mary Tribe this weekend and bringing back another National Championship to Richmond.

Broventures of Sorts

Okay, I get it. I fell into some apathy myself and have not continued to post enough on this site. Yet, one could say that "bro-ventures" may have had something to do with it (Excuses).

Through my own experience in Beta Beta, I have noticed that brothers will drive hours for a chance to hang out and find their ways into derelict behavior together whether it is a graduation party (Summer is full of those little excuses to meet up with brothers), someone has rented out a beach house (Bad idea for an open invitation to an entire fraternity), or just a random weekend someone extends an invitation to . And in my own experience, I have noticed that invitations that include even the allusion to kegs will automatically attract at least 10 brothers to crash your house. Yet, one could not be happier to clean up Domino's off some walls, Champagne corks sprayed around rooms and empty cans of Natural Light strewn through every room.

Yet, Broventures seem to take on an even more interesting and more meaningful tone when they are guys that you cannot just walk to their apartment or dorm room, or even take the 5 minute drive to their house. These are the adventures that make this brotherhood so strong that 40-50 years down the road make each brother as close if not closer than they were when they attended U of R. The bond that never dies, AEKDB.

Brother Jay Wright submitted this story and picture of some of the 70's brothers bro-venture to Tampa:

"The 70’s were revisited in Tampa/St. Petersburg in January. Brothers Kevin Hutchinson, Steve Murphy, Jim Sutherland, Hil Beck, Rob Bruns, Chris Mullen, and Jay Wright spent a long weekend at the beach. The major surprise was that no one was arrested. The 70's brothers have instituted a series of misadventures aptly called “club meetings.” There have been meetings in the Richmond area, Norfolk and New York City and can be called at any time in any place. From the picture, you can tell that the group is not exclusive and welcomes new attendees at every event. Note Brothers Beck and Murphy in their Cuban shirts sampling prize cigars while in Ybor City inside Tampa. You are never too old to sample the good life."

Brothers Hil Beck and Steve Murphy

Active Update

It seems we have fallen into a rut of apathy concerning this website. We have had a lack of alumni updates and a lack of active updates for the past seven months. So for the actives, my name is Ryan O’Brien. I currently just finished my sophomore year at UR. I will be contributing some active updates on the derelicts of Beta Beta for the next couple of years.

A Semester in Review:

We have added 17 new brothers to Beta Beta this semester through a strong pledge process. Though we often question their common sense, they are great guys who will be even better brothers in the years to come. There are definitely some derelicts and some leaders in this group which is what makes Beta Beta the best and most interesting fraternity on campus.

Also, seven brothers attended the Central Virginia District Conclave at the new Kappa Sigma International Headquarters in Charlottesville, VA. They participated in a dialogue on how to make individual chapters better and more efficient, as well as the fraternity as a whole. The conclave covered issues that ranged from financials to public relations to alumni weekends (We owned that one). Our Grand Master, John Frey will be making the trek to San Antonio for the 67th Biennial Grand Conclave.

Over the course of the year, Beta Beta logged over 1000 community service hours. Throughout the year, brothers participated in university-wide events such as Trick or Treat Street and Spiderpalooza as well as many outside forms of community service. In addition, Beta Beta, in conjunction with other fraternities, sororities and organizations on campus, helped raise over $10,000 for a young boy named Cole who is in need of a liver transplant.