We have reported over the last 5 years about the progress of our Reason to be Proud Campaign. As we have noted in our newsletters and e-letters, the Campaign has been successful. Our $1.7 million renovated house reopened last year in time for the fall 2008 semester. We did a complete basement-to-top-floor renovation, with all plumbing, electrical and heating systems completely re-done and brought up to 21st Century standards. We are one of only half a dozen or so of the 48 fraternities at Penn State that have had a complete top to bottom renovation in the last five years. This was the largest renovation of the house since it opened in 1927.

A recent Collegian article noted that there are a number of social fraternities at Penn State that have no houses. Still others are "gypsy" houses, moving from one vacant fraternity or rooming house to another each year. Phi Delta Theta's chapter has been shut down, with its house being rented by another fraternity. Beta Theta Pi, after a $7 million renovation, has closed its chapter, and is planning to recolonize. It was the collective efforts of over 220 of our alums who donated their time and money to ensure our beloved Kappa Chapter did not meet the same fate as these other houses. If you have not visited our Chapter house, we hope you do soon.

We are finishing our fundraising and will unveil the Reason to Be Proud Campaign memorial plaque no later than Founders' Day in the Spring. We can use your support which will be acknowledged on the same plaque as all other contributors to this Campaign. We have a mortgage of slightly under $1 million, which was necessary to finance the $1.3 million in construction costs. We understand that this is the largest mortgage of any PSU fraternity that has done a complete renovation. Most of our campaign pledges are paid over a five year period, and any money we raise now will be used to reduce the mortgage and cover some other items not covered by the construction project (media room floor, shutters, re-pointing the masonry). One way to help is to pledge $ 50 per month through a direct withdrawal from an ACH account (checking or deposit account) for five years, which would be a $3,000 pledge. While about 220 of our alums have made pledges, the remaining 700+ alums have not. If we sign up another 150 alums for the $50-per-month-for-five-year pledge plan, that will raise an additional $150,000 of much needed financial support. Click here to make a pledge today. If you have already pledged and would like to increase that amount, please let us know. Naming opportunities for common rooms and bedrooms are also available at higher contribution levels, and that information can be found on our web site.

Please help us wind down our Campaign on a high note, and thanks to all of you who have made pledges for your very generous support. Without you, we would not have been able to complete the renovation of the House.

Fraternally,

Bill DeGrandis '77
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