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April 1st, 2017 will be remembered as one of the most important days in the history of Gamma Chi Chapter at Oklahoma State University. It was on this day Gamma Chi Pikes from near and far gathered for the dedication of the brand new Neal L. Patterson Chapter House. The journey began 7 years ago with a coincidentally simultaneous effort from two groups of Gamma Chi Alumni trying to bring together and reunite generations of alumni. The first effort began with a Facebook group hoping it could one day get 50 alumni to join and get together for a tailgate reunion. Today, this group has over 600 alumni and friends of Pike from Gamma Chi, and helps to keep our alumni connected despite thousands of miles of separation. The second effort was the formation of the Gamma Chi Alumni Association, which began with 39 charter signatures. These two movements soon found out about each other and combined forces to make our alumni closer knit than it has ever been since Gamma Chi’s founding in 1939. Today, the Alumni Association boasts over 200 dues paying members and has seen attendance at its events grow to over 1,500 total guests per 12 month period. The Gamma Chi Alumni Association has won the William R. Nester Award for Outstanding Alumni Association every year since its founding. From this always close knit, but now strongly generationally linked alumni group, volunteers for the Alumni Advisory Board, Housing Corporation, and the topic of this day, the Chapter House Fundraising Committee emerged. Anchored by Shane Pate, ‘00 and Rich Young, ‘80, the committee began with the goal of renovating the current Chapter house to a more competitive state, hoping to raise $3 million for a face lift. Brother Rodger Riney kickstarted the efforts by pledging $25,000, which various alumni were able to come together and match within 30 days. From there we hired a consulting firm that concluded, if Gamma Chi tried really hard, we could maybe raise $1.5 million. Soon thereafter, the involvement and vision of alumnus Neal L. Patterson took this story from typical to incredible. On a trip to Stillwater for the Alumni Association's annual Hall of Fame Banquet in 2014, the plans for a face lift were discussed extensively with a group of prominent alumni. Brother Patterson’s response was, "let's go bigger." He posed a question to the group inquiring as to the best fraternity house location in Stillwater. The response was the corner of University and Monroe across from Theta Pond. So, he bought it. He then decided Gamma Chi must not only have a competitive chapter House on campus, but also the best Greek chapter house in the nation. Brother Patterson, in total, donated $8 million; while Gamma Chi Hall of Famer Gordon Eubanks donated $1 million and the pair led the way for the construction of a $12.8 million fraternity house which boasts 32,500 square feet. Scores of other 4, 5, and 6 figure donors made incredibly generous donations, pushing themselves to their giving limit. The house now ranks as the 2nd largest pike fraternity house in the nation and the 9th largest Greek fraternity house in the nation. But it's not just the size—the house features unprecedented levels of amenities and finishes for a Greek housing structure. At 1pm on April 1st, the culmination of several years of hard work from so many alumni from across generations of Gamma Chi came to a head when the Neal L. Patterson Chapter House was dedicated and Brother Patterson was inducted into the Gamma Chi Hall of Fame. Later that evening, over 230 guests gathered at the O-Club inside Gallagher-Iba Arena overlooking T. Boone Pickens Stadium to continue to celebrate the momentous occasion at the Alumni Association's Annual Banquet. The guest list was notable with Brother Eubanks, Brother Patterson's family, two International Presidents (Shad D. Williams and John M. Williams), many prominent business and community leaders, and representatives from the International Headquarters in attendance. The keynote speaker for the event was PiKA Vice President and CEO Justin Buck, who primarily spoke to the undergraduates about how now it is their time to capitalize and turn Gamma Chi into a Smythe Chapter. At the banquet, the undergraduates gave out their SLAG awards and Undergraduate of the Year Award. Also given out was the J. Lewie Sanderson Alumni Volunteer of the Year award and Gamma Chi Dream Girl Hall of Fame award. It was a fitting conclusion to one of the greatest days in our chapter's history and a great celebration of our success. As Neal Patterson says, "Success follows hard work."  Click the link to read the newsletter. www.epageflip.net/i/749820-fall-2016-newsletter
Click the link below to read the Spring 2016 Pike Press. If you do not receive this newsletter in your email or post mail box, please update your mailing address and email address on the contact us tab.
http://www.epageflip.net/i/680826-spring-2016-newsletter On April 23, the Alumni Association hosted the annual Hall of Fame Banquet. 150 guests were in attendance for the event. The morning of the event, some alumni participated in a golf outing at Karsten Creek. At the banquet, the featured guest speaker was Charlie Barnes, a Florida State 1965 initiate with deep Gamma Chi ties. The Hall of Fame inductees were Millard "Bucky" Harp '74 and Cyrus Mavalvala '70. Rich Young '80 was recognized as the J. Lewie Sanderson Alumni Volunteer of the Year. The inaugural Gamma Chi Dream Girl Hall of Fame inductee was Kathy L. Williams. The undergraduates were honored with separate awards for Scholar, Leader, Athlete and Gentleman of the Year. The annual Undergraduate of the Year was Thomas Fiegener. Fall 2015 was full of huge news and events at Gamma Chi locally in Stillwater and with the Alumni Association. For the Alumni Association, the tailgates were a huge success with the Reunion Tailgate and Homecoming Tailgate combining for over 700 guests. We also celebrated the beginning of the new chapter housing structure construction at the Groundbreaking Ceremony. Socially the Gamma Chi Alumni Association held a Wine Tasting event in Oklahoma City. Look for many more events in the Spring including the biggest event of the year, the Gamma Chi Hall of Fame Banquet. More details to follow. Here is the link to the Fall 2015 Pike Press. If you do not receive it in the mail, please send us an email updating your contact information.
http://www.epageflip.net/i/610905-fall-2015-newsletter Gamma Chi will usher in a new era on September 12th, 2015 with a Groundbreaking Ceremony for a new chapter house at the corner of West University Avenue and South Monroe Street, across the street from Theta Pond. The new chapter house will be one of the finest physical structures in the nation among all Greek housing. Please join us for this historic occasion! For more information on the Chapter House Renovation and to find out how you can be involved, please contact Shane Pate at [email protected] or Rich Young at [email protected]. Later in the day will be the annual Pike Reunion Tailgate before the Oklahoma State game versus Central Arkansas kicks off at 6:30 pm. For more information on the tailgate festivities please contact Bucky Harp at [email protected] or visit our Facebook group, Old School Gamma Chi Pikes.  The 2015 Hall of Fame Banquet was an overwhelming success with nearly 200 guests in attendance. At the banquet, the keynote speaker and Chesapeake Engergy Vice President, Gino Demarco, was inducted into the Gamma Chi Hall of Fame, as well as long time Chapter Advisor, Tommy Shotwell. Shane Pate was awarded the inaugural J. Louis Sanderson Alumni Volunteer of the Year award. On the 75th anniversary of Pi Kappa Alpha at Oklahoma State, Ollie Jack Wallin, a 1939 initiate and founding father was in attendance and recognized for 75 years of fraternal excellence. The big news of the evening was the announcement of the new location of the Gamma Chi Chapter House at the corner of University and Monroe across from Theta Pond at Oklahoma State. The chapter house fundraising is underway, to find out how you can contribute please contact Shane Pate at 405-612-9300. The Hall of Fame Banquet will induct Brothers Gino Demarco '80 and Tommy Shotwell '89. Gino Demarco will be the keynote speaker for the event. Around 200 pikes show up each year for this event, it's the 75 year anniversary celebration, and we have HUGE plans with regards to a new Chapter House, so you don't want to miss this event! If you didn't get an invitation update your address with us! Below is the schedule for the event.
Golf at Karsten Creek 1800 S. Memorial Dr. 9am Tee Time Join us for a morning of golf and breakfast at Karsten Creek in Stillwater. There are limited sports available at $160/person. Please RSVP to Nick Johnson and [email protected] Hall of Fame Banquet Cocktail Hour - 5:30 pm Dinner - 6:30 pm This will take place at the Student Union Ballroom and the reservation price is $50 per each alumni and their guests! RSVP on the pay dues tab. http://www.osupikes.org/pay-dues.html |
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