On Tuesday, July 7th our backyard took on a very different look. Gone was the slanted tin roof, gone was the brick patio, and gone were the back steps. Why were these things missing? They were missing because a 30 feet by 20 feet deck had taken their place. Over the past year, the chapter has decided to make a commitment to our house and how it looks. It began last fall with the purchase of all new furniture for the 1st floor, a new 31 inch color television, a new stove, and a lot of paint. The fraternity system at U of L is becoming more competitive with the addition of SAE it's 13th fraternity. The chapter realized that we needed to upgrade the appearance of the house and have something that no other fraternity had. This would only aid us in attracting new members in a much more competitive environment. So, the chapter set their eyes to the outside of the house and a goal was set to build a large deck on the back of the house. It was understood that it would not be an easy task to accomplish with the cost of such a project and the red tape that one has to go through at U of L to get something approved. The chapter felt that a deck would provide some much needed space to have brotherhood dinners, alumni gatherings, parties or cookouts. To do this a $1500 loan was taken out from Sig Ep National Headquarters. By the projects end the price had risen to $2600. The remaining cost not covered by the loan was paid by digging into the chapter's savings and by the generous gifts of two alumni, Steve Walker and Scott Renken. What made this project so impressive was the fact that Ben Lovely, who joined last fall, along with his father and his two younger brothers agreed to drive in from Pikeville, KY and build the deck for FREE! The Lovely's along with the chapter worked tirelessly from Tuesday July 7 through Saturday July 11. The chapter is committed to paying off the debt within the year, but any contributions would be appreciated. I see the deck paying itself off twice over in the fall with a successful rush. I hope all alumni plan to attend the alumni picnic on August 1st. It would be a great opportunity to come see the positive changes that have taken place. Fraternally, Jeffrey V. Oeswein. President.

If you have not been to the chapter to see all the excitement going on, the perfect opportunity will be for the annual alumni picnic. Remember the fun times of gathering with your brothers? This is the perfect event to see many of your brothers and reminisce about the fun times you had while a member of the undergraduate chapter. Please come and bring a dish. The alumni board will supply the barbecue, buns, and drinks. The only thing missing from the event will be you and your family if you choose not to attend. Festivities will begin at approximately 1:00 P.M. and will last throughout the afternoon.