Celebrating a Century of Brotherhood

By Dalton Lee, Baldwin Wallace ’11

Nestled in the heart of the picturesque Appalachian landscape, Phi Chapter of the Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity at Bethany College recently celebrated a momentous occasion—100 years of brotherhood and fellowship. This historic event, held at the enchanting Oglebay Resort, marked a milestone that most of our chapters have yet to accomplish

The jam-packed celebration weekend kicked off on Friday night with a luau party hosted by the undergraduate brothers of Phi Chapter—featuring specially monogramed Hawaiian shirts and a delicious spread for all to enjoy. Saturday morning started off with a business meeting, the results of which will have a transformative impact on Phi Chapter. In collaboration with Bethany College, The Phi Chapter unveiled a groundbreaking agreement for the Phi Second Century fund. This fund aims to facilitate direct donations to the college, specifically benefiting the brothers of Phi Chapter and the Phi Chapter house. The initiative kicked off with generous donations of $10,000 each from both the college and the Phi Graduate Council. A third anonymous donor added another $10,000, propelling the fund to an impressive launch amount of $30,000. The ambitious target for the fund is set at $100,000 within its inaugural year.

Saturday Afternoon, the bind between Phi Chapter and Bethany College continued to grow stronger, as the Harvard Red and Old Gold Club contributed to the celebration by funding the installation of a commemorative plaque in Bethany's historic Old Main corridor. This plaque honors the founding of Phi Chapter by the men of the local Rechabite Club in 1923. Bethany College President, Jamie Caridi, offered remarks and assisted in the unveiling. The event was capped off with remarks from Chris Berry, Bethany '83, who delved into the rich history of Phi Chapter, reflecting on a century of growth and accomplishment. 

Further enriching the centennial celebration, the Harvard Red and Old Gold Club continued their altruistic weekend by establishing two new educational funds. These funds are designed to endow the attendance of a member of the most recent associate member class to the Annual Leadership Academy. To honor distinguished figures, the new funds were named after past HROG president John Faber, Bethany '74, and current HROG president Mike Holzworth, Bethany '96. 

Concluding the weekend with a bang, the Brotherhood Banquet on Saturday night featured the attendance of four National Presidents, including current President Mike McCrum, Texas State ’75, who gave remarks and handed out a number of awards. One of which is our fraternity’s highest honor, the Palm Award, given to past National President and Centennial Chairman, Greg Heilmeier, Bethany ’86, for his service to our National Organization and Phi chapter. Of his award, Heilmeier stated, “I was completely taken aback. Nobody ever expects to receive the Palm, because the truth is that you do all the work out of love for the brotherhood—never expecting or needing to be recognized for it.” The event continued on with more recognitions, the full list of which will be posted below, but culminated in a touching gesture from Tom Abrams, Bethany '76. Abrams announced a $10,000 donation to the Resident Council, a gift warmly accepted by Resident Council president, Christian Funari, Bethany '20.

As Phi Chapter reflects on a century of brotherhood, the centennial celebration at Bethany College stands as a testament to the enduring bonds forged over generations. It not only commemorates the past but also paves the way for a promising future, anchored in the spirit of fellowship. Read below for a complete list of awards and recognitions from the Phi Centennial Celebration:

Key Award: Greg Waite, Bethany '99, honored for his outstanding service to Delta Lambda at Muskingum.

Phi Award: Sam Duvall, Bethany '12, recognized for his dedicated service as treasurer and secretary of Phi Graduate Council.

Phi Award (posthumously): Todd Jones, Bethany '81, acknowledged for pro bono photo support at numerous alumni events. The award was accepted by his widow, Diane Jurasko Jones.

Hall of Fame Inductees: 

Shawn Brown, PhD, Bethany '94 
George Manahan, Bethany '80 

Phi Men of Distinction Inaugural Honorees: 

Don Dallas, Bethany '29 
Richard Meess, Bethany '48 
Albert R. “Jay” Buckelew Jr., Bethany ‘78 
Thomas C. Skena, Bethany ‘81 

The event also saw the presentation of nearly fifty 25-year pins, 50-Year Pins to Tom Hile, Bethany ‘71, and Bob Carter, Bethany ‘73, and a 75-Year Pin to Ken Lawrence, Bethany ‘46, a WWII veteran and Phi’s oldest living graduate.