A Message from the President

Dear Fraters,
 
I hope my email finds you and your extended family well and healthy during these complex times.  I wanted to send an initial update since being installed as the TKE Mu-Omega Alumni Association President in September.  Thanks to all who paid their dues and voted in the recent election.  We had an unprecedented number of Fraters participate and hope others will see the value of the association as we execute on our mission in the next year.  I want to thank Frater Steve Payne (Scroll #96) for serving as our President during the 2019-2020 year.  Frater Steve, as many of you know, is battling a health issue so I hope each of you join me in wishing him good health and strength for the journey ahead.  

We’re off to a good start in 2020-2021 as we focus on a number of initiatives including:

  1. The recolonization of the Mu-Omega chapter on GMU.  The work of Frater PJ Malafronte, Expansion Coordinator from TKE IHQ is paying dividends.  It looks as if we will initiate 20-25 Fraters on November 8th in our efforts to establish a strong foundation for the future of the chapter.  Although given COVID-19, candidate recruitment was challenging, we have a promising group of young men to build the chapter.  Onsite participation is limited due to GMU protocols but all Fraters are invited and encouraged to attend the initiation ritual on November 8th at 2:00 PM eastern time.  The initiation will be broadcast on Zoom as well as a select few fraters may attend.
  2. Related to the recolonization, the colony, along with chapters of TKE across the country are raising funds in support of St. Jude.  These efforts support TKE Danny Thomas who is the founder of St. Jude Hospital and his dream that “no child should die in the dawn of life.” TKE alumni may also financially support this fundraising effort in two separate ways:
    1. ?The Mu Omega colony has a specific target/goal.  You may donate to the Mu-Omega colony team goal directly at https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/TKE/TKE?pg=entry&fr_id=129846.  You’ll see a “Make a Gift” button on the main page.  Your contribution will support our young men in attaining their goal.  If you prefer:
    2. TKE Alumni may register at the site.  If you click the register button, there is a secondary button that says “join a team.”  The alumni team name is “Mu-Omega Alumni.” It will ask you to establish an account.  In this way, you can then share the link to your unique fundraise page with your family and colleagues.  Please direct any questions you may have on how to participate to Frater PJ Malfronte at pmalafronte@tke.org.
  3. ?We welcomed four first time Fraters to the board including Frater Thomas Block (Scroll #595), Frater Joe Dwyer (Scroll #649), Frater Martin Meehan (Scroll #345), and Frater Brad Warner (Scroll #380).  The entire board anticipates continued emphasis on programs to support our three pillar mission of Fellowship, Scholarship and Business Networking.
  4. Keeping with Fellowship for the moment, we continue to plan for the upcoming 50th Anniversary Celebration of TKE’s at George Mason which as you know is planned for October 16th.  Please RSVP before the end of the year to take advantage of the early bird pricing.   This is a must attend event for all TEKEs and Friends of Mu-Omega.
  5. Another key Fellowship program is the work of our Decade Champions finding the emails for our “Lost Fraters.”  You can help too, and it only takes a minute.  Go to the TKE IHQ Lost Fraters page to see if you recognize a missing Frater.   
  6. With the recolonization efforts underway, it’s important to reestablish the Scholarship efforts to financially support our undergraduate Fraters in their education.  With your help and dues, The Gene Barnes Memorial Scholarship fund will be the source of this support for years to come.  More information will be provided in the near future about our fund raising activities including a special story written by Frater Tom Cooney (Scroll #110) about the life and times of Frater Gene (Scroll #56).  It will be a must read for all of us.
  7. Finally, Board Secretary Frater Marty Meehan is catalyzing our business Networking efforts and programs to ensure that Fraters benefit from the business breadth of this large and growing association.

?That’s is for now.  From time to time, we’ll share additional information on the alumni board progress on the above as well as much more.  If you’re not a member of either the Alumni Facebook Group or the Alumni LinkedIn Group, please consider joining these important communication venues.  Lastly, please consider paying your dues for the upcoming calendar year.  In addition to establishing your good standing, your funds benefit each of the programs described above and will enable additional supportive efforts as we build our association together.  Thank you.

Yours in the Bond,
Don Early, Scroll #249

Letter from our President

TKE Mu-Omega Alumni Association

July 30, 2020
 
Dear Fraters & Friends of our Fraternity,

Greetings to each of you.  Sorry it has taken so long for me to send out any kind of communication to you. Things have been busy with me and with the TKE Mu Omega Alumni Association (AA) so I will try and catch you up as best I can.

First to update you on my health – Many of you may not know, but I have suffered and battled Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).  Earlier this year, my AML relapsed  but I am now in remission (again) and waiting for my 2nd bone marrow transplant to occur (tricky with COVID issues going around, etc.) I am feeling fine. Also, earlier in 2020,  I retired.

By now you probably know, we rescheduled our 50th Anniversary Celebration to October 16, 2021 – we tried to keep it this year, but the City of Fairfax imposed restrictions that would make it impossible to do any celebrating.  It is never to early to get your ticket for the celebration in 2021.  Please RSVP to this important event to celebrate our long history.  Our chapter in 50 years has initiated 899 young men to our bond.  Since, we have lost 45 Fraters to “Chapter Eternal,” and today, we are missing digital contact information for nearly 1/3 of our Fraters. 

With that in mind, big time SHOUTOUT to Fraters Rick Lowrey (scroll #276), Don Early (#249), and our Decade Champions, Fraters Joe Kelliher (#123), Jim Winkler (#425), Marty Meehan (#345), Travis Floyd (#614) and  Mitch Gilman (# 772) for leading the task of verifying our scroll listing and finding “lost fraters.” Our focus is to gather contact info (email addresses preferred) so we can keep in contact. Fraters, this is of UTMOST importance to us as an alumni Association.  You can help this effort.  Please click on the link below to review the list and update any Frater record.  We try to keep everyone up to date via Facebook and LinkedIn but some Fraters choose not to participate in social media (understandable) so we need to communicate via email or the old fashioned way – phone calls. 

Speaking of phone calls, I received a phone call from Frater Bob Denig (scroll #108) on Wednesday – genuinely nice to hear from him – first time speaking to him in over 40 years. I have his contact info if anyone would like to talk with him – he is looking forward to staying in touch – even put October 16, 2021 on his calendar.  Speaking of contact information, and related to “Lost Fraters,” feel free to reach out to any AA board member if you are looking for an email or phone number for a Frater.  We would be happy to facilitate you reconnecting. 

TKE International Alumni Directory – you “will” be contacted by a third-party publishing company regarding the 2020/21 Alumni Directory sponsored by HQ – this is legit – it is expensive – you don’t need to buy anything if you don’t want to, but please take the time to update your information with them. Your info will not be shared with any other vendors.  Likewise, if you would prefer, go to mytke.org and update the information yourself.  The AA benefits from that by securing our ability to contact you with updates on the association activities supporting our mission.

We have as a Board made some strides in establishing Our Mission as the TKE Mu Omega Alumni Association (yes, we are registered with the Virginia State Corporation Commission):

  • Fellowship  – Fellowship is the most important part of our Mission – the Alumni Association main focus is on you – our fellow Alumni
  • Networking – We have a wide variety of skill sets and this will be one of our primary ways to support our undergraduates in the future. (and Alumni).  Be sure to register at TKE Mu Omega Alumni LinkedIn Group
  • Scholarship – The Gene Barnes Scholarship will be supported by our Association; we do have a nice balance in the fund to assist as leverage in recruiting new Fraters and assisting them with their education endeavors.


The Board of Advisors (BoA is the governing body for the undergraduate chapter) is making great progress with our recolonization of “George Mason TKE Colony” – TKE International HQ is sending an expansion expert (Frater Paul “PJ” Malafronte) to the GMU campus on August 20, 2020 – they already have a list of 120+ prospects that was provided to them by the University, so it looks to be a good start here – please follow the BoA updates provided by Board Chairman Mark Monson for further details.

Interested in serving on the Alumni Association Board of Directors for the next term beginning on October 1st? I have appointed Fraters Rick Lowrey and Wayne Spencer to be the nominating committee to have a slate of officers available to vote on for our September 23rd annual meeting. Please consider volunteering to serve. All officer positions are open for nominations.  If interested, please contact us through the LinkedIn or Facebook Groups, or send a message to muomegatke@gmail.com with your indication of interest.  Rick or Wayne will follow-up directly with you.

Facebook etiquette – we are developing guidelines for our Facebook page/all social media – please be mindful on the closed pages, we are all fraters and our pages should be treated with respect and courtesy. “Love, Charity, and Esteem.”

Lastly, please support our beloved Fraternity – due to COVID they are in operational mode but 95% of the operating income comes from the undergraduate members – which will be down significantly this year. A donation of $18.99 will make you a “Life Loyal TEKE” – it is tax deductible and you will be “esteemed” by your fellow fraters for having done so. Also, donations to the Gene Barnes Scholarship are always being accepted. You can contact me if interested.

Please text me at (703) 489-8107 or call if you have any questions or suggestions.
 
Yours in the Bond,
 
Steve Payne, Scroll #96
President Mu Omega Alumni Association
 
P.S. I am adding something I found on Facebook – please read!
 


The Pin You Wear
(This speech was given by Grand Histor Henry A. Burd, Alpha chapter, at the installation of Lambda Chapter in 1917.)

During the initiation this afternoon you were presented with a Pin, the emblem of Tau Kappa Epsilon. That emblem you now wear upon your breast. To you it is perhaps but a bit of gold set with pearls, and yet to you, even now, it must have little symbolism. The ceremonies of initiation must have given it a meaning which the uninitiated cannot know. To him it signifies only your allegiance to this as distinguished from other fraternities. To you it also signifies this, but beyond this, it has a deeper significance — a significance which will grow in meaning, in beauty, in sacredness as the years go by.

The Pin you now wear is the emblem of Tau Kappa Epsilon. It is a skull surmounted by a triangle in the angles of which are placed three pearls. The scroll symbolizes the bond of brotherhood which unites us. The Triangle symbolizes Deity. The Pearls symbolize purity.

To me this pin is a sacred heritage. I see inscribed on its scroll the names of many men. They are the names of men I came to know and to love in this Fraternity, men with whom I ate and slept, and worked and played. Men who influenced me strongly in the formative years of my life, and whose destiny may, in some small way, have helped to shape. Men who I have come to know and to revere in later years, men on whose judgement I rely, in whose integrity and honor I have utter faith, in whose true friendship I implicitly trust. There are names of those who are near, and those who are far removed. Some of them, in all human probability, I shall never see again, but the memory of our days together I shall never lose. There are names of some, but they few, thank God, who have passed on to join the Great Brotherhood beyond. Though they are gone, their memory lingers still.

This triangle binds together in sacred union the fraters of Tau Kappa Epsilon. It is a bond which distance does not loosen and time cannot sever. It encompasses nearly every state in the Union; it extends northward into Canada; it reaches the Orient. And everywhere the hearts of Tekes ring true, no matter what the nation or clime in which they live.
?
In the purity of these pearls I see the Inner lives of my fraters. Lives together under conditions in which deception was impossible and hypocrisy and sham were quickly brushed aside. Weaknesses are mercilessly revealed but mercifully corrected. Sterling qualities stand out with added prominence. And in this light, not dazzling brilliant but quietly revealing, I see young men lose there pettiness, their arrogance, their conceit, their self sufficiency. I see them become generous, humble, modest, sincere. I see them learn to live with their fellows, to give and to take, to sacrifice, to represent the rights of others, to value their opinions, to weigh their judgments. I see these men leave the active Chapter, make their homes for themselves, and take up their part of the business world— better fitted as homemakers, better fitted citizens, because under friendly and helpful conditions, and often without knowing it, they have learned much that is indispensable in the serious business of living.

This, Fraters, is what the Pin you wear means to me. This is the vision it reveals. To you it will in time come to mean much the same. The passing days and months will assemble the picture part by part, and the years will reveal the vision. Now you do not see or understand.

The pin you wear is our secret. Some day you will understand.

Lost Fraters

Fraters,

We hope this note finds you, and your entire extended family safe and healthy during the uncertain times due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. 

As we celebrate our 50th anniversary since becoming the Mu Omega Chapter for Tau Kappa Epsilon, your alumni association is asking for your help today.  No, we aren’t looking to reach into your wallet – we need your time, and energy.  Nearly 43% of our 910 alumni do not have an email address registered with TKE.org.  Think about that for a moment.  Averaging nearly 20 members a year, that stat means at least 8 Fraters from your pledge class are “missing.”

As we continue to build the association, with an eye toward chapter re-instatement in the fall, along with the 50th anniversary celebration, now is the time to reconnect with our old friends and fraters.  The ask is simple.  We need 5-10 volunteers that are willing to spend time finding and reconnecting with these men.  The good news is, nearly 75% of these fraters did register with a telephone number.  So, we can reach them, with your help.

We are looking to split each decade in half and have a Frater focus on a 5-year period close to when you were in school/initiated.  So far, we have one Frater who is busy at work.  We need at least 4 more.  If interested, please contact Frater Rick Lowrey at richardlowrey@verizon.net. 

Thanks in advance for your help.  We hope to see you in October at the 50th anniversary celebration.
 

Yours in the Bond,

Mu Omega Alumni Association Board Members

TKE for Life

TKE Mu Omega 50th Anniversary Celebration

Hope each of you, and your family are safe and healthy through these challenging and uncertain times.  The Alumni Association is concerned for each of you.  Feeling isolated, reach out to a frater you’ve lost touch with.  With an eye past the uncertainty of today’s environment, your alumni association is hard at work planning our golden anniversary.  We hope both the timing and the circumstances allow for a tremendous turn-out of old friends past and present.

50th Anniversary Celebration Event:

Who:      All GMU Mu Omega TKE alumni, little sisters of TKE, and friends
Where:   Old Town Hall (Huddleson Library), Main Street, Fairfax, VA.
When:    October 16, 2021, 7:00 PM

Please visit our information page and click on the RSVP link

Frater Alex Morse

Frater Morse, a transfer from Fairleigh Dickinson who was active at Mu Omega, was injured on New Years Eve. Please consider donating to help him in his recovery.
https://www.gofundme.com/alex-morse-hospital-fund

Founders Dinner – 2019

Founders Day dinner tickets now on sale.  Cost is $30 per person and purchase your own drinks.  We will be celebrating the life of Frater Scott Kazem.

https://www.memberplanet.com/s/taukappaepsilon-tkemu-omegaalumniassn/tkebanquetregistration_6

Dinner at Hamrocks’s Restaurant 3950 Chain Bridge Rd, Fairfax, VA 22030)

Tickets are limited.

Appetizer (choose one)

  • Mixed Greens Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette, Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Parmesan
  • Lobster Bisque
  • Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon, Chipotle Cream and Pecans

Dinner (choose one)

  • Grilled Salmon Fillet- Grilled Salmon Fillet with Mango Salsa, Pomangranite Glaze, Basil Cream, Glazed Carrots and Basmati Rice
  • Chicken Limone- Sautéed Chicken Breast with a Lemon Butter Sauce, Artichokes, Tomatoes, Broccolini and Angel Hair Pasta with Marinara  
  • Chesapeake Crab Cakes-   Crab Cakes, Old Bay Remoulade, Au Gratin Potatoes and Grilled Zucchini     
  • Shrimp and Grits– Sautéed Shrimp and Andouille Sausage with Garlic and Peppers in a White Wine Cream Sauce  
  • Saffron and Vegetable Risotto– with Vegetable Broth, Parmesan, Zucchini and Broccoli
  • Marinated Pork Chop “Steak”– Dijon Cream Sauce, Smashed Red Potatoes and Crispy Brussels Sprouts

Non-Alcoholic Beverages included.

Nominating Committee: Slate of Officers

Fraters here is the Report of the Nominating Committee for The TKE Mu Omega Alumni Association. The Following Fraters are presented for your consideration as Officers & At-Large Members of the Board of Directors for 2017-2018:

President: Joe Kennedy
Vice Pres: Billy Reilly
Secretary: Don Early
Treasurer: Chris Turpin
At-Large: Ray Cuevas
At-Large: Gary Martin
The meeting has been called for September 20th at Hamrocks Restaurant in The City of Fairfax.

Respectfully submitted by Steve Payne, Chris Townsend and Billy Reilly.