35 YEARS AFTER I SAID YES TO LAMBDA CHI ALPHA FRATERNITY............

On Tuesday March 1, 1977, as a first semester junior at California State University Sacramento, (Sac State) and one week before the Election for the Los Rios Community College District Board of Trustees in which I was a candidate for the seat in Area 2 of a district wide campaign, I took the night off from touting my candidacy door to door, and returned to campus for a meeting with Jon Doak, who was the Director of Expansion for Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, which was attempting to establish a colony at CSU-Sacramento.  I had been the only respondent to a December 1976 invitational mailing to consider joining the upstart colony being organized and although very impressed with what I had read about this particular general social fraternity, had been unable due to my class schedule and campaign activities, to meet with Brother Doak during his two week visit to the campus recruiting fraternity members.  On Sunday night February 27, Jon had telephoned me and said he needed to see me before he departed on Wednesday morning, if I were going to become a part of the effort.  I assured him that  I would clear my Tuesday night campaign schedule and meet with him in the University Union building at 8 p.m.  After a very cordial and impressive meeting of nearly an hour in the Sacramento Room on the 3rd Floor, and as he prepared to extend a formal bid to me to become a founding member of the colony and`join Lambda Chi at Sac State; one of his fellow University of New Mexico Lambda Chi alumni brothers, Bil Cinnamon, who was to be the overseeing Coordinator of the colony, arrived to join our meeting.  Jon introduced me to him saying I was running for a public office in an ongoing election and when I clarified it was the Los Rios Colleges Board, Bil asked me for which seat I was running.  When I told him Area 2, and that Tom DuHain was the incumbent he exclaimed, "Oh No", and lowered his head onto the table.  He then honestly stated he was working for my opponent's re-election !  Jon Doak responded assuring me Bil's straightforwardness was one of the strengths of the Fraternity's principled approach to treating, "Every Man (as) a Man", underscoring I was a valued person to Lambda Chi Alpha, not just a warn body.  Jon then gave me a verbal and written bid, seconded by Bil, and I accepted.  That began a very involved following five and a half years as an active undergraduate and alumni member  working with the other charter members and early year chapter members in building and growing what became the Phi Pi Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha.  Through these proceeding three and a half decades, the cherished bonds of brotherhood have continued, even three years after the suspension of the active chapter after a three decade presence on the Sac State Campus.  Remembering, commemorating, celebrating, the "Honest Friendships", and "Shared Experiences", of the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity Expeience, I salute and share this day with all my Good Brothers, especially those with whom I continue to share a interpersonal relationships with, that mirror and magnify the 103 year heritage of General Fraternity in the United States and Canada, and the 35 years we have shared in Lambda Chi Alpha  Phi Pi Zeta and Superior California Alumni Association............Brother Father Troy David Powers  Phi Pi 2

>>>Intersecting with this 35th Anniversary week is the birth of Brother Phi Pi 1, Tom MacKenzie's first grandchild.  Congratulations to Tom, Carolyn, their son, daughter inlaw and grandson on this MacKenzie Family blessed event.<<<