BETA-RHO BULLETINBETA-RHO BULLETINLambda Chi Alpha Fraternity California State University, Northridge Volume 44, Issue 1 Winter 2016

BETA-RHO BULLETIN

FeaturesAM InstallationAssociate Member Induction Ceremony, March 6 ... page 3

Chapter Meeting: March 6High Zeta officer reports and other highlights following the AM Installation ... pages 4-5

High Alpha Summit 2016Jeffrey Perez de Leon goes to Indianapolis ... pages 6-7

Throwback Chapter History: March 13, 1983A chapter meeting allegedly held at the Merridy House where the details were sketchy ... page 8

House Corporation Meetings: January-MarchKeeping up with the Halsted property ... page 9

Alumni News & Winter Neville Advisor’s CollegeBaby and wedding engagement news; Tim Pena is the fourth house corporation member to attend the Neville Advisor’s College ... Page 10

Remembering Peter Fields, Percy Megginson & Richard Bluth Two brothers who both joined Beta-Rho in 1982, plus Brian Megginson’s late father ... pages 11-13

The Night Executive Vice President Emeritus George Spasyk &Former Grand High Alpha Geoff Gunn Visited Beta-Rho in 1984Undergrads and alumni were treated to a special evening of fellowship at the chapter house when the fraternity’s executive director showed up along with the Grand High Alpha ... pages 14-15

Editor’s Journal: What is your Rosebud? ... back cover

Chapter line-up after the AM Installation. For the past few years, the chapter has adjourned to the southeast entrance of Sierra Hall for a group picture between the AM Installation Ceremony and the chapter meeting. Front row (from left): Marc Ninapaytan, Zeke Esquibel, Joe Montez-Lampert, Cisco Silva, Frankie Castanon. Second row: Jesse Martinez, Jason Fefer, Bryan Martinez, Wes Cole, Chris Martinez, Ozzy Robledo. Third row: Tyler Fernholz, Austin Smith, Manny Fuentes, David Burgos, Angel Torres, Josh Bascou. Fourth row: Vincent Pimentel, Jeffrey Perez de Leon, Devin De Leon, Myke Davis, Nick Dinsmore (behind David Burgos), Adrian Morales.

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All photos by Rick Childs

On the cover. Chapter President Jeffrey Perez de Leon, Sierra Hall 280, March 6, 2016.

Special thanks to Kevin Mojaradi for Photoshopping the water bottle off the cover image (LOL).

BETA-RHO ZETA OF LAMBDA CHI ALPHA INTERNATIONAL FRATERNITY 3

Spring 2016 Associate Member Installation

Once again the chapter convened in Sierra Hall 280 on March 6 beginning at 5:30 p.m. for its Spring Associate Member Installation Ceremony.

Pictured below, High Zeta officers Jeffrey Perez de Leon (president), Angel Torres, (standing in for fraternity educator Rodrigó Valenzuela), Myke Davis (ritualist), Jesse Martinez (recruitment officer) and Nick Dinsmore (vice president) presided over the ceremony.

The chapter welcomed its newest recruits Ezekiel “Zeke” Esquibel, Joseph “Joe” Montez–Lampert and Marc Ninapaytan.

Among the alumni in attendance were Chapter Advisor Kevin Mojaradi, Daniel Bermudez, Jacob Holmes and Rick Childs. Also in the audience was Emily Belt, a little sister from Alpha Phi Sorority.

Call to Order: 6:26 p.m., Sierra Hall 280Formal Meeting.

Roll Call: Nick Dinsmore called the roll and took minutes, subbing for High Gamma Alex Valdivia. Present, roll call order: Cisco Silva, Josh Bascou, David Burgos, Chris Martinez, Vince Pimentel, Angel Torres, Weslee Cole, Chris Burgos, Manny Fuentes, Frankie Castanon, Jesse Martinez, Jason Fefer, Mychal Davis, Jeffrey Perez de Leon, Devin De Leon, Bryan Martinez, Ozzy Robledo, Adrian Morales, Austin Smith, Tyler Fernholz, Joseph Montez-Lampert, Zeke Esquibel, Marc Ninapaytan. Alumni: Daniel Bermudez, Rick Childs, Kevin Mojaradi.

The Creed of Lambda Chi Alpha & agenda change: Brother Robledo led the chapter in the recitation of the creed. Brother Perez de Leon presented a motion to move Old Business to the beginning of the meeting. [Several brothers needed to leave early, so they did this to ensure that they had a quorum.]

Old Business (Jeffrey Perez de Leon): A bylaw to amend language regarding the active chapter’s four voting members on the house corporation was introduced by Brother Perez de Leon. Active chapter members will no longer serve as voting members of the house corporation, and the chapter will function as a separate legal entity from it. [They can still attend and discuss chapter matters.] Passed unanimously.

High Alpha Report (Jeffrey Perez de Leon): We need to prepare for the upcoming ELC visit [Brandon Bonds] who is arriving on March 31 for four days. He explained the ELC’s agenda to the new members and wanted everyone “to be on their best behavior.” Reminder: show up at the ELC’s officer meetings, his chapter presentation on April 1 (mandatory) and the chapter meeting on April 3. We need to find him better accommodations, possibly at the dorms, because last fall he wound up staying at the Budget Inn on Sepulveda Boulevard.

High Beta Report (Nick Dinsmore): How many want to play paintball on March 20, 1-4 p.m.? Show of hands. “So right now I have 14 people for it. I’m going to exhaust my Beta budget on this so that you will pay less for it. Also, everybody who came to the basketball game, thank you. It was clubs and orgs night; it just worked out that way.” He emphasized that brothers need to support brotherhood events.

High Kappa Report (Rodrigó Valenzuela, High Alpha reporting): Brother Perez de Leon said that Kappa meetings will be held starting next Sunday at 5:30 p.m. on campus either in this room or one nearby. “That will go right into Sigma sessions where you guys can do your homework.” Brother Dinsmore: “If you won’t make it, text Rodrigó.”

High Phi Report (Myke Davis): Thank you everybody [for attending the AM Installation]. “Ritual [practice] will start next Monday, not

tomorrow. Other than that, I need the actives to stay for about two minutes after the meeting. I don’t want to stick my foot in my mouth again.”

High Sigma Report (David Burgos): He talked to some brothers this week who had midterms or exams. “I want to make the house quiet for the whole week. I’m going to the library tomorrow, hope to see all you guys there.” Brother Dinsmore cut in and asked each of the three associate members to spell out their last names for him. Then he made a brief pitch for zeta points, which count towards things like qualifying to attend a future formal.

High Theta Report (Wes Cole): “Everyone who hasn’t signed up for Relay for Life, I want to take out your phones right now and do it. Go to Google, type in Relay For Life CSUN, make and account, and join our team. You don’t have to pay now. You can pay at the event. Jesse brought up the idea of partnering with a sorority. As far as Watermelon Bust goes, we have reserved the east field for April 9. It will be starting at 12:00 and going ‘til 4 or 5. We are trying to convince the Plant Management team to let us have the event on the grass. They don’t want to damage the grass in any way…. So far we have three designs for the Watermelon Bust t-shirt.” He showed examples. A couple of brothers suggested that he post the designs on GroupMe. “Okay, they’re going on GroupMe right now.” A long discussion then ensued about selecting Watermelon Bust coaches, and it spilled over past the guest appearances from two sororities.

Guest Appearance #1: A representative entered the room from Delta Delta Delta Sorority:

Amber. (Everyone stood and applauded appreciatively.) She talked about their philanthropy that they call the All-American Bash. “There is an Instagram challenge going on all this week…. Also tomorrow there will be a CBK fundraiser at the Northridge Mall. Make sure to show the flyer and [funds] will go toward our philanthropy, which is the CHLA St. Jude [Children’s Research Hospital of Los Angeles]. And Tuesday is our Trivia Night…. We’d like to get to know more of you. Thank you.”

Guest Appearance #2: Ladies from Alpha Xi Delta. (More applause.) “I’m Sam and we’re your coaches…” for their philanthropy event(s) on April 2 and 25. (This semester they were organizing an event called Xi Hunger Games, according to Brother Cole.) They showed the design of the t-shirt the sorority had started selling.

High Epsilon Report (Chris Martinez): Brother Perez de Leon said that Chris wants to do a mixer/philanthropy. “Because we can’t do mixers, what we can do is have philanthropies… and team up with a sorority. He’s thinking of doing a beach cleanup with somebody [similar to the one done with AOPi in November]. He’ll let you guys know next week about that.”

High Rho Report (vacant, High Alpha reporting): There is an alumni flag football game in the planning stages for May 1.

High Gamma Report (Alex Valdivia, High Beta reporting): If you can’t be at the meeting on time, let a few people know, not just the Gamma.

High Tau Report (Jason Fefer): Chapter receivables were discussed. He thanked various brothers for paying dues and read his list of those who

Chapter Meeting: March 6, 2016

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currently owed money. “We all need to start paying off the rest of our dues. We also have payment plan agreements, and although I don’t follow up with those, you guys still signed them, so that should mean something to you.”

High Pi Report (Kevin Mojaradi): Make sure to attend the ELC’s presentation and meeting and have at least 80 percent show up. Points are given out for attendance, and the more points the chapter earns, the less they pay for insurance, and the less everyone pays in dues. He is working on a High Pi barbecue, “and I want to make this a tradition. So when the next High Pi comes in, he can follow through with it.” He wants to have it coincide with the alumni ceremony at the end of the semester meeting. “AS elections are coming on April 13 and 14. We signed up for the club competition.” This is tied to the election, and the club that wins the most votes receives

$400. Second place gets $200. “We’re on the ballots, so encourage all your friends to vote for Lambda Chi.”

House Manager (Jesse Martinez): He thanked the brothers who followed through on doing chores and mentioned that he would be buying more supplies tomorrow. Brother Perez de Leon requested a new trash bin for the downstairs study area (the “concrete room”).

Intramurals Chair (Nick Dinsmore): “We swept Phi Kappa Psi last week. This week we play SigEps, 8 p.m. for the basketball playoffs. Be there.Dodgeball, 6:45, Tuesday. vs. Sigma Chi, playoff [at the SRC]. Last time we played Sigma Chi we forfeited—not enough people—which is sad! But this time, we’re gonna beat ‘em! Softball. Over. That hurts. Kappa Sig won. Soccer, Friday, 4 p.m. against AEΠ. Volleyball: if anyone wants to

play, you can start signing up online.”

New Business (Jeffrey Perez de Leon, Brother Dinsmore reporting): “All AMs: add me on Snapchat. I will put the rules for Snapchat in the AM GroupMe.”

Brother of the Week (Jeffrey Perez de Leon): [AMs] “Brother of the Week is where we acknowledge and appreciate a brother who did something exemplary.” Nominations: Nick, Zeke, Cisco. Brother Silva won for helping out Manny Fuentes with a ride home at 5 a.m. in the rain.

Announcements: Brother Perez de Leon: “Shoutout to Kevin [Mojaradi] for helping me” earn a [$1,000] scholarship with a letter of recommendation he wrote.

Adjourn: 7:53 p.m.

Volume 44, Issue 1 Version 1.8 Editor, reporter, designer & photographer: Rick Childs

The Beta-Rho Bulletin is the official publication of

Beta-Rho Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha, Inc. at

California State University, Northridge. Article ideas,

directory revisions, weddings, anniversaries, births

and career info should be snail mailed, e-mailed or

sent via Facebook to the editor. His mailing address

is 44044 Engle Way Apt. 65, Lancaster, CA;

93536-. Email: eaglerick@twc.com. All other

correspondence to the corporation should be sent to

P.O. Box 280311, Northridge, CA 91328-0311.

Made on a Mac Mini with iWork Pages ’09 v. 4.1.

Originally published on April 26 2016. Last revised

on April 26, 2016. Editor’s phone number/texts:

(661) 313-5319.

Winter 2016 House Corporation Board of Directors:

President Spencer SchmerlingVP, Communications Rick ChildsVP, Activities Tim Pena

Secretary Kyle ShaverTreasurer Scott PressAlumni Director Rob Press

Alumni Director Gilbert LopezChapter Advisor Kevin Mojaradi

Winter 2016 High Zeta:

High Alpha Jeffrey Perez de Leon

High Beta Nick DinsmoreHigh Gamma Eric ChoiHigh Delta Jesse MartinezHigh Epsilon Chris Burgos

High Iota Jesse EspinozaHigh Kappa Rodrigó ValenzuelaHigh Phi Adrian Morales

High Rho Jason FeferHigh Sigma David BurgosHigh Tau Josh Bascou

High Theta Wes Cole

On the Web:

Headquarters LambdaChi.orgBack Issues Issuu.com/beta-rho_83

Facebook CSUN Lambda Chi Alpha Lambda Chi Alpha, BP AlumniInstagram CSUNLambdaChiAlphaTwitter #CSUNLambdaChi

Meeting in March. Clockwise from upper left: Nick Dinsmore makes a point during his High Beta report as Myke Davis looks on. Wes Cole organized getting Watermelon Bust judges chosen. Kevin Mojaradi discussed his idea about a barbecue to coincide with the alumni graduation ceremony. Cisco Silva was voted as the Brother of the Week. Opposite page: Jeffrey Perez de Leon launches into his High Alpha report.

BETA-RHO ZETA OF LAMBDA CHI ALPHA INTERNATIONAL FRATERNITY 5

For the second time in six months, chapter president Jeffrey Perez de Leon boarded a plane at LAX and traveled to a Lambda Chi Alpha leadership conference. For his latest Midwest mission, he took part in the second annual High Alpha Summit in Indianapolis, Indiana. Around 100 staff and undergraduates gathered at the city’s J.W. Marriott Hotel for the three-day event beginning on Jan. 7.

At the Summit’s opening banquet, Grand High Alpha Fletcher McElreath provided the opening remarks and welcomed the attendees.

Shoutouts from staff and undergrads peppered social media during the 3-day event. One of the first to comment on Twitter was Brandan Bonds, the chapter’s ELC for the past two semesters and Headquarters’ new hire as its associate director of executive operations.

“Ready for the @LambdaChiAlpha High Alpha Summit in Indy! Looking forward to a great time. #HAS2016 #lambachi,” Brother Bonds tweeted.

Brother Perez de Leon talked about the High Alpha Summit after the close of the house corporation’s informal business meeting on Jan. 13 and during a phone interview on March 30. His change of scenery was quite a contrast to the drier than predicted El Niño winter weather of L.A.

“It was interesting because the day we flew in it was beautiful, nice and sunny,” he observed. “And then progressively through the time we were there it went from really nice to raining a little bit. But the rain was welcome. I hadn’t seen rain in forever because of living out here. Then the night we were leaving, it started snowing. It was really coming down. In Colorado where it was snowing they had to clean the airplane [of ice] and I hadn’t seen that before. You really question whether you should be flying right now.”

As with the previous summer’s Stead Leadership Seminar, attendees were given a combination of nuts and bolts basics on chapter and risk management, plus further discussions about optimizing one’s leadership capabilities, according to Brother Perez de Leon.

“A lot of what was covered there was in the same vein as what was covered at the [Stead Leadership Seminar],” he continued. “It was a way to get everyone on the same page in terms of what you need to be doing as the High Alpha. Stead was more of an overall [introduction] on how you [define] a leader. This was more hands-on, the things that a High Alpha should be doing, how to manage your officers.

“For me personally, since this is my second year [serving as High Alpha], the stuff covered re-affirmed how we [as a chapter] have grown in the past year and that I’m managing the officers well.

“I learned a lot from our break-out groups. I think they [were led by] ELCs. They were facilitating discussions about what needed to be done and what advice other chapters could give you. All of our chapters had similar problems, like grades, apathy, and getting people involved who are a little older in the chapter. It was great to hear people’s problems and other people’s solutions for them. It’s great to have meetings like this, and Stead has them a lot. For High Alphas, this is even more constructive and helpful to me.”

As had been done with the Neville Advisor’s College events, the High Alphas were shuttled to Headquarters for a tour. Like many before him, Brother Perez de Leon enjoyed every minute.

“I got to see the Headquarters, which was really cool the first night I got there. It was just amazing to see all these artifacts from our organization’s history. It was really the highlight of the trip for me. I got to see the flag of Theta Kappa Nu. I’d never seen that.”

Several lecturers took up most of the second and third days at the hotel.

“Every time we went into a general meeting we [sat in with speakers]. The first day was a guy from Butler’s basketball team. Yeah, he was the head coach. His name was Barry Collier [1989- 2000]. He spoke to us about his leadership skills.

“[Another speaker] covered a lot of the safety issues like fires, general things like room capacities [which are] fire marshal standards. But also they were focusing on how common it is for people to tragically die during fraternity events. Not only that, but also doing things that make the fraternity look bad. He played us some videos from the news about how an [alumnus] bit off the head of a hamster. It was somewhere in the South. Even though they’re not doing something in the fraternity’s name, they’re doing things that automatically come back to hurt us.

“We had two other speakers come in and talk to us mainly about inclusiveness, how we thrive as a fraternity. One of them was a member of the Army and the other one works for IBM.”

Getting to the Summit was something Brother Perez de Leon hadn’t considered until after he was re-elected.

“I was contacted [several times] about it. I remember hearing about it from the ELC the first time he came by. Once I was back in office for a second term as president, I really thought that I could benefit from going to this event. At the very last minute, I got registered and headed out a couple of days later.

“The funny thing was I was going to get funding from Associated Students, but I guess there was some kind of clerical error with our account. They said that we had been funded already for another traveling event. I would have to submit some budget request, and it was too

late for it. I had to pay out of pocket for it.” During the afternoon on Jan. 9 everyone

headed across town as part of a volunteer project to help out at the Gleaners Food Bank by sorting and boxing groceries. IHQ staff members, among them CEO Bill Farkas, worked with groups to demonstrate how the fraternity puts its charitable goals into action. Cross & Crescent editor Kyle Jones posted a short YouTube video documentary of staff and High Alpha interviews.

While he was there, Brother Perez de Leon met with the president & CEO of the Educational Foundation and Beta-Rho alumnus Josh Lodolo for the first time. Also, he met again with one of the brothers he saw at the 2015 Stead Leadership Seminar.

“[I saw] one of the guys I met at Stead from the University of Iowa [Iota-Chi]. As I was walking down a hallway, I saw him again… Holden [Danielewicz]. I found out that he was the new High Alpha for their chapter and I was blown away. I didn’t see the one with the glasses [Vance Mueller, their current High Tau],” who he’d also met at Stead over the summer.

Midwest Mission 2Barely a month into his second term as chapter president, Jeffrey Perez de Leon books a last-minute flight to Indianapolis for the High Alpha Summit.

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First time in Indy. President & CEO of the Educational Foundation Josh Lodolo met with Jeffrey Perez de Leon during the second annual High Alpha Summit.

BETA-RHO ZETA OF LAMBDA CHI ALPHA INTERNATIONAL FRATERNITY 7

High Alpha Summit. Brandan Bonds (top) is interviewed for a Cross & Crescent YouTube video. Barry Collier (left) addressed the attendees about leadership habits and best practices.

All photos on both pages and video frame grab of Brandan Bonds courtesy of Lambda Chi Alpha International Fraternity Communications

Call to Order: 7:30 p.m., 17829 Merridy Street, Northridge, aka the Merridy House.

High Alpha Report (Jeff Friedman): …. If I ever lose motivation, all I need to yell is “REMEMBER THE PINHOLE!” Well, Greek Week has just ended, and it was great. We’re sorry if you missed it because you really missed something. The BBQ was great last Wednesday night, except the hotdogs were raw. (Yeah, well so was your date.) In appreciation of holding the BBQ here, this house will receive two neon light signs and two Coors lamps. Nothing really radical happened, except for when Rick Childs threw a cookie at the garage door. Alright, let’s get serious. The topic is the Sundial. Jim Record is the Freek Editor of the Sundial and we have been receiving very good coverage of Greek Week. Some people have been giving him flack, so if Jim Record comes to this house and wants to talk to us about our fraternity, bestow upon him all of our gracious hospitality. (Keep Jim away from Tinnes, please. Thank You!!!) This week, our chapter consultant, Kelley McCormick, will be visiting us and show us a consultant can have fun in a new city with only $50. All of the officers are to meet with Kelley and sign up for an hour time slot. Why don’t you take him out to dinner? We’ll even pick up the tab. That is we will pick up Kelley’s tab. The rest of the bill is up to you. Still, it will give you a chance to talk to him and receive a lot of suggestions. If any associate members or brothers would like to meet with Kelley, feel free to do so. I encourage you to go ahead. This Friday evening at 5 p.m. there will be a half-hour long meeting at the house. Be here. We had a great work party last Saturday. The attitudes of those people who were there were great. We hope it continues. For all of those who couldn’t make it without prior excuse given to Jeff or Roger can expect an extra special surprise on your next house bill. We held a vote and it was unanimous: Say hello to our new Cross & Crescent correspondent– Todd Baker. (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.) Quiet Todd. Important announcement. There’s really no important announcements. I just always wanted to sound like a radio announcer. NEXT SUNDAY be sure to wear a suit and tie REQUIRED because REQUIRED we will REQUIRED be taking REQUIRED pictures for REQUIRED the year RE book QUIRED!!!!! Next Tuesday night there will be an IFC meeting here at the house at 5:30 and everyone is welcome to come. (Are you going to sing for the IFC again Jeff?) What’s wrong, don’t you guys like to hear the National Anthem? (Yes, but we don’t live in BOTSWANA.) Thank you for listening to me and laughing at my joke.

High Beta Report (Noel Saenz): The composite picture will be ready and brought to the house by Friday. [Editor’s note: this composite was lost

around the time the chapter moved out of Halsted 1 in 2007 or maybe earlier. It is pictured on page 15.] We will be having a sign-up sheet for the philanthropy we are doing during the week of Easter Vacation for the kids. This should be a fun one. One of the events is, of course, the Easter Egg Hunt. Does everyone know why the Easter Bunny hides its eggs? Because he did not want anyone to know he was sleeping with the chickens. Speaking of eggs, if anyone tries to hide an Easter Egg in my beard, I will personally demolish it. (Well, at least cook them an omelet.)

High Delta Report (Name not recorded): This Thursday night there will be a St. Patrick’s Day Party. This is a great opportunity to [meet] the prospective prospectives.

High Kappa Report (Name not recorded): Those who were not at the Fraternity Education meeting really missed out. Tonight we had Rick Childs present a history of Lambda Chi Alpha. Rick then stuck out his tongue at everybody and started to do the polka around the chapter room. Everybody stared at him in amazement that such an intelligent looking person could act so damn stupid. After three minutes of such antics, he cooled down and we asked him, “Hey man, what gives?”

High Phi Report (Mark Taubman): [Did you really think we were going to reveal any of our secrets here?]

High Epsilon Report (Paul DePascale): This Thursday night will be the St. Patrick’s Day Party. It will be 50¢ for everybody, but free to all brothers. One week from tomorrow night, Monday the 21st, we will be inviting a sorority to join us for Monday Night Madness. It seems people were not being satisfied with my kind of company. Some people say I am too kind. Some people say I’m too inconsiderate. Some people say I’m not very cute. (Just kidding Paul.)

High Sigma Report (Name not recorded): Plan for Finals. There will be a special surprise for the first person to finish a term paper at least ten pages long who has given proof there was one due. By the way, my Barbie and Ken dolls have disappeared once again. If anybody sends me a ransom note like they did last time, I will have to forfeit the lives of my two best friends.

High Rho Report (Todd Baker): This coming Saturday night will be Founders Day at the Valley Hilton on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks. It will be $12.50 a plate. (How much is the stuff that goes on the plate?) RSVP by the 15th.

High Tau Report (Roger Marte): Everybody is to sign a copy of the new house bill policy. See me about it. People are not paying their dues, thus making it impossible to pay the rent. You see guys, I have no more facial hairs to clip off and take to the pawn shop to cover our house rent.

Adjournment was not recorded, but the meeting ended eventually after some chairman reports and more questionable attempts at humor.

Chapter History: March 13, 1983Former High Gamma Bob Meadows shared these somewhat sketchy chapter meeting minutes. The meeting location was later bulldozed to make room for an apartment complex that now graces the northeast corner of Merridy and Zelzah.

Beta-Rho’s REQUIRED yearbook photo session at the Merridy House: March 20, 1983. Front row, from left: Richard Tabares, Jerry Herskovitz, Tony Dao, Roger Marte (High Tau), Tom Poovakad, Brian Quint (High Gamma). Second row: Jim Emmerson, Bob Meadows, Steve Cohen, Rick Martinez, Mark Widawer, Rich Bluth, Jim Raft, Peter Fields, (High Sigma), Mike Diamant, Mark Taubman (High Phi), Mark Lichen, Jeff Tinnes, Ken Spitz. Third row: Franz Vandervelden, Mark Travers, Jeff Friedman (High Alpha), Noel Saenz (High Beta), Jim Roberts, Paul DePascale (High Epsilon).

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The Beta-Rho House Corporation (aka the the corp. board) typically meets on the second Wednesday of the month at the Lindley House. Starting with the December Annual Meeting, the undergraduate officers’ reports and voting rights were stripped from the meetings in accordance with a recommendation made by IHQ’s General Counsel Lynn Chipperfield. The former voting members of the chapter, the High Alpha, High Tau, High Rho and house manager, have still been asked to sit in on the meetings. They and the chapter’s High Pi hold off on giving their reports until after the meetings adjourn, and the meetings’ minutes keep their reports separate. The corp. board’s vice president of communications still records each meeting on an mp3 in case he needs to serve as a backup to the secretary. Nearly all of the meetings have been recorded since 2009. It has also become the norm for one or more of the corp. board members to call in occasionally and participate using one of the corp. board member’s smartphones. Minutes were written by the secretary, Kyle Shaver, in January and February while the vice president of communications transcribed and wrote them for March.

January 13President’s Report (Spencer Schmerling):

Creed recited. The Lindley House’s Internet has been down because the cable modem was shut off temporarily due to an ongoing problem with file sharing. Its cause may have originated from a stubborn bit of malware that keeps re-appearing [when a certain song by Drake irritates the powers that be at Time Warner Cable]. We still have cable TV, but new boxes are needed. A roof leak has been given a temporary fix with a tarp until it can be fixed. Other repair issues were brought up with the guest bathroom, kitchen, study room and two of the live-in rooms. New LED can lights were budgeted for the downstairs study.

Vice President of Communications Report (Rick Childs): The Summer 2015 Beta-Rho Bulletin was posted on Issuu.com on Jan. 5. He discussed the contents for the fall edition. Two separate mini-bulletins were stuffed into the Annual Meeting invitations and membership directory envelope mailings. He emailed a chart to corp. board members showing the Annual Meeting attendance of every alumnus and undergrad for the past ten years. The Beta-Rho Bulletin needs better participation from the High Rho, although an ad hoc committee of alumni and actives are contacted for each issue using social media to look over and make copy-editing suggestions.

Vice President of Activities Report (Tim Pena): He went over the Annual Meeting, complemented the chapter, and suggested we go with a different caterer for 2016. He and possibly Gilbert Lopez will be attending the Neville

Advisor’s College next month in Indiana. The next Charter Day Banquet (the 45th anniversary) is in 2017 and he wants another big event planned for it. He also wants a deejay for the next alumni-active softball game.

Open Forum: Since it is becoming more difficult to raise enough money to print the membership directory, maybe this should be the year it goes digital. It’s already a PDF document that can be shrunk to a small file size for email, but privacy issues were debated for both the print and electronic versions.

February 16President’s Report: Creed recited. January

minutes approved. The trash problem has been minimized after neighbor complaints. House repairs: six doors, lots of drywall holes, replaced a shower installation, the window in the front room is difficult to fix, but it’s hard to notice because one of the two panes is broken. Discussed changes being made to improve the mortgage loan arrangement. Went over the Note Program’s newest plan of action.

Vice President of Communications Report. He emailed a copy of his report to the corp. board earlier that day. A lot of directories found their way back to the corp. board’s P.O. box. Several directories were re-mailed to alumni on Feb. 19. A couple of alumni have requested PDF versions of the directory, including Can Ergen who moved to Istanbul, Turkey. There have been 11 address changes so far this year compared to nine last year. He would like to mail out a dues drive letter in August instead of waiting to do it with the Annual Meeting invitation. The letter would also ask alumni if they still want to continue receiving a hard copy of the directory. Ad rates need to go up because the campaign fell short last fall. He talked about affiliate Lance Shermoen whose fiancé informed him that he had passed away in 2014. His directory had been forwarded to her.

Treasurer’s Report (Spencer Schmerling reporting): Rent looks pretty much under control.

He’s keeping chapter finances separate from the corp. board meeting.

New Business: Motion unanimously approved (Scott Press/Rick Childs) for $1,275 to supplement house repairs and cover the cost of removal for a fallen tree in the backyard.

March 9President’s Report: Creed recited. February

minutes approved. A lot more repair issues were brought to the corp. board’s attention: front door broken bottom bar, roof leak in downstairs study, the house interior needs new paint, there’s no hot water for the guest bathroom sink, washing machine isn’t working properly, the kitchen outlet for the garbage disposal needs to be rewired, others. Google Docs has been problematic for some corp. board members. He is continuing to work on restructuring the note on the mortgage, but delays have pushed the new arrangement back.

Vice President of Communications Report: Lost alumnus Gary Payne was found on Feb. 23 thanks to a tip from Steve Honeywell. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the first membership directory Tom Lawrence published. The box of extra directories the chapter received at the Annual Meeting was lost. The Fall 2015 Beta-Rho Bulletin was finished today and posted online. The next one is going into production immediately so that it can be published in time to qualify with the previous three full editions for the 2015-16 Alumni Affairs Publication Award. High Theta Wes Cole asked about how many times the chapter has held its Watermelon Busts [three before the one being held this spring]. Talked about having alumni submit waiver forms if they don’t want their contact information published in the 2017 directory. Discussed the passing of Rich Bluth.

Vice President of Activities Report: He hadn’t put anything together yet about his trip to the Neville Advisor’s College in February for the Beta-Rho Bulletin.

Announcements: The Watermelon Bust is on April 9 at the Lindley House. Initiation is on April 29.

9BETA-RHO ZETA OF LAMBDA CHI ALPHA INTERNATIONAL FRATERNITY

House Corp. Winter Meeting Exec. Summaries

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10 WINTER 2016Courtesy of Dustin Mirochnick

Dustin Mirochnick posted a photo (at right) on his Facebook page of his wife Thara at the Tarzana Medical Center shortly before she delivered a baby girl. “I guess we have to cancel our dinner reservations,” he commented.

Later he wrote, “Say hello to Madeline Elizabeth Mirochnick… joined us on 3/19/16 at 1:51 a.m., 6 lb. 14 oz. Mom and baby are both doing great.”

The Press family Facebook posts spread the good news about Rob’s engagement on Sept. 13.

“It’s official,” proud mom Sue Press wrote. “There’s going to be another Mrs. Press. We are so excited for Robert and Kimberly.”

Brother Press and his fiancé, Kimberly Melanson, set their wedding date for Aug. 13.

On Dec. 10 he posted a photo on Instagram of himself with Kimberly that was shot by Michael Anthony (far right).

Alumni News

Neville Advisor’s College, Winter 2016

Walt Moser / courtesy of Lambda Chi Alpha International Fraternity CommunicationsC

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The House Corporation’s Vice President of Activities, Tim Pena (shown at right), flew out of Bob Hope Airport on Feb. 17 and became the fourth alumnus from Beta-Rho to attend the 3-day Neville Advisor’s College. Over 100 alumni from 60 Zetas and staff (54 alumni board members and 22 High Pis) converged on the Renaissance Indianapolis North Hotel in Carmel, Indiana.

According to an article in the Cross & Crescent by Editor Kyle Jones, this year’s event focused on new advisors with less than a year of experience. As with past Nevilles, speakers lectured during large group sessions and they were interspersed with panel discussions. Small group breakout group sessions catered to meeting the needs of the house corporation reps and chapter advisors. Attendees met with staff in one session and everyone was given the opportunity to tour

Headquarters at the close of the first day’s session on the 18th.

According to Brother Pena, Dr. Rodney Roosevelt gave attendees the opportunity to gain “a better understanding of the millennial generation as well as that of ‘Gen Z’ who make up the incoming crop of college students these days.

“There were also [lectures and discussions] on risk management issues, the ritual and a primer on the upcoming General Assembly that included a key bill that, if passed, will make all chapter houses basically dry by 2019.”

While he was in Carmel, Brother Pena also took advantage of the gym, took a dip in the indoor pool, and kept up his long walk regimen. However, with daytime temperatures hitting highs in the mid-30s, he wrote on his Facebook page that he wished he hadn’t worn his shorts outside.

BETA-RHO ZETA OF LAMBDA CHI ALPHA INTERNATIONAL FRATERNITY 11

Percy Megginson: 1923-2015Percy Crumpton Megginson, a brother from

the University of Cincinnati chapter and father of two of Beta-Rho’s initiates, passed away in Torrance on Dec. 5. He was 92.

He is survived by his son Brian (BP 79), daughter-in-law Dianne and four grandchildren: Jeremy, Tyler, Luke and Grace. His sons Bruce and Barry (BP 42) preceded him in death, both from heart ailments.

Born on Jan. 21, 1923 in Shreveport, La., Brother Megginson’s family relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio when he was three years old and then to Hamilton 50 miles north a couple of years later. After his father started the Columbia Oil Company, they moved back to Cincinnati.

He joined Lambda Chi Alpha during his sophomore year in college at Gamma-Gamma Zeta and became its 327th initiate. He also met

his wife Violet at the university who had served in the Navy as a WAVE for two years.

Before he finished his coursework in aeronautical engineering, Pearl Harbor was bombed and he enlisted in the Army Air Reserve and eventually became a P-38 fighter escort pilot stationed in Southern Italy. His Air Reserve Wing was also called up for duty during the Korean War. He was assigned as the assistant crew chief of a B-50 (a newer B-29) Superfortress bomber in the Air Force.

After the Korean War ended, he moved west to Canoga Park and worked for Radioplane in Van Nuys. Eventually, he joined Northrop, and settled in Agoura Hills. He served as a manager and held a high security clearance.

Before retiring in 1984, he helped his sons Barry and Brian start their engineering and management careers at Northrop- Grumman in El Segundo.

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In Remembrance

Peter Fields: 1959-2015Peter William “Pete” Fields passed away from natural causes on

Nov. 25, 2015 in Grand Blanc, Michigan, according to his sister, P.K. Fields. He was 56.

He is survived by his sisters P.K. Fields and Kathy (David) Fields-Lander, nephews Zachary (Sarah) Zimmerman and Montgomery Zimmerman, niece Nathalie Lander and stepmother Corinna Fields. Preceded in death by his parents.

A private celebration of his life for family and his close friends from recent years was in the planning stage. It was set to take place in the spring at one of his favorite spots in Southern California: Surfrider Beach in Malibu.

He joined the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity while attending CSUN and became an associate member on Jan. 31, 1982. On May 1, he became its 202nd initiate along with four other brothers that semester. While he was active he served as the scholastic officer (High Sigma) in the spring of 1983.

According to an obituary that his sister published in the Los Angeles Times on Dec. 13, Brother Fields was born on July 26, 1959, the son of Freddie and Polly Bergen in New York, N.Y. His family moved to Beverly Hills when he was six months old and also lived in Malibu. After attending CSU Northridge, he transferred to UCLA and graduated in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in meteorology.

Athletics played a central role in his life before he settled into his career. He started surfing at 12. His sister also wrote that he ran 5 to 10 miles a day a few times a week, played tennis and water-skied.

He worked as an on air weather forecaster, meteorologist, and climatologist at KNDO in Yakima, Wash.; WEYI TV25 in Clio, Mich.; KTVK-TV in Phoenix, Ariz. and KNOE-TV in Monroe, La. He retired a few years ago and settled in Michigan.

Daniel Rusty Ray of Flint, Mich. wrote on his obituary condolence column, “P.K. and Kathy: just wanted to say how sorry I am for the loss of Peter. I knew him for 16 years and I lived with him for about 14. He was a great friend and he saved my life. Rest in peace, Peter.”

Another note was written by Christy of Yakima, Wash. “My condolences to Peter’s family. So sad to hear of his passing. I used to work with him at KNDO back in 1990. He did the weather on the 11 p.m. news back then and was fun to work with. I was Googling him to see where he was at now, only to find out he had passed :’( He always put a smile on my face. I’ll always remember him.”

Those desiring to make a donation may make memorial contributions in his remembrance to the Wounded Warriors.

Courtesy of P.K. Fields

Rick Childs

Brother Fields through the years. Peter on his day of initiation, May 1, 1982 (left). With his little brother Steven Cohen (below) circa 1983. More recent photos provided by his sister, P.K.

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In Remembrance

12 WINTER 2016

Richard Bluth: 1962-2016Family, brothers and friends

gathered for a graveside service and celebrated the life of Richard Del “Rich” Bluth on March 15 at the Mission Hills Catholic Cemetery. Brother Bluth was hospitalized with a liver ailment in October in the D.C. area and passed away on Feb. 22. He was 53.

His mother, Dr. Elizabeth (B.J.) Bluth, children Brandon, Catherine (Katy) and Jon; brother Robert and former wife Kimberly Yoss survive him.

Prior to his memorial service, the Bluth family gathered in Monterey for a celebration of his life on March 12 for his mother and brother who lived in the area. Alumnus Rick Martinez attended.

Born in Hollywood, Calif. on June 17, 1962, Brother Bluth’s family moved to Granada Hills soon afterwards. He enrolled at the Chaminade College Preparatory School in Canoga Park in 1974 and graduated in 1980. Following high school, he spent his first two years of college at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La. After transferring to CSU Northridge, he majored in finance and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in the spring of 1987.

Brother Bluth joined Beta-Rho Zeta on Aug. 26, 1982 and was initiated with seven others on Nov. 20 that fall. He became the chapter’s fraternity educator the following semester and presided over two initiations during the 1983-84 school year as ritualist. Concurrently, he was elected president of the Inter-Fraternity Council and volunteered as a Pumpkin Bust coach that fall. At the Crescent Ball on April 8, 1983 at Sportsman’s Lodge he was singled out as the Most Inspirational Brother during a presentation by Chapter President Jeff Friedman. Aside from his studies and fraternity involvement he served as a representative to the Northridge Chamber of Commerce. He also co-founded a campus political slate for electing student leaders to the A.S. Senate called the United Students Alliance. And it seemed like he was almost always wearing his green and gold Lambda Chi jacket around campus.

As his career in corporate finance progressed, he and his family moved around a lot. Once he exited California in 1987, he landed in Springfield, Va. The next stop was Brooklyn, N.Y. After five years with Bank of America, they headed south to the Houston, Texas area in 1997 where he spent two years with the Bankers Trust Company and took up residence in the northern suburb The Woodlands.

He married Kimberly Yoss, a little sister, in New York on Nov. 12, 1988 and the couple took up residence in Stamford, Ct. Brother Martinez was there along with fellow alumni Stuart Herman, Mike Diamant and Kim’s brother and Beta-Rho initiate Chris Yoss.

During a two-year period of postgraduate studies, Brother Bluth earned an MBA in finance at the University of Connecticut School of Business in 1995. During his two years at the college he was elected to Beta-Gamma Sigma, the National Scholastic Honor Society of Graduate Business Schools.

After working for Bank of America and Bankers Trust Company between

1992 and 1999 as a vice president, Brother Bluth eventually gravitated toward consulting and managerial work for oil and gas companies.

In December of 1999 his growing family traveled overseas and landed in the Netherlands and settled in Wassenaar for and 8-year sojourn while he worked as a senior director in upstream commercial finance for Royal Dutch Shell PLC. Once the company cut back after the financial crash of 2008 it was back to the New World where they returned to The Woodlands so that he could begin independent financial consulting work. He took an assignment for the state oil company of Oman in 2012 for several months, but then he found himself suddenly single upon his return. His last address was in Leesburg, Va. where he worked as a private financial consultant for R.D. Bluth & Company, LLC.

Those who knew Brother Bluth within and outside the fraternity could attest to his life-long appreciation for classic rock ‘n roll and American cars, particularly Chevy muscle cars.

“I thought about you yesterday, dear friend,” Larry Gross wrote on Brother Bluth’s Facebook page. “Was that your spirit standing by me? I’ve known you since we were 16. Big block Chevelles, cruising Van Nuys Boulevard and the street races, girls, college parties and life. I miss you dear friend.”

His children shared their admiration and devotion online before his memorial service.

“Heaven gained another angel, and I gained another guardian looking

over me,” Katy Bluth wrote. “I know we didn’t always see eye to eye, but you will always be my Dad and I’ll always be your little girl. I love you, Daddy!”

Tim Pena reposted a tribute on Facebook on Feb. 23 that Kimberly Yoss had written.

“Oh the good memories. Bring ‘em on! The house in Woodland Hills, the dead bunny, Alpha Beta parking lot, our French bistro, ISVT in Santa Barbara, Lambda Chi, “The Boys of Summer”, the Mustang, the Z, NYC-bound, Flossy Lee, Mafia grandmothers, Brooklyn Heights, Thai food, our tiny wedding, Brandon-Kay-Jonathan, our first house, the Vette, making Texas our new home… and all the amazing little things in between. Our journey took us coast to coast, and overseas – Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. What an adventure! You were my best friend for most of my life. I will miss you!”

Roger Marte, who was among the attendees at the Mission Hills memorial service, rallied local alumni to pay their respects on March 15. Among those who showed up were Brother Martinez, Spencer Schmerling, Ken Spitz, Mike Diamant, Jeff Friedman and Rick Childs. Little sisters Carol Fagan Mosandi and Melinda Kelly also took part along with Brother Bluth’s mother, brother and children. After the eulogy, Jon Bluth spoke followed by Dr. Bluth who recited a poem. Once the graveside services concluded, the entourage met across the street at the Presidente Restaurant for lunch, sharing memories, photos, exchanging phone numbers and passing around one of Tom Lawrence’s fraternity scrapbooks. Brother Bluth’s family then drove to the Lindley House to see for themselves a place he cherished.

13BETA-RHO ZETA OF LAMBDA CHI ALPHA INTERNATIONAL FRATERNITY

God looked around and found an empty place.He then looked down upon his earth and saw your loving face.He put his arms around you and lifted you to rest.His Garden must be beautiful, he always takes the best.He knew that you were suffering, he knew you were in pain.And knew that you would never get well on earth again.He saw your path was difficult, he closed your tired eyes.He whispered to you “Peace be Thine” and gave you wings to fly.When we saw you sleeping so calm and free of pain,We would not wish you back to earth to suffer once again.You’ve left us precious memories, your love will be our guide,You live on through your children, you’re always by our side.It broke our hearts to lose you, but you did not go alone.For part of us went with you on the day God called you home.

He literally always made this face!!! Miss you RIP.—Katy Bluth

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Beta-Rho may be 2,000 miles away from Headquarters in a region where its highest-ranking staff have not frequented since its Southern California alumni receptions held during the fraternity’s centennial in 2009. But it holds the distinction of attracting two of its most prominent leaders on two separate occasions. Actually, there were three at one of them.

When the chapter held its inaugural chartering banquet on Sept. 2, 1972, the CEO, Executive Vice President Emeritus George Spasyk, appeared as Headquarters’ official representative to hand over the charter to the newly installed chapter’s High Alpha, Scott Sonken. As Howard Brightman recalled, two other brothers, both from the Grand High Zeta, attended, breaking Headquarters’ unofficial edict of sending no more than one official representative to chartering events. Here is how he described it during his speech at the 35th anniversary Charter Day Banquet that was held at the CBS Radford Studios on Dec. 1, 2007.

“George Spasyk said at that time that we would be allowed one person from Headquarters to be at our chartering. So we asked George if he would do it. And the General Assembly that year was in Portland, Oregon.

“While we were talking to George the Grand High Alpha and I happened to live here in Southern California, so [Tom Lawrence and I] called Lou Plourd and said, ‘George is going to make the presentation of the charter. Would you like to be the person who is the main speaker?’ And he said he would be very happy to do that. Well, now we had two people from the General Fraternity, which was twice what we were supposed to have.

“Now, I’d never met [Rev. S. George] ‘Doc’ Dirghalli, who later became Grand High Alpha and at that time was Grand High Phi. We printed up the installation invitation and I took it up to Portland – which was my very first General Assembly. And I went up to Doc and showed it to him and he was listed as giving the invocation. He looked at me and said, ‘I guess I’m coming.’ He had never been invited. We had hinted at it, but we just put it down and said, ‘You’re on the program; we’d sure like to have you attend.’ He came down to Southern California and he gave the invocation, so we actually had three people from the General Fraternity.”

With very short notice, the chapter welcomed Brother Spasyk back 12 years later, but this time it as for an informal gathering at the chapter’s rental

house on Nordhoff Street directly across from the Music Building. Incredibly, he brought along the Grand High Alpha, Geoff Gunn. Brother Gunn, a USC alumnus, probably got another one of those calls from Brother Brightman. A casual conversation about the chapter turned into a dinner date in Northridge for the three of them and more than a dozen actives, alumni, and the chapter advisor. Fellow UCLA alumnus, CSUN finance instructor and department chair Dr. Dave Cary also dropped by for the dinner.

A few months later, the event made the front page of the Summer 1984 Beta-Rho Bulletin and was highlighted in an article that is reprinted in the following paragraphs with some minor revisions.

Beta-Rho was honored on Feb. 20, 1984 when George Spasyk, the national executive director of Lambda Chi Alpha, visited the chapter residence. He had been traveling through California to attend the Pacific Conclave at Fresno State. Brother Spasyk had met a number of the brothers and alumni over the years at General Assemblies and Leadership Seminars, but he had never actually visited Beta-Rho’s chapter house. He was accompanied on this visit by the Grand High Alpha, Geoff Gunn. In honor of all this celebrity, the High Alpha, Mark Taubman, prepared a gourmet repast for those assembled [chicken cacciatore]. Brothers had been hearing about Brother Taubman’s experiences cooking for an upscale bistro in the Cahuenga Pass, and they weren’t disappointed. He showed up in chef’s attire with some fraternal flourishes.

The evening began with an informal discussion of fraternity affairs and life in general. At the conclusion of the meal, the brothers relaxed in the living room, took a group picture by the parking meter, and did what had become a fairly common tradition at the close of its Sunday night chapter meetings: pass the lamp around and discuss matters of the heart. Both Brothers Spasyk and Gunn were given a glimpse of the dynamism and brotherhood often overlooked at larger houses around the country.

Brothers Spasyk and Gunn were out the door by 10:30, leaving behind them the aura of a caring and involved General Fraternity.

Fortunately for the chapter, it hadn’t worn out its welcome mat for Brother Spasyk. He came back and gave keynote addresses at the 25th and 35th anniversary Charter Day Banquets in 1997 and 2007.

Dinners with GeorgeOne of the most inspirational Lambda Chi brothers of the past half century, George Spasyk has kept Beta-Rho close to his heart.

WINTER 201614

Chapter Archives

Passing the lamp with George. Brother Spasyk has touched the lives of countless Lambda Chis. Thirty-four years into his watch as the executive director, he had probably flown more miles and visited more chapters than any brother who had ever worked at Headquarters. And he still had six more years to go before retirement. Sharing thoughts about the chapter and the fraternity during a lamp passing session after dinner had to be one of the most inspirational few hours a brother at Beta-Rho could ever ask for from Headquarters.

BETA-RHO ZETA OF LAMBDA CHI ALPHA INTERNATIONAL FRATERNITY 15

The inspiration we needed. (Clockwise from upper left.) Brothers had their pictures taken with some very special guests after dinner at the Nordhoff House (above). Front row: Geoff Gunn, George Spasyk. 2nd row: Robert Foulkes, Rich Tabares, Kevin Daum, Tom Poovakad, Howard Brightman, Jeff Kagan. 3rd row: Mark Lichen, Mark Widawer, Sean Tobin, Dave Bueche, Sean Culhane, Dr. Dave Cary, Franz Vanderveldon III, Tom Lawrence. 4th row: Frank Bushnell, John Zeydel, Mike Alcouloumne, Rich Bluth, Gary Thomas, Jim Roberts, Mark Taubman. Brother Taubman dressed the part for cooking the night’s meal. Then he handed Brother Spasyk one of the first plates. Brother Gunn passes the lamp to Brother Daum. Dr. Cary reflected on his long association with the chapter and talked about some of the undergrads who had been in some of his classes. Brother Spasyk is shown at left giving his keynote address at the 25th anniversary Charter Celebration at the Sheraton Universal Hotel’s top floor banquet room on Sept. 6, 1997.

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BETA-RHO ZETA OF LAMBDA CHI ALPHA FRATERNITY P.O. BOX 280311 NORTHRIDGE, CA 91328-0311

Editor’s JournalWhat is your Rosebud?There are two images that I am alluding to in this question. For classic

film buffs, it’s a metaphor from the 1941 movie Citizen Kane. As a brother, you would be familiar with the white rose held by a rampant lion that appears on the Lambda Chi Alpha coat of arms inescutcheon, a symbol commemorating the fraternity’s merger with Theta Kappa Nu in 1939.

Near the end of Citizen Kane, a female reporter queries fellow journalist Jerry Thompson about the film’s most endearing touchstone. “If you could’ve found out what Rosebud meant, I bet that would’ve explained everything,” she said. “Maybe Rosebud was something he couldn’t get, or something he lost,” Thompson mused. “No, I guess Rosebud is just a… piece in a jigsaw puzzle… a missing piece.”

The reporters never connect the dots and realize that Rosebud was Kane’s childhood sled, a memento he cherished and spoke of with his dying breath.

Citizen Kane was one of the films I studied for a class in film aesthetics during my first year at CSUN. We watched it in the Engineering 100 lecture hall in those clunky wooden folding seats. As classic black and white movies go, it’s right up there with Schindler’s List as one of my favorites.

When I see the rose held by the lion on our coat of arms, it draws me in to my own associations with love and heartfelt memories. My wife Debbie’s middle name is Rose, and that wasn’t lost on me when we began dating in 1986.

My Rosebud blooms in the winter months. Many brothers have seen me wear it. Most of the year it lies bunched up among gloves, wool socks and other odds and ends on a bedroom closet shelf. It has aged gracefully and has been admired by friends from junior high school and Boy Scouts to well beyond my college years. I have worn it at every Beta-Rho winter retreat (or runaways, as we used to call them like the one pictured above with Ken Zwicker pulling a sled along with Bill Kearney in 1978), and last year I took it with me to Indianapolis and wore it on both of my visits to headquarters in Carmel, Indiana. What started out as an afterthought became one of my most prized possessions. And it’s not something you can buy in any store, at least not in California.

...My Rosebud is a gray wool stocking cap.One Sunday afternoon in 1970, I was looking out of one of my parents’

living room windows and saw Michael Spiegel, one of my best friends who lived next door sitting on the lawn by the curb sobbing. I went outside and asked him what had happened. “My dad just died,” he told me as he wiped his tears. His father, who was 39, had taken a nap in their den and never woke up. A couple of weeks later, I was visiting Michael and sitting with him in his bedroom where he was playing George Harrison’s LP All Things Must Pass on his turntable. A little while later, his mother approached me in the hallway. She looked distant. “Is there anything I can do for you?” I asked. “Actually, I’d like to do something for you,” she replied. “I have this leftover ball of yarn that I used to make an afghan for a baby shower, and

if you can think of something I can make with it, I’ll do it for you.” I thought about it for a moment, and I asked her if she could make me a long stocking cap. “Sure. How long would you like me to make it?” I comically stretched out my arms almost 180 degrees and smiled. She furrowed a

brow and countered that it would look better if it only went about halfway down my back. That was more than enough length for me.

Betty and her late husband Charlie had met during their imprisonment at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Northern Germany in 1944 and got married shortly after the war ended. She had a black camp I.D. number tattooed on her left forearm that she showed me during one of the Hanukkah parties I had attended at their home. Years later she spoke regularly as one of the Holocaust survivors at the Museum of Tolerance in West Los Angeles. One of the victim’s cards visitors pull up at the museum’s computer at the beginning of the tour has her picture and biography on it.

A few weeks after Betty agreed to knit me the stocking cap, she presented it to me. It was even better than I imagined. And she had even more yarn left over, so she knitted a matching muffler to go with it. At first I hesitated to wear the cap because I worried that it might get lost or something would be spilled on it. Eventually, I wore it at Halloween and pajama parties, Boy Scout snow campouts in Big Rock near Valyermo, snowball fights with brothers and little sisters in Big Bear, getting off a plane in subzero weather upon arrival for a Neville Advisor’s College last February, and most recently at

the corp. board meeting in January.When I wear the stocking cap, I remember Betty’s commitment to work

through her grief and keep herself busy before she eventually wound up marrying someone else and moving away. It also reminds me of the many brothers I have known on cold winter days and nights. I see Charlie Murphy and Jim Emmerson zipping down an icy hillside near the Happy Hill Lodge in Big Bear on a toboggan in 1978. It kept my head toasty as Tom Lawrence and Howard Brightman played bridge while others partied or danced in the same lodge’s living room a year later. I remember ducking as the late Lanny Silverman and a half dozen others pelted me with snowballs during the 1982 retreat while I tried to capture the scene on film. Skipping forward to last winter, I took a selfie wearing it while I was riding the shuttle from the Renaissance Hotel to Headquarters for the Friday night tour.

Nowadays, my stocking cap is a warm reminder to keep paying it forward just like Betty did for me. Inside its threading I envision an imaginary lion holding a rose.

Unlike Charles Foster Kane, I haven’t lost sight of the things that make me who I am. Lambda Chi Alpha trailblazed a path for me to walk, and its open door to a life of great friendships has not faltered.

Your Rosebud may be hiding in plain sight, or you may not have discovered it yet. Whatever it is, make a point to share it. Don’t let it wither and turn to ashes the way Charles Foster Kane’s did in the movie that bore his name.