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Community
Service
Robby Wu '08, Philanthropic Affairs The actives’ involvement in community service is at an all-time high. Now, it’s time to raise more money for benefits such as ALS This semester, we’ve hit a record number of community service projects as well as learned valuable life lessons from our spirited THON child, Kallan. One of our first projects was Habitat for Humanity. Last year they built a house in Phillipsburg and this year's home is in Manheim. We’ve been sending brothers and phikeia out almost every semester. I hope to set up a tradition with Habitat, because it really feels good to be a part of it and it helps to further build our own brotherhood. This year, we became involved in the Red Cross Blood Drive for the first time in a long time and last semester, we did Adopt-A-Highway. We’ve had the highway for about 10 years now, so it’s nice to show our Phi Delt pride and contribute to the community. For the future, I’d like to host a few philanthropy events at the house, such as a volleyball tournament and/or a benefit concert to raise money for our philanthropy association, ALS (Lou Gherig’s Disease). We’ve done a lot of service projects and we need to continue to broaden our involvement in philanthropy. You can read more about our results below!
THON 2007 – PA Theta and Penn State both top previous records. by Tim Pawloski ‘10 Penn State’s annual Dance MaraTHON has come and gone, once again. This year, the brothers of Phi Delta Theta raised nearly $11,000 for research and treatment of children with cancer (via the Four Diamonds Fund). Brothers took part in an almost year round slate of philanthropies, including canning, soliciting donations and special events to raise this money. Needless to say, it was a smashing success. PA Theta is assigned to a Four Diamonds family, and for the past several years it has been the Hammaker Family. Kallan, the world’s strongest 7-year-old, and her whole family made the trip up to State College this February to be here for the entire THON weekend.
Her presence at the Penn State Dance MaraTHON was a big boost for the dancers, as the whole family served to inspire us all. Brother Colby Wesner, PA Theta THON chairman, called her “the strongest person I have ever met,” and all of the brothers agree. Kallan’s cancer was in remission last year, but she has since been forced to undergo treatment again. Colby admitted this made her “a little grumpy,” but the chapter did its best to make sure the Hammakers had a great time. This year’s overall University total was a whopping $5,240,385.17. Phi Delta Theta proved strong with $10,963.74 raised. To raise this money, the actives attended four canning weekends, solicited donations from corporations and hosted a basket-bingo event. THON Chairman Wesner remarked, “The sophomores really stepped up and helped to make this year’s THON a success.” Brothers made time in their busy schedules to travel all over the state collecting money for the kids. This year, a new house rule determined that brothers who wished to dance had to earn their spots through fundraising and active participation. A little friendly competition certainly helped keep our fundraising efforts strong.
With trips to Yardley, Mifflinburg, Wyomissing, Levittown and many other exotic locales, the brothers braved both cold weather and menacing traffic alike to raise money for children with cancer. For anyone who has never been canning in mid-winter, it can be brutally cold and sometimes discouraging. Support from donors was inevitable, not only because of the cause or the cold weather, but because of the great networking Phi Delt provides. “Often times we'll end up meeting fellow Phis,” Dancer Nick Wagner ’07 explained. “While canning in Northern New Jersey outside of a grocery store, a middle-aged man walked out of the store, glanced at the sign that I was holding, and then continued towards his car in the parking lot. He got about 10 feet away before he stopped and turned around. He said, ‘Hey, you guys are Phis?’ It had occurred to him upon noticing that Phi Delta Theta was written at the bottom of the THON sign that I was holding. He was a fellow Phi from a university in New York.
He stood and talked with Colby Wesner and myself for about 15 minutes. He talked about his job, kids, and college days – we talked to him about our house’s revival at Penn State, THON and our THON child, Kallan. Before leaving he said, ‘You guys are doing a great thing,’ then dropped a $10 in my can.” Wagner finished. Stories like that kept the dream alive. Our boys stuck it out and made the most out of these trips. With the help of actives and pledges, each of these trips brought in sizeable amounts of our final total. Canning is crucial to THON, not only for the money it raises, but also for getting brothers personally involved with a good cause.
This was also the first THON in its new home – the Bryce Jordan Center. The previous 48-hour long Dance MaraTHONs have been held annually in Rec Hall. Our four dancers: Nick Wagner ’07, Kevin Haslam ’10, Josh Phillips ’09, and Eli Bohémond ’09, did their best to make it memorable. Bohémond noted, “There were so many people there, and the energy was phenomenal. So, I think it will be great in the future.” These four spent the whole weekend on their feet, dancing and doing activities – but, most importantly, helping to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer. “Dancing in THON was pretty tough, maybe the toughest thing I’ve had to do,” said Haslam, “but in the end, seeing all the kids, and seeing the 5 million dollars we raised made it all worth it!” Although the whole chapter contributed to THON in its own way, some brothers went above and beyond the call of duty. Philanthropy Chair Robby Wu ’08, a trained EMT, was on duty for THON, and Colby Wesner served on the Public Relations Committee.
“This year, I was a broadcast captain, so I tried to contact national, regional and local media to cover THON events and THON itself. We made it into USA Today and on some local and regional TV stations throughout Pennsylvania,” Wesner remarked. Wesner’s work with THON also gave him a chance to learn a lot about it. No dancer comes away unchanged from their experience, as Bohémond agreed, “I realized you have to give up yourself.” All of our brothers learned a lot from THON, from Kallan, and from each other, and next year they will continue to make a difference.
Lessons Learned From a Brave Girl Pediatric Cancer Victim Teaches Fraternity Brothers About Life April 30, 2007 By Asten Smith STATE COLLEGE -- For the fraternity brothers of Phi Delta Theta at Penn State University, they said they have learned a lot this year, although they're not referring to lessons found in their textbooks or a professor's lecture. The young men said they learned how to live and how to love through an unlikely teacher. It was the energetic and enthusiastic spirit of seven-year-old Kallan Hammaker that taught them so many lessons in life they won't soon forget. Sitting around a table at the fraternity house, four of the brothers, Eli Bohemond, Kevin Haslam, Nick Wagner and Colby Wesner, recalled one of their fondest and most recent memory of the little girl and her family this past Christmas. The grown men spoke with smiles on their faces as they described their involvement in a fantasy "monster and princess" game Kallan created and had them playing for much of the day with her and her little sister, five-year-old Krystian.
"We played that game for hours," said Mr. Haslam with a laugh. That day, the brothers ate a holiday meal with the Hammakers and brought gifts for the girls. The girls particularly liked their Penn State t-shirts, teddy bears, and hats. Kallan and her family became very close to the Phi Delta Theta brothers over the years as their adoptive "Thon" family through the Penn State Inter-Fraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, better known as "Thon." The largest student-run philanthropy in the world has raised over $45 million benefiting the Four Diamonds Fund, an organization that supports children receiving treatment for pediatric cancer at Penn State Children's Hospital in Hershey. "Thon" reached its 35th anniversary this year and raised a record $5.2 million. The year-long fundraising concludes during "Thon Weekend," a no sitting or sleeping two-day dance marathon. Mr. Wesner, of Mifflinburg, met Kallan when she was four years old and said that for the Hammakers and so many "Thon" families, Thon weekend was like a holiday on the calendar. The Hammakers were still able to attend this year despite Kallan's health declining. "She wanted to smile but she was playing a tough card," said Mr. Bohemond. All four brothers danced at this year's "Thon." They still have the Spongebob and Batman necklaces she gave them. Mr. Wagner, also of Mifflinburg, danced for the first time this year and remembered how warm and friendly Kallan was the first time he met her. The timid little girl he met at the beginning of the visit was giving him hugs and kisses goodbye just a few hours later. The goodbye hugs and kisses quickly became her goodbye routine. Kallan may not have had any biological big brothers of her own, but instead she inherited a handful of big brothers at Phi Delta Theta. "She considered us all like big brothers and Krystian considered us boyfriends," Mr. Haslam said as the brothers laughed in agreement.
The brothers said their relationship with Kallan taught them how to live. Kallan often asked the question, "What are we going to do tomorrow?" The brothers of Phi Delta Theta said she was always living for the next day. On April 9, Kallan passed away after battling pediatric cancer. The brothers said they will always carry with them the lessons she taught them. Mr. Wesner recalled an e-mail from Kallan's mother, Lora. Mrs. Hammaker talked about Kallan's paralysis that had occurred in her legs shortly before her passing and that even in a wheelchair, Kallan wasn't deterred and continued to attend school. The weekend before her death, Kallan, who was always thinking about tomorrow, asked her father, Scott, to bring her schoolwork home so she wouldn't fall behind. Mr. Bohemond said Kallan's resilient spirit taught him not to complain over minor inconveniences such as a case of the common cold. Her death made them all realize how much they as a fraternity have been impacted by the Hammakers and how in turn they impacted the lives of Mom, Dad, Kallan, and Krystian. Mr. Wesner said he realized how close the brothers and the Hammaker family had become when the family asked that he and six other brothers serve as pale bearers at Kallan's funeral. Adam Dahr, Phil Donegan, Mr. Haslam, Nate Killough, Mr. Wagner, and Mr. Wesner felt honored to be asked to carry Kallan to her final resting place. Mr. Wesner, speaking at Kallan's funeral, said her passing on his birthday gives a new meaning now to what the day represents for him.
"It's ironic that Kallan passed away on my birthday. Here, passing away on this date will just give that much more meaning to the celebration of my life. Her courage, strength, and enthusiasm have taught me more about life than her 7-year-old mind could understand," he said during the service. Mr. Wesner went on to say that it was her visit to this year's dance marathon that was all he needed to sustain him for 48 hours. He added, "My relationship with her and the things that she unknowingly taught me, have given me enough motivation and courage to dance my way through the rest of my life, wherever it may take me -- and whatever cards I might be dealt." The young men are in their last years at Penn State. Some will be graduating in the spring and may not be sure of what they're going to do tomorrow, much like Kallan would often wonder, but they do know the lessons they learned from their young teacher will be the most valuable knowledge they will take from their experiences in college. "I go through life like a journey. I figured a lot out at college. Nothing helped me figure more out than Kallan," said Mr. Haslam.
In Memory of Kallan by Kevin Haslam ‘10 Since THON’s completion, the Hammaker family along with the active brothers of PA Theta have suffered a terrible loss. The actives of Phi Delta Theta are sad to report that the little warrior we know as Kallan Hammaker passed away in the wee hours of the morning on April 9th, 2007. The Hammakers have been Phi Delt’s THON family for the past four years. Before this, our chapter had not had a THON child since Crystal, who is now married and is a mother. Seth Custer ’04 and his girlfriend, Jules, wrote a letter of petition for Phi Delta Theta to, once again, participate with Four Diamonds families – and we’re so glad they did. Since meeting the Hammakers, the actives have been touched and enlightened; but, most importantly, the actives have expanded their family, as the Hammakers are now a big part of our lives. When a man joins a brotherhood like PA Theta, he expects to get plenty of benefits from it. He expects to always have a good time. He holds open arms to connections and networking. He expects to share a tight bond with his brothers – a bond only a select few men on a college campus can experience. However, it is very rare for a man to expect what Kallan and the Hammakers have given us. We’ve shared love, tears and many memories with Kallan, her little “sissie,” Krystian, and her dad and mom, Scott and Lora. Maybe the most compelling thing about the Hammakers is the individual relationships they share with many of our brothers. Many of us, including myself, had just met the Hammakers within the last two years. We were welcomed with open arms. I cannot think of a better example of the strong and loving relationship than the one the Hammakers hold with one of our brothers, Colby Wesner ’08. Wesner served as the chapter’s THON Chairman for the past two years, and has increased donation numbers every year. As I sit here and reflect on our time with Kallan, I cannot put into words the thoughts and feelings of the brothers that knew Kallan. I can only remember a brave young man standing in front of hundreds of mourners, presenting his last words about Kallan to them. Perhaps we all possess our own memories of Kallan but Colby Wesner had the best grasp on Kallan’s life. With sweat beating down his forehead, and tears in his eyes, Wesner stepped to the front of the church and gave one of the most emotional and well put speeches I’ve heard.
In my two years as a brother of Phi Delta Theta and a student at Penn State, I feel that I’ve developed into a better man. I’ll even go as far to say that I’ve figured out some of life’s wildest mysteries. Most importantly, I can say little Kallan Hammaker and her family helped me come to some of these realizations. Kallan’s presence alone helped me through some of life’s moments. Her influence, her zest for life and her little smile will never be forgotten. On behalf of the active brothers of Phi Delta Theta, we’d like to wish the Hammakers our deepest sorrows, and our most gracious thanks. Rest In Peace, Kallan, we love you.
Volleyball tourney raises funds for ALS Fratenity Nets Money for ALs ! By Lauren McCormack Members of Phi Delta Theta fraternity held a volleyball tournament Friday afternoon to raise awareness and money to combat Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. "We have this volleyball court, and it's one of the distinct features of the house so we decided to use it for a good cause," Tim Pawloski, co-chairman of the event, said. "People love volleyball, it's a beautiful day out, and it's all for a good cause." Six teams participated and the event raised $512.47. All proceeds went to the ALS Association, Robby Wu, co-chairman of the event, said. "They actually do a lot with their money," Wu said. "They provide valuable research and promote ALS awareness."
According to the ALS Association's Web site, ALS, which affects the muscular system, affects as many as 30,000 people in the U.S. at any given time. No cure exists. Tim Landers (freshman-crime, law and justice), another member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, 240 N. Burrowes Road, said he wanted the event to raise awareness for ALS. "It's a good cause because, like every other disease, it's good to be aware," he said. "It's good to get awareness out."
Summer Fundraising is as Simple as an Everyday Barbecue Not only do the actives continue an active recruitment program over the summer, but they also incorporate some fundraising using good old-fashioned ingenuity! by Colby Wesner ‘08 The fraternity with the best property proved, once again, just how key its location on Penn State’s campus really is. On Memorial Day weekend, Penn State welcomed over 300 volleyball teams to compete in the annual East Coast Volleyball Tournament. With a majority of the games being played right up the street at Rec Hall the Phi Delt house had many visitors walking by. What started out as four of the brothers enjoying a Saturday game of volleyball on the house’s sand court, led to numerous teams from across the eastern coast asking if they could challenge the Phi Delt brothers. Since the tournament is a 3-day event, this gave actives Colby Wesner ‘08 and Ted Reeves ’06 the brilliant and innovative idea of possibly setting up a burger stand on Sunday and Monday for an impromptu chance to raise money for the fraternity’s national charity, the ALS Foundation. ALS supports research on Lou Gehrig’s disease. (Lou Gehrig was a Phi). They weren’t quite sure how successful the operation would be, but after giving it the old college try, they were pleased with the results of their spur-of-the-moment idea.
“When Colby and I went to buy the burgers and buns on Saturday night, we were sort of reluctant. We didn’t know if our idea would work out. We spent $45 on the food and we were just hoping we would break-even in our venture,” said active Reeves. On Sunday, Reeves and Wesner had the stand up and running by 1 PM. Many teams stopped to grab a quick bite to eat between games and enjoyed playing some volleyball on the sand court. As the sun fell, there were still many visitors at the Phi Delt house, and flood lights had to be set up to accommodate the teams that wanted to play volleyball into the night. Visitors and customers would remain playing on the court until about 10:30 PM that evening. “The atmosphere at our house was absolutely amazing. Parents were stopping in with their kids and wanted to look around the fraternity and just hang out on the volleyball court,” commented active Kyle Heimbach, who was able to get burgers donated from his family farm for the second day of the stand. “They loved the atmosphere and the food. The first day was so much fun and successful. It went real well for being such a spontaneous idea!” The second day brought much of the same atmosphere and business. The burger stand was busy from the start – at 11 AM – and didn’t really die down until the conclusion of the tournament at 4 PM. Active Robby Wu ’08 provided an extra propane grill to meet additonal demand as the brothers had an order of 20 burgers to fulfill in about 30 minutes. Numerous teams stopped and enjoyed getting off the gymnasium floor to play some volleyball in their bare feet.
Wesner and fellow active Mayur Aras ‘08 were challenged by two coaches from Baltimore to a 2 vs. 2 game. Needless to say, the Phi Delt brothers did not come out on top in the battle, despite their most valiant efforts. Wesner and Aras may not have been successful in the volleyball game, but they were extremely successful in raising money for the ALS Foundation. At the conclusion of the weekend, a total of $250 was raised for the cause, impressive for a completely unplanned and improvised event. Wesner recaps the weekend: “I couldn’t believe how successful this little event was. We just threw it together at the very last minute and it worked out amazingly. We met so many different people from all over the eastern coast. It is definitely going to be something we incorporate and plan for next year. Many of the customers said they would be looking forward to seeing us again next year.” Philanthropy Recap/Future Plans PHI-lanthropy is at its strongest this year, and will continue to increase donations with new plans and ideas. by Kevin Haslam ‘10 Many fraternities at Penn State focus on donating to THON. Some donate to their national charity organization or participate in the Red Cross Blood Drives. But not too many involve themselves in a large variety of philanthropic activities. Some other activities that are available for student participation are Habitat for Humanity, Adopt-A-Highway and Relay for Life. PA Theta participates in all of the aforementioned philanthropies, and has recorded new highs in participation in the 2006/2007 school-year. A Perfect Time for a Blood Drive On October 30th, the actives were thinking about the ghouls and ghosts they might encounter on Halloween, but their main focus on that day was blood. No, not some garish prank, but The Red Cross Blood Drive! “Community service is a sign of growing strength in this fraternity,” Philanthropy Chair Robby Wu said. “Being a volunteer EMT, I know the importance of being involved in the Red Cross Blood Drive.” At each drive, the Red Cross has a quota of about 56 units of blood donated (translating to 80 people). “Basically, I just asked, and whoever wanted to come showed up. Phikeia participation was at an all-time high, and we were very proud they wanted to participate.” Wu reported. The duties involved assisting nurses and staff and helping donators with food and directions inside of the facilities. Building Houses, Building Lives! Another prominent activity Wu coordinates every semester is Habitat for Humanity, which Wu describes as a “huge success". This philanthropic organization reaches out to eager volunteers for their workforce. The professionals build a house, and the younger, more inexperienced volunteers (such as the actives) help put on finishing touches. When the house is complete, it is sold at a low price, which benefits those who are less fortunate. Last years project was in Phillipsburg. The house was basically complete when we joined the poject, but Wu and brothers Nate Killough ’07 and Kyle Heimbach ’08 were able to pitch in with caulking and sanding. This year’s house, which is in Manheim, required construction of a handicapped entrance ramp. Many of the Phikeia were also enthusiastic about this project, and were able to get it done in no time. Next year’s house is a little closer – right here in State College! Wu plans to make involvement in this organization a yearly project, as it heightens brotherhood and benefits those in need. Keeping PA Clean In the Fall, the Phi’s participated in Adopt-a-Highway once again. The stretch of road that Phis maintain is on Route 582. “PENNDOT is very good to us. They supply us with orange vests, gloves, trash bags and all of the other things we need to keep the area clean,” Wu said. This past trip, which involved the entire Spring 2006 pledge class, along with Wu and Colby Wesner ’08, was a memorable one for everyone. “It was my first time dealing with the highway,” Wu said. “When we embarked, I was sure I knew where it was, but it turns out I was completely wrong. We ended up finding it, but then we lost it again! After finding it a second time, we were able to clean up fantastically, and it was a fun time for everyone.” Future Project and New Ideas! As for the future, Wu, along with Tony Cercone ’11, plan on involving the actives in their second annual Relay for Life. Last year’s efforts resulted in a $500 donation. This year, the actives are confident in surpassing that amount. Wu also plans on holding an annual volleyball tournament and various benefit concerts to collect donations for ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). “I’d like to start off small with a volleyball tournament, and then work our way back to holding a philanthropy event that benefits the organizations of multiple “Phi” fraternities and sororities – calling it, PHI Week,” Wu explained. The week would involve numerous games and competitions, with food and prizes distributed – all proceeds benefiting the charities of the Greek organizations that run it. Wu hopes to elect 2 – 3 apprentices to help him make philanthropy a prominent part of our fraternities day-to-day agenda.
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