Author: inzax01

Hello fellow Chops,

Tim Queen here!

I’m following up on Pat’s recent email about the Homecoming festivities and I wanted to share some additional details about the awesome new format for this event!

The parade will start around 5:00 p.m., but we need all our Chop fraternity brothers to be in downtown Sylva by 4:30 p.m., ideally at Martha’s Place (formerly the Papermill).

Martha will be serving dinner with limited menu items and, of course, drinks will be available as well.

Additionally, there will likely be a gathering for ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s alumni at Innovation Dillsboro from noon until 4:00 p.m. the same day. It’s always a great time, and I encourage you to attend. This is a big Greek event, so you’ll see lots of old friends and maybe even some independents.

The 25th Anniversary Jam will feature a lot of the Homecoming Musician’s that have played at various WCU HC venues in the past. These talented cats have been jamming over the last 25-30 years.

Stacy Miller (WCU alumni gal who took over from Marty Ramsey) is coordinating many of the invitations, which will go out via email for events at the various Main Street venues. This years HC event is a start on downtown Sylva becoming a huge main street festival including:

Matt Stillwell @ Mad Batter: 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Chop Jam @ Martha’s Place: 6:30 p.m. – late

Duo @ Balsam Falls: Time TBD

Acoustic @ Innovation near the end of town: Time TBD

One of the alumni contacts mentioned to Tim Gillespie a couple weeks ago that there wasn’t enough$ in this year’s budget to pay for the typical Homecoming band, The Sophisticats. After discussing with the band members, I decided we would try to raise enough money to bring in a band by having the Chop alumni contribute to the musicians.

Mr. Tad Grattan will be the primary supporter for this event, stepping in to cover any financial shortfall once we determine the amount needed.

The plan is to have a main four-piece rhythm and blues group, providing the rocksteady foundation: bass, drums, and two guitarists, including John Luzzi, who many of you know from previous Homecoming gigs. This group plays regularly at the casino and other venues, so they know a ton of tunes to jam on.

The event will highlight all the jammers from past Homecoming bands, including:

Yours truly on mind melting guitar!

Tim Gillespie on trumpet, harmonica, vocals, and acoustic guitar!

His evil twin brother, Mike Gillespie, on Bass!

Steve Goulas on drums!

My sister, Terri Lynn, on vocals!

Mike Byers (WCU CFO and lifelong best friend) on drums!

Steve Crawford (Sig Ep) on drums!

Isaac (WCU Marching Band member) on drums!

Mike Neal on acoustic guitar (He may not be able to attend, but let’s give him some friendly pressure to join the Jam!)

Come on Nealo you and Pam get up to HC.!

Other performers:

Forrest Todd Hoppes on acoustic guitar!

Pat Anderson and Rick Hill on the pan flute (AKA the Zamfirs)!

Greg Hutchinson, Vic Cope, and Greg Hamer on cowbell and tambourines. (LOL)!

Scott Baker on guitar!

Tommy Dennison on guitar!

My cousin, Marni Queen, on vocals and acoustic guitar!

Along with many others!!!!

Also all donation names will be highlighted on a large banner @ the event.

BTW: if anyone on this link is a musician and wants to Jam at HC please reach out to me @::

tqguitarz@gmail.com.

I will have a rough set list here in a couple of weeks.

Here is the donation link to help pay the band:

https://www.venmo.com/u/wcujam

Me and all of the musicians performing at the gig really appreciate the financial support from the best Lambda Chi Alpha Chapter Ever!!! We are gonna Rock and it’s gonna be EPIC!!!

Naught Without Jamzzz!!!

In Zax,

Tim Queen

BZ: 285….

Rock On!!

Brothers

As of today, we’re at 110% of 2023 in terms of dues.

Chris Sweeney is the 100th alumni brother who has paid dues so far in 2024.

To me, that’s both a good milestone and a challenging one.

It’s good because thanks mainly to the hard work of Cale Johnson we have a lot more alumni engaged today than in the past.

It’s challenging because with around 900 alumni brothers, we’re only reaching around 11%.

Although we’ve expressed our long term goals in terms of having “a place of our own”, the most meaningful goal will always be to re-engage alumni brothers with what for most of us is one of the most important things we’ve ever done and outside of our families are the most important relationships we’ll ever have.

Here’s something to think about… If you know an alumni brother who would benefit from getting re-engaged, please think about reaching out to them…

Here’s a breakdown of dues payments by BZ number so far in 2024:

0-100 6

100-200 6

200-300 19

300-400 20

400-500 18

500-600 18

600-700 4

700-800 3

800-900 6

Good Morning brothers. Cale Johnson posted this to the alumni facebook page a couple of days ago. I thought I would post it here for those who don’t do facebook.

WHAT DO ALUMNI DUES PAY FOR?​​

We got a really good question from an alumni brother a couple of weeks ago. It was such a good question that we thought it was worth sharing.

The question was “Since we’re taking in so much more in alumni dues than we used to, what are they being used for?”

The short answer is that we have short term “annual” expenses and long-term goals.

The annual expenses are things like

• Homecoming (food, soft drinks, ice, paper products, golf reception)

• Alumni Awards (annual scholarship, workhorse award)

• Chapter support

-Chapter support was $4000 in 2023 (improved rush events, new tailgating tent). It will be about the same in 2024 although this year we helped them with General Assembly costs.

-The chapter gets no money from the alumni for social events or things like that.

The long term “vision” we have is for the alumni to buy a piece of property near school where we will eventually build a building that can be used as an “event space”. This could begin as simply as a “shelter” with a fireplace and picnic tables. Eventually, we see it as a single family “home” possibly with a large enclosed space underneath it. The home would be rented as an Airbnb during most of the year (ideally, it would generate enough revenue this way to make it self-supporting). Individual alumni could use it as a place to stay when they visit the area. We would plan to reserve it for the alumni group during events like homecoming. The enclosed space under the home would only be used during these times. The idea is to have a “place of our own” while avoiding the headaches & liabilities many of us remember from the past. As stated, this is a long-term goal and subject to change.

If you have thoughts or ideas relative to any of this, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

The alumni board always welcomes input. We encourage all alumni to get involved in whatever way works best for them.

Also, if you haven’t, please pay your alumni dues. We are getting close to homecoming where we will spend the largest majority of our annual expenses and want to make sure we are in a good position.

Hello Brothers,

The 2024 Lambda Chi General Assembly happened last week in Phoenix. Carson Reeves (BZ High Alpha) and Max Buchannan (BZ High Theta) were there.

Ten chapters from around the country earned awards that were presented at the conference.

The BZ boys from WCU won the “Innovative Chapter” award. The award states:

“This award honors a group that goes beyond the General Fraternity requirements through programming, events, etc., exhibiting innovation and challenge of conventional wisdom.”

Pictures of the award and Carson & Max are below.

This honor was earned through hard work on the part of the BZZ chapter.

Carson and Max being able to be there is a direct result of the generous financial support of our BZ alumni. If you haven’t paid 2024 dues yet, please consider it. As you can see, it’s a worthy cause.

Hello Gentlemen!

While all alumni who pay their dues are heroes to the active brothers who benefit most from them, we have to have special recognition for brother Scott Dill -BZ366 who stepped up yesterday with what I believe is the largest dues payment the chapter has ever received. Scott took us from being 49% ahead of last year to being 66% ahead of last year.

Adding in dues payments today from Larry Ford – BZ 48 and Bill Trull – BZ 40, we’re now 69% ahead of last year. That’s $9710 in dues received so far in 2023.

We have the possibility of going over $10K in dues for the first time in the history of the chapter. I believe someone will put us over that goal before homecoming.

Will it be you?

Dues can be paid in three ways:

1. Venmo link is below
2. You can use our website http://www.bzalumni.com
3. You can mail your payment to:

Lambda Chi BZ Alumni

3402 Windswept Dr.

Summerfield, NC 27358

Thank You!

Good Morning brothers!

The next brother who pays their 2023 dues will put us at the milestone of being 50% ahead of last year in dues collections.

Will it be you?

Hello Gentlemen,

Below is an important email from El Presidente of the Alumni Board – Cale Johnson. Please check it out. Your responses will help us make sure this year’s homecoming is one that won’t soon be forgotten.

Good morning Brothers!

We are less than 5 weeks away from the greatest homecoming extravaganza in the history of WCU! With that in mind please read this thoroughly as we are in the final stages of planning around food, budget, swag, etc!

We have the first annual Lambda Chi Alpha memorial golf outing scheduled for Friday, 10/27 at Smoky Mountain Country Club in Whittier, NC. The cost is approximately $50 and will be a fun captain’s choice golf event to honor those brothers we’ve lost along the way. If anyone would like to “sponsor” a hole with a “In Loving Memory of” sign, please let me know. We already have our first in memory of brother Kevin Williams sponsored by Adam & Kristine Newsom!

I have received confirmation that the following individuals are signed up for golf:

Mike Gillespie

Alan Howard

Gary Deese

Chip Fisher

Pat Watson

Matt Harnad

Gibbs Jones

Philip Preston

Cale Johnson

Matthew Patrick Reilly

Brandon Lail

Travis Stutts

Roddy Duckett

Kevin Westmoreland

Brandon McClure

Greg Lance

Shane Bishop

Matthew Boehlke

Troy Baker

Steve Knight

Adam Newsom

Reid Johnson

Carson Reeves

Cameron Martin

Ryan Whitley

Reilly Whitt

Ryan Piercy

Jack Dube

Ryan Thomas

Logan Balis

Max Buchanan

Gabe Rentz

Spencer Gilbert

Jacob Shea

Layne Coward

Player to be named later

Player to be named later

If I have left anyone off of the list, please let me know as soon as possible by commenting below or texting me at (919)607-9622.

We are also having a cocktail reception for brothers and their dates immediately following golf at Smoky Mountain Country Club with heavy hors d’oeuvres provided by the alumni association and a cash bar. Designated drivers will be provided for this event.

Please let me know if you plan to attend the cocktail reception and if you will have a date so we can get the final menu planned by 10/7.

Last but not least, is tailgating! Please let me know if you/date will be coming to tailgating at the alumni tent at Camp Lab parking area between 11:00 and 2:00. We are working on a menu and hope to be able to provide a wonderful atmosphere to spend time with our brothers. Designated drivers will be available for this event as well.

This is sure to be an incredible weekend that won’t soon be forgotten. Please confirm which events you will be attending and if you will have a date so we can ensure we have enough food. I would like final counts by 10/7, but earlier if at all possible.

Yours in ZAX,

Cale

BZ564

Good Morning Boys!

You can now pay dues using Venmo. Our info is LCA BZ Alumni (bzalumni). You can also simply use your phone to scan the QR code below. Doesn’t get much easier than that! Let me know if you have any issues or if there are any questions.

In ZAX,

Pat Watson BZ410

909-992-9806

How about sharing your best golf pix as we prepare for the Homecoming Golf Outing.

This is BZ 345 Jeff Gordon, BZ 285 Tim Queen, BZ 377 Mohammad Jugdish (Steve Goulas) and BZ 399 Gibbs Jones. (Honorable mention to the guy in the middle who is the bassist in Tim’s band.)