Sigma Pi Fraternity: The Piper

Alpha-Pi Celebrates Founder’s Day 2005

On February 26^th, 2oo5 the men of Alpha-Pi chapter came together as brothers to enjoy a great Founder’s Day celebration. The day included an 18-hole golf scramble at RidgePointe Country Club. This year the title was taken by a couple of Sages. Current Sage Robert “Why it’s Bob” Hilgeford and past Sage Chase “Me Down” Davis edged out the competition, which is ever growing and improving. What happened to the ever-present – ever-winning Lott-Naylor tandem? …must have been something they drank.

Later that day, an Alumni Association meeting was held where several different topics were discussed including; recent renovations and repairs to the chapter house (new doors and tiled floors), an update on current issues facing the active chapter members such as rush, philanthropy and of course the start of a new Sigma Pi tradition, The ACE Project. It was passed with a unanimous vote for Founder’s Day to be held every year on the first weekend of March from this day forward. Of course it would not be an Alumni Association meeting without a discussion of building a new chapter house. Dr. Bob Ferralasco announced that we have a plot set aside by the University. The land is currently being cleared of trees and filled to level it off.

Later that evening, various decades were represented as alumni and active chapter members turned out for the annual Founder’s Day Reception and Banquet, which was held at the RidgePointe Country Club Dining Hall. The Chapter gave out several awards, with Lorne Book taking the “Rick Marshall” Alumnus of the Year Award, deservingly so. Lorne is a Chapter Consultant at Sigma Pi Fraternity Headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee and has been very active with the Chapter since he graduated. Active member Nathan Roop was awarded the Mrs. Ruth Olhausen Scholarship. Nathan is a student athlete, who maintained a 4.0 GPA for the Fall Semester, while being very active on the ASU track team. For the first time ever, the Chapter gave the Parents of the Year award to Gary and Gloria Eubanks, the proud parents of Pledge Trainer, Charles “Chas” Eubanks. They have been very active with the chapter this year and deserve this great honor for all they have done for Sigma Pi. To close the banquet, the guests were entertained with a special slide show, which was presented by Actives Raymond Whiteside and Kevin Spangler.

The chapter rounded out the evening by inviting all the banquet guests over to the house for an after dinner reception. The night concluded with dancing and fellowship that was enjoyed by all.

Recently Brother Stephen Posey was in contact with Sylvia (Hendrix) Hall. She is the daughter of Herschel Hendrix ‘49. Mrs. Hall informed the chapter that her father had passed to the Adytum on High in October of 1998. Stephen offered the chapters’ condolences and asked for more information about her father.

For any who may not have had the chance to meet Brother Herschel and for those who might have had the pleasure to know him, here is Sylvia’s reply.

Thank you for asking for information about my dad, Herschel Hendrix. Here is a sort of resume of his life. Sorry I don't know all the dates. Born - November 28, 1918, Paragould, Arkansas Hometown - Jonesboro, AR Graduated Jonesboro High School 1936 (?) Arkansas National Guard-206th Coast Artillery, Dutch Harbor, Alaska, January 1941 - 1944 Discharged 1945 Married Frances Riegler 1943 Graduated from Arkansas State 1949 Son, Dennis Herschel, born 1948 (died 1995) Principal and teacher at Bono High School 1949-1950 Master's Degree (education)University of Mississippi 1951 Ph.D. University of Mississippi 1954 Joined staff of Upper Iowa University, Fayette, Iowa, as Director of Public Relations 1952 Head of Dept. of Education Director of Extension Dean of the College 1957 Vice President and Dean of the College 1961 Daughter, Sylvia Pauline, born 1955 Retired from Upper Iowa 1981 Resided in Rogers, Arkansas, 1981 - 1991 (approximately) Frances Hendrix died 1989 Moved to Kansas City, MO, until death in October 1998

Dad earned many awards and honors during his life, but I don't know what they were. Most recently (about 1996), a sculpture was erected on the Upper Iowa University campus in recognition of his service to the college. I hope this is the information that you need.

Brother Bill Mayo is looking for his buddies. He emailed the chapter in late February asking about Founder’s Day. This brings the opportunity to start a new column. If you would like to find a brother you haven’t heard from in a while, call us, write us or e-mail us and we’ll give you the opportunity to speak directly to them.

I graduated with Rice Van Ausdale, Tom Blagg, Gene Forman, Jim Turley, Tommy Spires, Bob Howard.

Others who were around during the '50's were Asa Crow, Charlie Frankum, Tulos Mead, Don Riggs, Ray Spence, Bill Templeton, and Sonny Stires. I could name many more, however, these people were at ASU between '52-'56.

If you would like to contact Bill, please e-mail @ coachie@cox-internet.com or please contact us for his mailing address.

On April 2^nd, 2005 Orchid Ball will be held in Downtown Little Rock at The Peabody Hotel. There are currently 25 rooms blocked off for reservations under Sigma Pi. You can call The Peabody, 501-906-4000 or go on-line, www.peabodylittlerock.com to make your room reservation. To reserve seats for the banquet or to get schedule information, please contact Kevin Spangler at 501-247-9222.

I would like to begin by saying that I hope the New Year is treating you all well. My name is Robert Hilgeford, Sage of Alpha Pi chapter for 2005, and I am looking forward to accomplishing some great things with the help of our active brothers. Let me also announce the rest of my executive council for 2005:

I am excited about our new EC and we have planned some great things for our chapter for the upcoming year.

Our spring calendar is full of events involving not only actives but alumni as well. As a chapter we are excited about the Spring Semester, we have taken five solid pledges for our spring pledge class. Also, we have been working on our image on campus with the adding of coat-and-tie day to attending ASU athletic events dressed in letters and ASU apparel. We are also continuing our ACE Project this year. This is a way to give back to our university and community in a manner that no other national or international fraternity has done before.

We have many events planned for the Spring, Summer and upcoming Fall. I would like to do as much as I can to increase alumni participation with the active chapter. If any alumni have questions, comments, suggestions, criticisms, etc., please contact me at (870) 540-7131 or email me at rhilgebob@yahoo.com. I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you all soon, here's to a great year for us all.

ACE stands for Altruistic Campus Experience. The ACE Project is Sigma Pi's national effort to focus philanthropic and community service efforts on the university communities that Sigma Pi chapters belong to. Since its founding, Sigma Pi has always stressed the need for its members to give back to the community.

The idea behind the ACE project is for chapters to plan an event that directly benefits the campus community. With Greek systems failing all around the country, Sigma Pi hopes that the ACE project can help administrators see the value in Greek life programs, and generally help portray Greeks in a more positive light.

This years Alpha Pi ACE project will be a week of events that benefit Arkansas State University and will take place from March 21^st through March 25^th of this year.

Tuesday the 22^nd – Provide breakfast to the University Police Department and wash their patrol cars.

Homecoming Date is set, October 22^nd, 2005. Details will follow, but make plans now to be here on that day.

Look for your next PIper in late spring. There will be more details of upcoming events like,

In the mean time, our Chapter and Alumni Association cannot exist without the support of it’s members.

We encourage all Alpha-Pi chapter Alumni to contribute some of their time, energy, and attention to this organization so that it may continue to provide a steady, guiding hand to the members of the active chapter.

Being involved with the Alumni Association gives you the chance to make a difference in the lives of a group of young men, while continuing the lifelong friendships you forged while in college and to build new friendships with brothers you may have never met before.

Please help by being an active participant in as many Alumni Association events as possible.

If you would like to put a Spotlight on a brother or have any suggestions for upcoming events, stories, etc., please contact us.

If you would like to subscribe to our list server and receive more frequent updates by e-mail, send an e-mail with your name and request to rickymarshall@sigmapialphapi.com.