Recently, I had the pleasure of representing the General Fraternity Headquarters at the DETE/Lambda Chi “Old Dudes” reunion up at Ferris St. during their homecoming weekend. I assumed that this was going to be a typical alumni function; “Old Dudes” meaning all chapter alumni…little did I know, especially not being one to ever take things to literally.

Arriving Friday morning, I met a couple of the guys on the driving range of Ferris State’s Katke Golf Course, and then, after loosening up, met the rest of the 20 golfers in the club house, and they were all, literally by definition of age, but by no definition of spirit, old dudes! As it turned out, the weekend’s activities were for a group of men active with the chapter from 1955 to roughly 1965. A little history will tell you that Delta Tau Epsilon was founded at Ferris St. in 1955, and then following some diligent work by DETE members and a HQ staff member by the name of George Spasyk, DETE officially was embraced by Lambda Chi Alpha and installed as Iota-Psi in 1963. Amazingly, the Iota-Psi chartered in six months, and, after meeting the gentlemen associated with the founding of DETE and Lambda Chi Alpha, that fact doesn’t surprise me a bit.

While there, I was lucky enough to meet four of the original DETE founders, Iota-Psi number one, George “Bud” Punches, and without a doubt the most impressive group of men from one chapter I have seen in my seven plus years in the Fraternity. Of this group from roughly a 10-year time-frame from one chapter, there was a college president, a man that had to leave early because Hope College was naming a building after him, educators, doctors, lawyers, the person in charge of Katrina donations for the Detroit metro area (as of October 16, they were up to I believe 42 or 43 semi trailers full of donations). While impressive, their accomplishments aren’t what set these men apart from other brothers and alumni I have met; what set them apart was their words, the way they carried themselves, and the way they spoke of their fraternity experience. These men had incredible wives, stories, and an attitude, spirit, and a belief in fraternity we don’t often see these days. I believe this is why, 40 to 50 years after being in the chapter, over 50 brothers came together to celebrate their experience and share that brotherhood in person again.

Being considerably younger than these gentlemen, not one of them ever made me fell out of place, and I could relate with them on many levels, and it is all because of the power of Fraternity. It was a great experience; one I wouldn’t trade for the world. I saw Wir Quisque Wir in action, and I saw how living a life rooted in morals and values translates into bliss.

If you are ever frustrated with the fraternity or your experience, need a lesson on what it is to be a man, or need your Lambda Chi Alpha spirit rejuvenated, spend some time with the “Old Dudes” at their next reunion. I guarantee just being around them will get you back on track.

-Tim Reuter Assoc. Dir. of Chapter Services

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