CHAPTER HOUSE IMPROVEMENT PLAN

We chose the structure at 28 North College for our forever home because it checked many boxes. Size/manageability, location, condition, and flexibility of the landlord. It was important to nail down some roots for consistency across the generations. Living together in, using, and enjoying the same house helps to weave the fabric of our legacy.

Knowing we had an uphill battle to acquire funding for this property, we were delighted to find that most of the main structural items in the home were either relatively new or at least didn’t need replacing for several years. Everyone knows what rental housing expectations are in Athens. In our case, there was nothing structural that needed attention soon. The windows had recently been replaced, the roof was good, the heating and cooling worked, and the general condition was acceptable.

Now that we’re five years in, we’ve had a few items pop up on our desired list that needed to be remedied. For example, the air conditioning units required some help beyond the yearly maintenance schedule, there was a tree on our lot line that caused some concern, and we discovered a bat infestation. However, all were professionally dealt with and behind us, and we can now look forward to a few items that will need attention soon.

Priority items for this year are checking the water run-off (gutters, downspouts) and the structural integrity of the front porch. There are some rotten areas, but we can get ahead of this issue before it gets out of hand. In addition, we may be looking at removing the entire front porch for a rebuild. This would ensure solid, new-build structural integrity and give us a fresh, appealing look for what is considered one of the property’s best features.

Founders Day 2023

Friday, March 24, 5:00 p.m.

Email Secretary Josh Senefeld at senefeldj@gmail.com or check the Phi Delta Theta Ohio Gamma Alumni Facebook Group for more information.

Another priority item for this year is the demolition of the back steps. We are still contemplating just what we want the back to look like, but most likely, these steps will be removed. We have consulted a brick mason, who can do some finishing touches, but this work is mostly labor and can be performed during our annual summer work party.

We have several other smaller jobs, like putting a fence on our north property line and between the grass and the parking lot. We will install digital door locks on the front and back doors and new steel fire doors with push bars at the basement side exits. The exterior wall outside the kitchen needs to be scraped and either repainted or sided for cosmetic appeal.

Our summer work party is a yearly activity where chapter brothers do a deep clean, clutter removal, and help with more significant projects under professional guidance. Several alumni come down to help, and everyone rolls up their sleeves and puts in a good day of effort. One such project is sanding and painting the front steps to the porch and the inside steps to the second floor. This is only one example of how the undergraduates help improve our house, besides ensuring full tenancy and daily cleanliness. This is when we paint anything needed, do a deep clean of the kitchens and bathrooms, do landscape projects, and do anything else that may pop up. This activity also helps bond the house corporation, chapter advisory board, and current chapter brothers.

Many of our projects can be done with little cost, depending on supplies, by utilizing the labor pool we have with the chapter. In addition, I have many years of construction and remodeling experience and can be a guide for most of what we do. But we foresee a few projects requiring more than our sweat equity. Plus, those surprise things will always need to be dealt with quickly. Therefore, our next fundraising objective is to build a healthy capital and maintenance fund over and above what the monthly rents and fees can cover.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to our campaign. We

Thank You Campaign Donors

Founders Club

($5,000 or greater)

Brian Bastock

Bruce Dacre

Dan Semsel

Jerry P. Peppers

Mo Ralston

Paul Hollowell

Robert Kenneth Kerr III

Roland G. Winzer

Scott Long

Shannon Arnett

Shawn David Caldwell

Thomas E. Shoemaker

Brotherhood Club

(All donors)

Andrew Carr

Austin Stevens

Brad Mantel

Brett Slonaker

Caelan Bibby

Chad Hockley

Charles Chuvulas

Chris Rex

Clewell Smith

D. Merrill Wheeler

Dave Reese

David Stammler

David Whitcare

Dennis Bender

Domingo Herraiz

Gary White

Howard Gorrell

Jack Decicco

James Hall

Jay Montgomery

Jeff Condon

Jim Napier

Joe Murtha

John Lusa

John Schmidt

John Todhunter

Joseph Mate

Josh Radcliff

Kelley Moses

Ken Juergens

Kevin Angle

Kyle Leab

Larry McArthur

Larry Reader

Lincoln Frazier

Lynn Olman

Marz John Garcia

Matt Minosky

Michael Hyland

Michael Modzeleski

Michael Peffer

Mike Summers

N. Christopher Wolff

Paul Haring

Ray Randall

Rob Stanfield

Robert Janis

Robert W. Wilson

Robert Wilson

Ronald Chapman

Russell George Neubert

Scott Curtner

Steve Montgomery

Steven Hunter

Ted Shaffer

Terry Jay Emrick

Tim Bryce

Tim Flannagan

Tom Dellinger

Tom Dickson often use the phrase Time, Talent, and Treasure. Thank you again to those who have contributed any or all three of these. We, the housing corporation, feel very strongly about having a firm base for our chapter at OU and that living-meeting quarters are essential to the strength and growth of Ohio Gamma for generations.

Yours in the Bond, Scott Long 1742 House Corporation President