Capital Fundraising Initiative

Preserving the Past . . . Enhancing the Future

In addition to working hard to retain and make significant improvements to the chapter house, the directors of the Housing Corporation have continued to host annual events such as the golf outing, pig roast and homecoming while maintaining their dedication to facilitating strong chapter communications.

In concert with these endeavors, it has been my pleasure to help Epsilon Gamma by working alongside Ken Breen, Tom Bussineau and Trevor Wisniewski in coordinating our inaugural Capital Fundraising Initiative (CFI.)

The Goal

Our goal is to raise a minimum of $150,000. Half of the amount raised ($75,000) will be used to help fund and complete renovations to the Chapter house. The entire first floor was renovated in the summer of 2005, and several more projects are included in the Continuous Improvement Plan we established in 2001, including permanent furnishings in all of the bedrooms.

The remaining $75,000 will be used to fund more than a dozen named scholarships for academic achievement and more than a dozen sponsorships each year for outstanding leadership development programming such as The John & Nellie Wooden Institute for Men of Principle, The Peter F. Greiner Leadership College, The Donald W. English Beta Wilderness Challenge and the Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute.

Our Progress

Last summer, we wanted to “feel the water” and decided to call on a few brothers to gauge the response to the CFI. Through only a handful of personal phone calls, we found 16 brothers who eagerly committed to the CFI, pledging a combined $62,500 to Epsilon Gamma over the next five years! When we called on these brothers, a common phrase we heard was, “What can I do to help?” Each brother was excited to be an active contributor toward the future success of our Chapter.

Over the past year, another 25 brothers and Friends of Beta have stepped forward. To date, we have received pledges of $101,200 and collected more than $30,000 of that total. Leading up to the fall semester, more than $3,500 has been awarded in scholarships and sponsorships to deserving undergraduates.

We believe you will agree that the plan we have in place is deserving of your strong consideration and support. We are offering you the opportunity to have events, academic scholarships, leadership sponsorships and even rooms in the Chapter house named in your honor for pledging a certain gift. Two Thomas J. Bussineau Institute for Men of Principle sponsorships and The Paul M. DeRoche Library are among the gifts already pledged toward this historic effort.

How You Can Help

We need your support! If you would like to join the ranks of those who have become active contributors towards the future success of Epsilon Gamma, please review the various opportunities in the CFI brochure. Once you have selected the item you wish to sponsor, complete the Letter of Intent (LOI) specifying the amount you would like to contribute — and when you would like to make your payments. Once you identify the designation of your gift on the back side of the LOI, fax or mail the document to me. It’s that simple! I will send reminders when your payments are due, along with payable to and mailing instructions.

Because this is a gift from the heart, with no strings attached, and because we recognize that our alumni brothers are at different places in life with varying financial demands, we will not make a suggestion as to what an appropriate gift might be. However, our goal will only be reached when brothers, like you, stretch themselves to provide a significant and meaningful contribution.

The enclosed brochure offers a range of sponsorships from $1,000 ($200 per year) to $5,000 ($1,000 per year.) If you would like to support this Campaign with an amount greater than $5,000, or to sponsor something that is not listed, please let me know right away and I will work with you to help make your goal a reality.

If you would like to support this Campaign with a one-time gift or annual level of giving that is less than $1,000 ($200 per year), please do not underestimate the importance of your gift. Your gift, combined with those of other brothers will be added together and divided equally to support experiential learning, academic scholarships and house renovations. All brothers participating in this effort will be recognized on a plaque in the foyer of the chapter house.

In Closing

As Epsilon Gamma returns to prominence at Central Michigan University, we are embarking on this inaugural Capital Fundraising Initiative to help ensure that our Chapter will be on firm financial footing from this point forward. This Campaign will provide for the future of Epsilon Gamma and its home . . . neither of which would be as strong today without your contributions as an undergraduate, and your gifts of encouragement, time and leadership as an alumnus.

Thank you for all you have done and all that you continue to do for Epsilon Gamma and Beta Theta Pi. Thank you, too, for your thoughtful consideration of this special request.

Tom
Thomas C. Olver, Central Michigan ’98
President, Epsilon Gamma Housing Corporation
(513) 255-1245
tom.olver@betathetapi.org

Download:
Capital Fundraising Initiative Brochure
Letter of Intent

CFI Frequently Asked Questions

How did the 2005-09 CFI get started?

The Capital Fundraising Initiative (CFI) started almost by accident during the 2004 alumni golf outing, when three brothers committed to each other they would contribute a combined $20,000 over the next five years to help ensure Epsilon Gamma would have the financial resources needed to make improvements to the chapter house and provide experiential learning scholarships for the undergraduate brothers.

What are the goals of the 2005-2009 CFI?

To raise a minimum of $150,000 — $75,000 of which will be used to fund the 2005-06 house renovations and ongoing Continuous Improvement Plan projects — the other $75,000 will be used to fund experiential learning sponsorships, academic scholarships, chapter events and communications.

I’d like to contribute but am not in a position to give at the amounts listed in the brochure. Can I help?

Yes. All contributors to the 2005-09 CFI (other than those wishing to be “anonymous”) will be recognized on a plaque that will hang in the foyer of the chapter house. Annual pledges or one-time gifts of any amount are welcome and appreciated. All gifts of this type will be combined and applied to house improvements and experiential learning sponsorships or scholarships equally.

Is my donation tax deductible?

Experiential learning sponsorships and academic scholarships are tax deductible. Donations for house improvements or chapter/alumni activities are not tax deductible.

Will I receive a reminder when my CFI payments are due?

Yes. You will receive a reminder along with instructions about who to make your check payable to and where to send it — depending on the type of donation you’ve chosen. 

What if I want to sponsor an item that is already spoken for?

We can work to make that happen — contact Tom Olver at tom.olver@betathetapi.org or (513) 255-1245. We will work with the brother who has sponsored the item to come up with a scenario where everyone involved is most satisfied.  If two brothers who lived in a particular room in the house during different years both wanted to sponsor the same room we could, for example:

1. Have both brothers co-sponsor the room, and co-sponsor an academic scholarship as well.
2. Have one brother sponsor the room and the other brother sponsors the furnishings in the room.

Are there other things that can be sponsored?

Yes. In this first campaign, we have identified what we believe to be the most essential items to build a firm foundation for the Chapter. If you have a strong desire to sponsor something you do not see listed in the brochure contact Tom Olver at tom.olver@betathetapi.org or (513) 255-1245. 

What happens in 2010?  Does my name come off the room I sponsored?

No. The room sponsorships will remain as long as our chapter resides in the current house at 814 South Main Street.  Experiential learning sponsorships and academic scholarships will need to be funded again beginning in 2010. The success of the 2005-09 CFI will help determine how we proceed with our fundraising efforts in 2010 and beyond.

Can my gift be “anonymous”?

Yes. Simply note this desire on your check or Letter of Intent.

Why are we putting so much money into a house we plan to tear down in 15 years?

Any house a person would plan to live in for the next 15 years would have basic structural, safety and comfort needs that have to be addressed to help ensure the house survives the 15 years it needs to last. In the year 2020, we might tear down the house and build a new one — we might not. In 2020, the climate may be such that we decide to sell the house and use the money to acquire different property to build on. In 2020, we may not have the money we need to tear down and build new — so we might have to settle for a major renovation and/or an addition to the present house. Whatever the future holds for our chapter and our chapter house, we need to maintain the present structure in optimal condition until these things are decided for certain.                                                       

Our chapter house was built in 1914. The house was occupied by individual families until 1937. Since 1938, an average of 14 college students has lived in the structure each school year including two fraternities and one sorority.  The house had gone through major renovations at least twice prior to our acquisition of the house in 1987. The house is 4,944 square feet with 4-1/2 baths (including the basement.)

From 1987 to 2002, all rent collected went directly to paying down the bank loans and taxes for the house and performing minor maintenance and repairs. Large items such as a hot water heater and bathroom renovations were covered in many cases by the undergraduate chapter through dues, house fees, etc. Major repairs — such as a new furnace, and fire inspections that required major repairs were paid for by alumni gifts made on an emergency basis.  In 2002, the original bank loans for the chapter house were paid in full. We borrowed $55,000 to make major improvements to the safety and structure of the house as required by the city fire inspector. A portion of the $55,000 was used to replace original windows, the original roof and to cover the original wood siding with vinyl siding. In 2005, we borrowed an additional $110,000 to perform major renovations to the interior of the chapter house to ensure a safe, comfortable environment for the undergraduate chapter to move in to.

Today, our chapter has by far the nicest fraternity house and one of the most perfect locations on Main Street. All things considered, we can be very proud of the sweat equity, the financial stewardship and the thoughtful consideration of so many brothers in our chapter’s short history relative to the chapter house and the advising of the chapter.

What happens to all of this money if the chapter closes again?

Short-term or “temporary” closure: In the unfortunate event the Chapter would have to close again, it is hoped that the advisors and housing corporation board would work with the University (as was done in 2002) to create a plan that would allow us to re-colonize a couple of years later. In this case, the housing corporation is charged with maintaining the house in anticipation of the new colony moving in the next school year after it is organized. House improvements may continue during this time; experiential learning sponsorships and academic scholarships will be awarded to members of the new colony.

Long-term or “permanent” closure: Should the Chapter ever be closed by the University or the City for something so severe that it is deemed a “permanent” closure, the housing corporation has an Asset Allocation plan in place in its by-laws. In short, if the Chapter were “permanently” closed, the housing corporation will seek written clarification of the definition of “permanent.” If it is determined by the housing corporation board that actual minimum length of the closure is greater in years than is realistically feasible to maintain the house, the housing corporation will sell the house. (This is consistent with the mission of the housing corporation — to provide a safe, comfortable environment for the undergraduate members of Epsilon Gamma — NOT to be in the real estate/leasing business in Mt. Pleasant.)  Any proceeds from the sale of the property will be put into the Central Michigan Chapter Fund of the Beta Theta Pi Foundation. The Foundation will hold the money until such time when Beta Theta Pi is allowed to return to Central Michigan University. At that time, the money may be used to purchase a house for the new colony. If, after 25 years of permanent closure, there is still no chance of returning to the University, the monies in the Central Michigan Chapter Fund will be released to the Foundation to support other good works of the Fraternity.

Note:  This F.A.Q. is not intended to be exhaustive — it simply reflects the questions we have received to date.  If you have a question about the Capital Fundraising Initiative that you do not see answered here please contact Tom Olver at tom.olver@betathetapi.org or (513) 255-1245.