KAPPA COMMENTARY: NATIONAL RECLAMATION
Seven of our 10 Founders Served in the Military
By Paul Robinson, National Reclamation Chairman
Chapter Meetings, and other fraternal events or activities.
not have to be “Super Nupe” and attend every Kappa function. But with chapter meetings once a month, can Kappa have 2-3 hours? If you have other obligations on chapter meeting night, what about a committee meeting or mentoring Kappa Leaguers for an hour on Saturday? And if that doesn’t work, I’m sure the brothers will love to have you volunteer at any of our philanthropic activities like Adopt-A-Highway, voter registra- tion drives, and feeding the homeless to name a few. Similarly, the financial obligation of pay- ing dues should not be used as a barrier to coming home to Kappa. During my tenure as Polemarch of Dulles-Leesburg (VA) Alumni Chapter, we doubled in size in one year. How? We had a zero tolerance policy towards money being an issue. If a brother truly couldn’t pay his dues, another brother in the chapter would gladly pay them for him. Broth- ers who expressed a desire to attend an event, but weren’t financially positioned to do so were covered by another mem- ber or afforded the opportunity to work the event. I’m reminded that 7 of our 10 Re- vered Founders served in World War I: Founder Elder Watson Diggs, Founder Ezra Dee Alexander, Founder Henry Tourner Asher, Founder Marcus Peter Blakemore, Founder Guy Levis Grant, Founder Edward Giles Irvin, and Found- er John Milton Lee, who enlisted in the Army in 1917. Conventional wisdom is that they came home and focused on finding employment and focused on family. No one would question them be- ing too busy or unable to be active. But our Founders and World War I veterans had something different in mind. In addition to starting families and achiev- ing in their professions, the Founders went on to establish undergraduate and alumni chapters, alike. They served in leadership positions, attended Grand
If the Founders could serve in the mili- tary, the fraternity, and make valuable impact to their families and their profes- sions, are we living up to their commit- ment to our fraternity? Whether it’s pitching in on a committee call, calling to check on a brother, attending more chapter meetings or volunteering to give a senior Kappa or young Kappa a ride. Just Do It !!! I’m reminded that 7 of our 10 Revered Founders served in World War I: Founder Elder Watson Diggs, Founder Ezra Dee Alexander, Founder Henry Tourner Asher, Founder Marcus Peter Blakemore, Founder Guy Levis Grant, Founder Edward Giles Irvin, and Founder John Milton Lee, who enlisted in the Army in 1917.
O ne of the first things I was taught on my journey was God, family, school/career, and Kappa. You would be hard pressed to find someone that disagrees with the four points of the diamond, yet many times in life our priorities can get “out of whack.” If we place too much time and focus in one, a good Kappa man should feel off center. That’s not to say that fidelity is easy. Most working-class Americans put in so many hours in their profession that they unintentionally neglect family. But in the end, we all need balance in our lives for those things we hold dear. That said, I talk to inactive members daily across the country who provide valid reasons for their status. The number one priority for new graduates is finding a job, while for others it can be establishing a family. Some members experience financial hardship and incor- rectly believe that being active is synony- mous with paying dues. Even more still there are members who achieve in their careers to heights so great they are chal- lenged finding time for anything outside of their chosen profession. There’s an old saying that goes, “You can tell what a man loves by where he spends his time and his money.” You do
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