NATIONAL RECLAMATION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE
From Initiation to Passing to the Golden Shore: Your best days in Kappa should be comprised of what happens in between! Consider learning from a Senior Kappa along the way.
by Paul Robinson, National Reclamation Committee Chairman
are on fixed incomes therefore alumni chapters should seek to accommodate our senior brothers in the same man- ner they would a new graduate. This can be done by reducing local chap- ter dues for newly-reclaimed Seniors Kappas and charging discounted rates to events. We can also support broth- ers through our Senior Kappa Affairs Committee activities such as picking up a senior brother for chapter meetings and social events. Some of our Senior Kappas may lack IT skills or access to email, so chapters can use U.S. Postal Service and mail meeting minutes or newsletters to keep brothers well informed about chapter activities. Recently, I met a Senior Kappa that had the awesome pleasure of meeting Founder Edward Giles Irvin when the Senior Kappa was a young undergradu- ate. The Senior Kappa shared that he and others surrounded Founder Irvin and asked him questions about the early years of the fraternity. Founder Irvin provided earth-shattering in- sight into the way they initiated new members, his interactions with the other Founders, and their vision for the fraternity. In the moment this brother shared that story with my brothers and I, he ensured the legacy of Kappa will live on. In the past, I have spoken about the two-way street between new gradu- ates and alumni. The same can be said for our seasoned brothers. Defer- ence should always be given to those
who came before us because their knowledge is as valuable as gold. But respect should be given to brothers who have faithfully served in the trenches. For example, if a brother has faith- fully served for 10 years, his opinion shouldn’t be dismissed by a seasoned brother whom has been inactive. It is our duty to ease barriers to being active including financial responsibili- ties and ability to participate in activi- ties. If a brother can’t make it to us, let’s bring Kappa to him by visiting the sick and shut-in to let him know that Kappa Alpha Psi loves him. Let us all renew our thirst for knowledge by seeking out Senior Kappas who are not active. And when a seasoned brother speaks, listen .
T here are two moments in a Kappa Man’s life that reso- nate with the vast majority of brothers. Those moments are initiation and passing to the Golden Shore. However, an older brother once told me, “Do not allow your best days in Kappa be the day you crossed and the day you die.” I have often challenged our new graduates to stay active and find an alumni chapter, but our Senior Kappas are also a valuable resource with whom we must stay engaged. Unfortunately, for various reasons, our more seasoned members fall out of contact with the fraternity. A Senior Kappa falling out of contact is a lose-lose situation as their knowledge of the fraternity’s history and customs are lost forever. Alumni chapters can reclaim and retain our senior brothers in a number of ways. Many seniors
Publishing achievement for 105 years
THE JOURNAL SPRING ISSUE | 7
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