October 8, 1949. For all you historians that paid attention as pledges, this date will stand out in your mind as the birthdate of the California Theta chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. 75 years have come and gone. Thousands of brothers have passed through the doors of our chapter, and our history is rich and vivid. Throughout this time, there is one constant. The fraternity house that sits at 5076 College Place - adorned with the massive lions (Leo and Mad Dog in case you forgot) that have protected our house since the beginning years.
Is there a more iconic ΣΑΕ chapter house in the country? Perhaps. But the lions stand above all others as far as impact and appeal. As a freshman at SDSU, I remember the first time I laid eyes upon the lions and the house. I thought to myself, what a cool and interesting place...I need to find out who they are and how I can become one of them! I threw my Sigma Chi bid in the trash and set my sights on rushing ΣΑΕ in the fall of my sophomore year. That fall, I received my bid, along with my roommate and best friend (Marc Martin). We had a great pledge class and quickly bonded to become great friends. To this day, we keep in touch and when we get together we always tell stories of the days in the house and remember all the fun we had together. In a word, Brotherhood. I am looking forward to seeing many of my pledge bros to celebrate Cal Theta's 75th Anniversary on August 10, 2024.
The reason why I am telling you this story is to remind you of your experience at Cal Theta, and to make a commitment to join us in the celebration. I hope to see brothers from across the decades and to hear their great stories and memories. I hope that many brothers reunite and rekindle old friendships and even make new ones! I have been lucky enough to serve on the board of the San Diego Area Alumni Association for 8 years now, and I still marvel at the connectivity of the brothers who come to our events. The sense of pride that comes with being an ΣΑΕ stays with us for life. This is why I hope that you (and your plus one) will make plans to be a part of our celebration. Make your reservation by clicking here:
Also, as we will enjoy seeing the house in pristine condition (the calm before the storm as undergrads will be moving in the week after the party) - as Gary Losey and his crew have been working on it all summer - please keep in mind that our house has some major upkeep that is due (as well as a few renovation and restoration projects). Even if you are unable to attend the party, your donation to the house will help us to undertake these projects. A fundraising page has been set up that has information about the specific projects that need to be completed (new roof, retaining walls) as well as some restoration projects (Epsilon Eta Room - per Dick Lareau's wishes - and trophy cases). The fundraising page also details different donation levels and naming opportunities. Your name can be showcased in the house in recognition of your support! Imagine having a room named in your honor! Or your name adorning the plaque on one of the refurbished Saranac Lions! Click here to make a donation and see the naming opportunities that are available:
In closing, we hope to see you August 10, 2024 at the ΣΑΕ House from 6:00-9:30.
I would like to thank brother John McMullen for the lion photos. Can you name the brothers in the pictures? I see McMullen, McLaren and Mad Dog (Please respond in the comments section).
Thank you for your support.
Phi Alpha,
Kip Barton
President