Congratulations to:
Alpha Kappa Lambda upon its Centennial. The first national fraternity to be founded west of the Rocky Mountains, it started as Los Amigos Club, a local club at the University of California – Berkeley. Today, April 22, 2014, marks 100 years of the fraternity.
World War I halted plans for expansion and put the fraternity’s future in a precarious condition. A second chapter was not founded until 1920 when the chapter at Stanford University was established. It’s interesting to note that the Los Amigos Club members survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
A wonderfully done Youtube video illustrates the history in the words and voices of the founders. It’s available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yis6GP5_mCQ&feature=youtu.be. It is a priceless history lesson in 12 minutes. To hear the voices of the founders as they celebrated the 50th anniversary and to hear them speak of “another 50 years” is priceless. Kudos to Alpha Kappa Lambda on making history come alive! Best wishes to you as you begin a second century.
Tatyana McFadden, Phi Sigma Sigma, who won her second Boston Marathon in the women’s wheelchair division. She is a Paralympian who has won medals in both the summer and winter games.
Jessica Kensky Downes, Delta Gamma, who won the Boston Marathon Handcycle division. The field was a small one; she was one of two in the Women’s Handcycle division, however, the feat was a very large one. She and her husband, Patrick, were standing near the finish line at last year’s race. They both lost a leg in the explosion.
The newlyweds both participated in the Handcycle races this year. Patrick took 17th place in his division. As they finished the course, they were hand-in-hand. If you’re in the mood to read a story that will bring tears to your eyes, see http://alcalde.texasexes.org/2014/04/a-year-later-boston-bombing-survivors-living-with-hope-strength-optimism/ but don’t say I didn’t warn you.
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© Fran Becque, www.fraternityhistory.com. 2014. All Rights Reserved.
