Staff Reunion at The Rock
On the weekend of June 25, 2022, current and past Sigma Nu staff members traveled from across the country to attend the 3rd Sigma Nu Staff Reunion. Starting in 2009, the vision for a staff reunion was to bring together current and past staff and their families to share stories, memories, and fellowship in the place so many have called home. Staff from nearly every decade since the 1958 Headquarters relocation from Indianapolis, Indiana to Lexington, Virginia were among the 110 attendees.
The reunion weekend began on Friday, June 24, with a meet-and-greet reception on the back lawn of the Headquarters property. During the reception, attendees gathered for a presentation from event coordinator Fred Dobry (Indiana State) and Executive Director Brad Beacham (Texas Christian) with acknowledgments of Staff Reunion Committee members Gabe Ford (Presbyterian), Marcus Baum (Central Florida), Patrick Bobo (Alabama in Huntsville), Todd Denson (Nicholls State), and Justin Wenger (William Jewell) and special guest, Past Executive Director Mo Littlefield (Maine).
Friday evening also included the announcement of the establishment of the Virginia Dogwood Garden in honor of current and past Sigma Nu Fraternity and Foundation administrative staff members. The garden will be placed alongside the Spears Family Epsilon Epsilon Center for Excellence and will feature three American Dogwood trees (the state tree of Virginia), two plantings of the Sigma Nu Rosebush, a bench, and other landscaping.
Festivities continued Saturday morning with a variety of activities, including a golf scramble at the Lexington Golf and Country Club, a group workout led by Drew Logsdon (Western Kentucky) and Fred Dobry, and opportunities for attendees to spend time revisiting favorite stops in Rockbridge County and checking out the newest businesses opened in downtown Lexington. Later in the afternoon, attendees had the opportunity to tour the Headquarters, including an outside viewing of the under-construction Spears Family Epsilon Epsilon Center for Excellence.
The reunion festivities were capped off on Saturday evening with a closing banquet catered by a Rockbridge County favorite, Hogback Mountain BBQ. A photo presentation showcasing cherished staff memories played throughout the meal, sparking laughter and reconnection. An In Memoriam was also shared following the dinner honoring past staff who had entered Chapter Eternal since the last staff reunion held in 2015. A memorial of their legacy and dedicated service was provided by Brad Beacham. As a capstone to the evening, an impromptu rendition of “White Star of Sigma Nu” was sung with enthusiasm.
As the reunion ended, handshakes, laughs, smiles, and hugs were shared among the men and women who served and continue to serve the Fraternity and Foundation with distinction and honor, with many remaining for hours to soak in every last drop of the fellowship that bonded them together years ago and continues to do so today.
