A Turning Point: Gettysburg College 100th Anniversary
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When it comes to anything regarding his beloved Gettysburg College Lambda Chi chapter, alumnus Fran Cannon(’78) is anything but quiet. In fact, you could say he is the type of guy to wear his emotions on his sleeve.
“I’m not afraid to show my emotions and I like that part of people,” Cannon said enthusiastically. “I don’t think everyone should be stoic all the time.”
So, when Cannon found out that the 100th anniversary of the Theta-Pi chapter was coming up in October of 2016, he immediately sprang into action. He was going to make this a celebration to remember, a party of a lifetime.
Though the chapter had seen its fair share of rough patches in recent times, Cannon, along with his fellow alumni, decided this centennial celebration would be the turning point.
The weekend began with a golf tournament on Friday morning, followed by a dinner hosted by the college later that night. Saturday proved to be a huge success, with over 400 people in attendance at the afternoon luncheon, followed by a trip down memory lane at the chapter house. The night concluded with a large formal banquet, where, to Cannon’s excitement, the event became standing room only.
To the undergraduates’ surprise, the celebration became bigger than they ever could have imagined. Guests such as alumnus Ron Paul and Lambda Chi CEO Bill Farkas made appearances, proving that the undergraduates were not alone.
“It demonstrated to the college and demonstrated to the fraternity house that people care,” assured Cannon. “People are willing to come back after all these years.”
In addition to distinguished guests of honor, the event sparked excitement in brothers many years removed from the chapter house. Men from classes as early as 1955 stood side by side with current brothers, all with the same hope that a brighter future could start now.
As the chapter looks ahead, events have already been created to continue the fresh partnership between alumni and undergraduates. Cannon has a Lambda Chi Alpha cruise in the works for April of 2018, open for all to join. Events such as the centennial celebration and the cruise are just small stepping stones in rebuilding the chapter, says Cannon.
“It [centennial celebration] was top-notch, it was first-class, they did an excellent job and that’s great to have a celebration,” said Farkas. “More importantly, though, this will lead to more engagement with the chapter and helping the undergraduates be successful.”
For Cannon, the future looks bright. The overwhelming support from alumni is only the first step for the chapter in their period of regrowth, and it won’t stop there.
“We started a wave and we are going to keep it going,” said Cannon. “We are going to keep the involvement going.”
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An Act of Brotherhood
For most, New Year’s Day is a time to spend with family and reflect on New Year’s resolutions. But for Cannon, the day brought an even better surprise.
Cannon sent his oldest daughter off the day before as she traveled from Pennsylvania to Alabama to begin a new chapter in her life. A 20-hour drive, Cannon begged her to split the trip into two days, to which she obliged.
As she arrived in Tennessee the night of New Year’s Day, exhausted and two dogs in tow, she saw quite a sight for sore eyes waiting for her in the hotel lobby: one of her father’s fraternity brothers, Jeff Bullard(’80) waiting to greet her, wearing a Gettysburg T-shirt and a warm smile.
Cannon had arranged for his brother to meet his daughter, stepping in where he could not.
“He took my place, and I got really emotional about it because you are talking about New Year’s Day when a guy I haven’t seen in 25 years dropped everything for me because he cared,” said Cannon. “He dropped everything and got excited about it for me. That made the difference.”
The simple, yet profound, act of kindness Cannon’s fraternity brother showed reaffirmed what Cannon hopes all men who take an oath at the Theta-Pi chapter remember: brotherhood is for a lifetime.
“You can use fraternity and after so many years, people will still help you because they care,” said Cannon
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