[22884] in APO-L
[APO-L] Spreading the Spirit of Service
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (ED RICHTER)
Wed Sep 4 14:45:23 2002
Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2002 14:45:16 -0400
Reply-To: ED RICHTER <aphio57@WEBTV.NET>
From: ED RICHTER <aphio57@WEBTV.NET>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
Dear Brothers,
First and foremost, I would like to welcome you all back for the new
school year. While many chapters have been back for the past few weeks,
there are a number of schools that will be starting their new year over
the next few weeks.
As we begin the new Alpha Phi Omega year, I just want to remind you all
of a few of the many service opportunities that are coming up this fall
and spring that your chapter can participate in.
Last weekend, President Bush urged Americans to dedicate this month as
the September of Service to honor the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.
While APO has been doing service year-round on college campuses for
nearly 77 years, I would encourage all chapters to find ways to reach
out to other service organizations and to their fellow students to join
in and participate and/or organize service projects to commemorate those
who lost their lives on Sept. 11.
Last September, many APO chapters across the nation mobilized
automatically and demonstrated our cardinal principles of Leadership,
Friendship and Service.
AS WE think of ways to be of service to others I would also like to
remind you that "Utilizing our resources to build a stronger community
and nation" is the theme for the 2002 National Service Week, Nov. 4-10.
This would be another great opportunity for chapters to reach out to the
fellow students and to other student and/or community organizations to
conduct service projects.
Information about National Service Week has been mailed to your chapter.
Brothers Jason Willis and Amy Masters, NSW co-chairs, are eager to be of
assistance to all chapters.
This information can also be obtained through our national Web site,
www.apo.org.
By the way, this is the 24th year that Alpha Phi Omega has conducted
this unified national service event which originally began as National
Service Day (It became a full week after the 1996 Convention).
CHAPTERS interested in taking on a special service project to benefit
at-risk youth in their community can apply for a APO Youth Service
Grant.
This program awards a grant of between $100 and $500 to a chapter who
develops a written proposal for a project to benefit at-risk youth. Last
year, A-Phi-O awarded nearly $6,000 in Youth Service Grants to 16 of the
17 chapters that applied.
Youth Service Grant applications have been sent to all chapters and is
also available from the national Web site. The deadline to apply for the
2003 Youth Service Grant program is Dec. 15, 2002.
IN LATE DECEMBER, there will be plenty of service opportunities for all
brothers to participate in at the National Convention in New Orleans,
Dec. 27-30.
While we are celebrating Brotherhood on the Bayou, there will be plenty
of service projects, leadership development workshops and fellowship. In
addition to meeting brothers from all over America and beyond, you will
also have a chance to learn more about our Fraternity.
If you have not started making plans to attend the convention, I would
encourage everyone to do so as soon as possible because Dec. 27 will
come sooner than you think.
More information is available on the national Web site and will also be
mailed to your chapter.
IN MID-MARCH, chapters are encouraged to participate in Absolutely
Incredible Kids Day, a national project coordinated by Campfire and that
APO has assisted for the past few years. This is a great way for
brothers to reach out to a youngster by simply writing a letter and
letting them know that they are great kid. More infomation will be
released about this project in the coming months ahead.
IN APRIL, the focus continues on service to youth as APO chapters will
be encouraged to participate in the National Spring Service Day in
conjunction with the National Youth Service Day weekend, April 11-13,
2003.
Chapters will be encouraged to organize and develop projects on their
campuses to benefit the youth of their community.
Brothers Voltaire Villanueva and Keith and Jenn Rielage have agreed to
co-chair this national service event.
More information will be released later this fall about the 2003
National Spring Service Day.
WHILE I have outlined many national service events for the coming
academic year, there are countless ways to be of service to your
Fraternity, College, Community and Nation. I would encourage all
chapters to work at keeping their service programs balanced as well as
fun and worthwhile for its membership.
I would also ask that chapters keep two things in mind when developing
or conducting service projects during the coming year:
1. Reach out to find ways or opportunities to include as many non-APO
members to participate in chapter service projects.
By doing this, we are constantly recruiting for future pledge classes
and building a brighter future for our chapter and our Fraternity. This
is truly Leadership, Friendship and Service in action.
2. When doing service projects, no matter how big or small the service
project may be, take photos and submit short articles to your campus
and/or community newspapers as well as to your sectional and regional
leaders and to the National Office.
Taking the time to promote our Fraternity locally helps to build local
awareness about APO to fellow students, campus administrators and
community organizations. This enhanced awareness raises APO's visibility
as THE CAMPUS SERVICE ORGANIZATION FOR ALL STUDENTS TO JOIN.
With the major national emphasis on community service and volunteerism,
the media will be looking for stories and opportunities to write about
LOCAL organizations, especially college students doing positive things
in their communities. I am urging all chapters to take full advantage
of these opportunities by promoting their chapter service programs.
Don't be shy, share all of the great things your chapter is doing to
make its part of the world a better place.
For more ideas on developing a chapter Public Relations program and tips
on working with the media, check out the Public Relations Chair handbook
in the Leadership Series which was mailed to your chapter. This document
can also be found on the national Web site, www.apo.org.
The Torch and Trefoil, APO's national magazine, is always looking for
photos and stories about chapter events and service projects. To submit
a photo or article, contact National Executive Director Bob London at
executive.director@apo.org.
AS ALWAYS, your sectional and regional leadership are ready, willing and
able to assist your chapter. Just give them a call or send an e-mail
their way as they would be glad to hear from you and about the great
projects and events you are planning for the semester. If you are not
sure how to contact your sectional chair or regional director, you can
visit the national Web site at www.apo.org and use the link to their
email address.
In addition, your regional service chairs, the National
Service/Communication Committee and myself are also ready to assist
chapters in developing their service and communication programs.
Good luck with your academic studies this semester. I am looking forward
to hearing about the great service projects your chapter will be doing
this year as well as seeing all of you in New Orleans.
Yours in Leadership, Friendship and Service,
Ed Richter
National Service/Communication
Program Director --- Alpha Phi Omega
service.director@apo.org
Alpha Phi Omega: Spreading the Spirit of Service
