rchurst's blog

Some of you may have received the following note from brother Joe Smith in the past few days. If you did, my apologies for repeating it. However, some folks may not have received it so that's why I'm posting it here. 

As many of you know, a MAJOR oil spill has taken place in the Gulf of Mexico. And our brother George Yax is at the forefront of the cleanup operations! His company, AMPOL (American Pollution Control), is hiring employees across the board to work offshore and in land-based operations during this massive undertaking.

Brother Webb K. Melder, who is mayor of Conroe, Texas, has been named chairman of the Municipal Revenue & Finance Committee for the Texas Municipal League.

The Municipal Revenue & Finance Committee formulates positions of legislation scheduled for presentation in the 2011 Texas legislature.

"The Texas Municipal League does a great job representing the cities throughout Texas and I consider it an honor to chair this prestigious committee," said brother Melder upon learning of his appointment by Frank Sturzl, Executive Director of the Texas Municipal League.

The Alpha Tau Omega fraternity's Zeta Mu chapter was named Outstanding Social Fraternity at Sam Houston State University during the annual Sammy Awards ceremony held this past Wednesday night at the Lowman Student Center. 

The Department of Student Activities presents the Sammy Awards based upon votes from the student body at Sam Houston State.

Congratulations to the undergraduate members of the Zeta Mu chapter of Alpha Tau Omega at Sam Houston State for this much-deserved recognition!

For a list of the 2010 Sammy Award recipients, go to this link: 

Brother Webb Melder is putting out the call for all brothers who have fryers and tanks of propane to please bring them to the annual ATO Hog Hunt & Reunion in Medina for the Friday Night Fryers!  As in years past, the Friday Night Fryers will be responsible for preparing the Friday evening meal on April 9 consisting of fried fish, fried chicken tenders, French fries (or Patriot fries), hush puppies and cole slaw.  Any questions, please contact brother Melder at 713-824-8764.

The following information is courtesy brother A.W. Radle who compiled this data for a Dons Social Club 50th anniversary booklet in 2005.

1 Dons became an official club on the campus of Sam Houston State Teachers College during fall semester of 1955.
2 Dons became ATOs on February 20, 1960.
3 A total of 114 young men became official members of the club during its life span.

Brother Gary Geick, who is justice of the peace in Fort Bend County Precinct 1, Place 2, suffered a seizure on Wednesday, February 24 and is currently undergoing tests at Oakbend Medical Center, according to his wife, Sue. Brother Geick had been recuperating from a stroke he suffered last fall.

Brother Geick is running for re-election and is on the GOP Primary ballot for Tuesday, March 2. His opponents are Mary S. Ward and Bob Thomas. Sue Geick said brother Geick will wait until November to decide whether he can still serve as justice of the peace if he were to be re-elected.

The Zeta Mu chapter of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity received an Honorable Mention for True Merit in 2009. An awards banquet was held on August 22, 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana during which ATO Chief Executive Office Wynn Smiley recognized the chapter's accomplishment and successes for the year.

Please join me in congratulating and extending best wishes to ATO Zeta Mu brother Scott Hagan and his wife, Lyndsey DeLange Hagan on the birth of their daughter, Katelyn, on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at 12:40 a.m.!

The Hagans also have a son, Bralyn, age 3.

Welcome Katelyn!

The past couple of weeks have been interesting ones for me because of the interaction that I've had with three Alpha Tau Omega fraternity brothers from the Zeta Mu chapter at Sam Houston State University. Two of them were roommates of mine at the ATO fraternity house on Ave. J in Huntsville, Texas. The other is one of my four 'little brothers' in the fraternity.