Capital Campaign and Construction Update +$50,000 Matching Offer
This is it, gentlemen. The final countdown.
As most of you hopefully saw in the Summer Delta Dispatch, the Capital Campaign has been extraordinarily successful over the last year. We finished the 2020-2021 fiscal year with $132,900 collected from 127 donors – our highest level of donor participation since we launched this campaign in 2016. The 2021-2022 fiscal year is already off to a great start, with over $55,000 in donations received since June 1. That gives us:
- $545,000 of cash in the bank
- $65,000 of unfunded pledges
- And $90,000 left to reach our $700,00 goal
For help with the final push, we are excited to announce a $50,000 matching offer from a very generous 1950s alumnus! This dollar-for-dollar match will stay open through January 31. If we unlock the full match, we’ll hit our $700,000 goal. So, whether you’re a long-time donor or a first-time donor, please consider this matching offer!
On the construction front, we are proceeding full steam ahead with a May 2022 launch. Today, we are in the process of firming up bids with subcontractors and selecting materials and finishes throughout the house. The total cost is coming out to roughly $2,000,000. This is higher than we originally estimated, largely due to cost inflation of building materials since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. But with a strong finish to the Capital Campaign, it is still within our budget.
As a reminder, we are planning a groundbreaking party in May 2022 to give our “Temple of Friendship” a proper send-off. This party is invitation only, and to get an invite you must be a Capital Campaign donor. The donation tiers start at $75 and go up from there, so we encourage you to pick a level that’s right for you. Whether it’s $75, $125, $250, $500, or higher, just get your name on the roll and don’t be a zero!
It’s also not too late to make a “$5k in 5 years” pledge and get your picture on the Rebuilders’ Society composite. If you are willing to make a pledge and start funding it now – perhaps through monthly recurring donations of $83.34 – that’s enough to get your picture on the wall.
To set up a one-time or recurring donation online, please visit the ATΩ Donation Page. To donate by check, make the check out to ATΩ Capital Fund and address it to:
UVA Fund
c/o Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity
P.O. Box 400314
Charlottesville, VA 22904
For any questions about the Capital Campaign or the construction plans, please email John Sweeney.
The fall this year brought back UVA football fans to Scott Stadium and Charlottesville, including some of our brothers from the 60s classes. The 60s reunion this year had the brothers storming around Charlottesville from Main St., to the Lawn, to the ATΩ house, to Scott Stadium. The weekend was kicked off on Thursday by a small group having a welcome dinner on Main St. The weekend continued on Friday with the brotherhood dinner hosted at the historic Colonnade Club on the lawn.
The dinner hosted over 40 brothers and guests as well as seven active brothers. As dessert was served our current Worthy Master, Garrett Mcquain, welcomed the group and each active brother introduced themselves. The night continued with multiple brothers speaking in memory of two recently passed brothers Leigh Middleditch and Jack Horn, who were both influential in the brotherhood and in the Charlottesville community. The night was closed out with an update on the Capital Campaign and a classic 60s story from Tom Wood. You will have to ask him about it if you want to hear more!
After one final drink in the front parlor of the Colonnade Club all headed to 125 Chancellor for the traditional ATO Bash. 60s music was played and brothers from all ages bonded. The weekend came to a close with the UVA vs Georgia Tech football game. The Hoos held off a comeback and pulled out a win on a brisk fall night, 48-40. Many thanks to Bob Harell who planned the majority of the weekend.
Calling all Taus, save the date for the Groundbreaking Ceremony to kick off the long awaited renovation and redevelopment of 125 Chancellor Street! This project has been in the making for five years, and if you’d like to be there to celebrate the commencement of construction, then start making plans to head to Charlottesville for the weekend of May 28, 2022.
We will soon be sending out RSVP information for the weekend, however this party is invitation only, for Capital Campaign donors. Please see the “Capital Campaign and Construction Update” section for information on how to donate, and to find which donation tier is right for you.
A note from Worthy Master, Garrett McQuain ʼ21
Greetings Alumni,
This past semester has been a fantastic one for the Delta Chapter of Alpha Tau Omega. The busy fall semester challenged the brotherhood to balance Recruitment, Social, Brotherhood, and Academics, and I’m proud to say that we navigated our first semester back from Covid-19 as effectively as we always have.
At the Alpha Tau Omega National Awards Convention this August, the fraternity was honored to receive both the Upper Alpha Award, as well as a true merit honorable mention. Additionally, ATΩ was ranked fifth in academics out of the entire UVA Greek Community with an average GPA of 3.77.
We are very excited to continue a 153-year-old tradition of excellence within the Delta chapter, and are looking forward to keystone events in the spring of 2022 such as Rush, Taus For Paws, and Foxfield. Although it will be bittersweet for our graduating Beta Alpha pledge class, we are so excited to break ground on the new house that is coming as a result of our Capital Campaign this May. This renovation will mark the beginning of a new chapter in the already strong history of our Fraternity, and we look forward to seeing our brothers, current and future, use this house for years to come.
Sincerely,
Garrett McQuain
Worthy Master (ʼ21)
A note from the Board of Trustees Chairman, Mike Bray ʼ10
As we approach the exciting completion of our Capital Campaign and begin the renovation and expansion of our home at 125 Chancellor Street to strengthen our physical presence on Grounds, so too must we strengthen our organization. The Board of Trustees (BOT) and the Housing Corporation (HC) offer fantastic opportunities to give back to the Chapter that has given each of us so much, and we are looking to expand our ranks.
The BOT coordinates the ongoing success of the Delta Chapter by advising the active brothers (primarily the Executive Board and Committee Chairmen), promoting alumni engagement, and both setting and achieving strategic long-term objectives to strengthen stability and ensure longevity. In recent years, this has mostly consisted of the Capital Campaign, Renovation Plans, Delta Dispatch, and reunions, and, in the future, will be extended to improving our internal processes, increasing alumni engagement, and ensuring upkeep and maintenance of the renovated house. The BOT asks for a minimum two-year commitment, and you may join as a Member at Large, without any specific responsibilities, donating time and energy in any area where you’d like to be involved. While having a portion of the BOT local to Charlottesville has proven beneficial, living in Charlottesville is not a requirement to join the BOT.
The HC’s primary focus is the financial and physical wellbeing of the House. The HC manages the house’s mortgage, tax designation, insurance, safety inspections, and larger maintenance projects. The HC is a smaller group, consisting of a President, Treasurer, and Scribe, who work together to manage the aforementioned operations.
If you are interested in learning more or joining the BOT or the HC, please reach out to BOT Chairman Mike Bray at mab6bf@virginia.edu.