The Rock is Finally Home! Since we started this fraternity as LEAC we have had great traditions, a ton of wonderful memories, made brothers that have been life long friends and family, and just certain things that make our house a home. We look forward to seeing and visiting the active brothers every time we go back to SIUC and going home to our house. Over the years we have called many places home. First it was 506 South Poplar Street, then for many years it was 116 Greek Row, and now we call 408 West Freeman Street home. No matter where we go it’s always home as long as we have our brothers. To me some of the most memorable things I love to see when I go home are the paddles of all the new member classes, the plow, the original charter, the plaque given to us by the National Organization when we joined AGR, and of course the rock. When the university closed down Greek row in 2008 and were told we had to leave our home of so many years, it was devastating to us. Slowly we pulled down all the memories, and took our last pictures or the old place, and maybe took a keep sake or two. How ever when it was all said and done a part of us was left behind, our rock out front with our address on it. We all know what rock I’m talking about. For years most of us walked by it every day on our way to class, we took family pictures with our brothers around it, we gave directions to people “the house with the big rock out front!”, but in the end we had to leave the rock behind. Again another blow to us leaving Greek Row but we promised to come back for it. For years we tried, it was hard to find the right insurance to go on campus to get it, the university didn’t want us getting hurt on the property trying to move it and all sorts of other stuff. Finally one brother, Gregory Robinson pin 568 made it happen. He got in touch with the university and they agreed to load it on a trailer for us and then it was our baby, which is the way we wanted it anyway. Greg got in contact with several people trying to find help and solutions to get the job done. Finally on Friday August 21 2020 Greg and I entered Greek Row to go get our rock back! We worked hand in hand with the university and we owe them a big thank you for helping us. Once we got it on the trailer we got it over to Freeman Street and got it unloaded. We had an undersized loader and it took a few of us sitting on the back to give us enough weight to keep the back wheels on the ground! We now know that the rock officially weighs over 6500 lbs! We still aren’t sure how much it really weighs, but it’s heavy. After a lot of help from the active chapter, Greg got the rock put in place in front of our new house. I think I can speak for all Beta Alpha members in saying a huge THANK YOU to Greg Robinson for bring the rock home to us all. People involved that day were Alumni Greg Robinson, Alumni Advisor Michael Bockhold, Active members Derrick Taylor, Logan Conors, Jacob Rhodes, AJ Shaw, Daniel Walsh, Christian Hedges, Kobe Young, and Alex Adams.
Fraternally,
Michael Bockhold
Alumni Advisor
bfarm66@gmail.com
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