traditions - Homecoming Festivities
Zeta Beta has participated enthusiastically in the festivities during Homecoming weekend for 45 of our 50 years. The traditional activities have included sponsoring homecoming queen and attendant candidates, building floats, marshaling the homecoming parade, releasing balloons at the beginning of the football game, and throwing tailgate and post-game parties with alumni.
In fall 1990 the Homecoming Chairs began involvement in a new project, which later became Game Day. Game Day was done in conjunction with the VT Athletic Department. The Athletic Department planned to have a different special group come to each home football game and needed volunteers to help out. Several brothers went and chaperoned these groups at tailgates before the game, and watched the game with them. Some of the groups involved were the blind, and individuals confined to wheelchairs; people who normally wouldn't be able to attend such an event. In 1992 Game Day became a chair separate from Homecoming.
Homecoming Activities
1953 Registration
1954 Zeta Beta float finished second place
1957 Alumni registration and guide service
1966 Miss Chris Miller, sponsored by Zeta Beta, was elected to the Homecoming court.
1969 Both candidate for queen, Miss Donna Roe, and candidate for attendant, Miss Linda Otey, sponsored by
Zeta Beta, were Selected to the Homecoming Court.
1970 Candidates for Homecoming were Miss Jane Wilson for queen, and Miss Merry Strawser for attendant.
1971 Zeta Beta sponsored Miss Kathy McIntosh, and Miss Debra Mullins for Homecoming Court.
1972 Zeta Beta sponsored Miss Corinne Savage for Queen, and Miss Connie Davis for attendant.
Both were elected to Queen's Court.
1982 The Zeta Beta float won second place. Miss Kristen Saacke was sponsored by ZB for Queen Candidate, and
was chosen as one the five finalists.
1983 Miss Kristen Saacke was again sponsored by Zeta Beta. This year she was crowned Homecoming Queen.
Entered a float in the parade.
1984 Entered a float, marshaled the parade, released balloons at kickoff
1985 Zeta Beta's Queen candidate Miss Lisa Bennett was chosen as one of the top 10 finalists, released
balloons and entered a float.
1986 Miss Debbie Masten was sponsored by Zeta Beta, and was chosen as one of the top 10 finalists.
Released balloons at kickoff, marshaled the parade, and operated a button-making booth.
1987 ZB built an Ugly-Man-On-Campus float for the Homecoming Parade, released balloons, and marshaled the parade.
1989 Released balloons as players came through the tunnel. Parade was canceled due to Hurricane Hugo.
1990 Began participating in Gameday, a tailgate for disadvantaged children during homecoming.
1994 Entered a float for the Homecoming parade.
1997 Entered a float for the Homecoming parade under a committee headed by Jim Barnes.
Homecoming Chairs
1980-81 Mike Feldman
1981-82 Andy Blunt, Steve Scearce
1982-83 Lauren Waagbo
1983-84 Gary Irwin
1984-85 Michael Leahy, Carl Caron
1985-86 Carl Caron
1986-87 Carolyn Leahy
1987-88 Vincent Van Son
1988-89 Mike Turner
1989-90 Judi Hudek
1990-91 Chris Heckler, Mark Resnik
1991-92 James Webster, Jen Rackley
1992-93 Karen Mezger
1994-95 Patricia Monge
1995-96 Karen Kyle
1996-97 Heather Lifsey
Game Day Chairs
1992-93 Karen Mezger
1993-94 Amy Plummer
1994-95 Karen Kyle
1995-96 Heather Lifsey
1996-97 Chris George
In fall 1990 the Homecoming Chairs began involvement in a new project, which later became Game Day. Game Day was done in conjunction with the VT Athletic Department. The Athletic Department planned to have a different special group come to each home football game and needed volunteers to help out. Several brothers went and chaperoned these groups at tailgates before the game, and watched the game with them. Some of the groups involved were the blind, and individuals confined to wheelchairs; people who normally wouldn't be able to attend such an event. In 1992 Game Day became a chair separate from Homecoming.
Homecoming Activities
1953 Registration
1954 Zeta Beta float finished second place
1957 Alumni registration and guide service
1966 Miss Chris Miller, sponsored by Zeta Beta, was elected to the Homecoming court.
1969 Both candidate for queen, Miss Donna Roe, and candidate for attendant, Miss Linda Otey, sponsored by
Zeta Beta, were Selected to the Homecoming Court.
1970 Candidates for Homecoming were Miss Jane Wilson for queen, and Miss Merry Strawser for attendant.
1971 Zeta Beta sponsored Miss Kathy McIntosh, and Miss Debra Mullins for Homecoming Court.
1972 Zeta Beta sponsored Miss Corinne Savage for Queen, and Miss Connie Davis for attendant.
Both were elected to Queen's Court.
1982 The Zeta Beta float won second place. Miss Kristen Saacke was sponsored by ZB for Queen Candidate, and
was chosen as one the five finalists.
1983 Miss Kristen Saacke was again sponsored by Zeta Beta. This year she was crowned Homecoming Queen.
Entered a float in the parade.
1984 Entered a float, marshaled the parade, released balloons at kickoff
1985 Zeta Beta's Queen candidate Miss Lisa Bennett was chosen as one of the top 10 finalists, released
balloons and entered a float.
1986 Miss Debbie Masten was sponsored by Zeta Beta, and was chosen as one of the top 10 finalists.
Released balloons at kickoff, marshaled the parade, and operated a button-making booth.
1987 ZB built an Ugly-Man-On-Campus float for the Homecoming Parade, released balloons, and marshaled the parade.
1989 Released balloons as players came through the tunnel. Parade was canceled due to Hurricane Hugo.
1990 Began participating in Gameday, a tailgate for disadvantaged children during homecoming.
1994 Entered a float for the Homecoming parade.
1997 Entered a float for the Homecoming parade under a committee headed by Jim Barnes.
Homecoming Chairs
1980-81 Mike Feldman
1981-82 Andy Blunt, Steve Scearce
1982-83 Lauren Waagbo
1983-84 Gary Irwin
1984-85 Michael Leahy, Carl Caron
1985-86 Carl Caron
1986-87 Carolyn Leahy
1987-88 Vincent Van Son
1988-89 Mike Turner
1989-90 Judi Hudek
1990-91 Chris Heckler, Mark Resnik
1991-92 James Webster, Jen Rackley
1992-93 Karen Mezger
1994-95 Patricia Monge
1995-96 Karen Kyle
1996-97 Heather Lifsey
Game Day Chairs
1992-93 Karen Mezger
1993-94 Amy Plummer
1994-95 Karen Kyle
1995-96 Heather Lifsey
1996-97 Chris George