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brothers - HONORARIES
Honorary status in Alpha Phi Omega is bestowed upon individuals who have contributed significantly to the ideals and purposes of Alpha Phi Omega, but are not eligible for active membership in the fraternity. All honorary members of Zeta Beta have all the rights and privileges of active membership except for voting and holding office. Honoraries of Zeta Beta range from past advisors, to model members of the community and campus, to national figures.
At the chartering of Zeta Beta in 1948, three Honoraries were chosen by the chapter. These three distinguished members of the Virginia Tech Campus were Dr. Walter Newman, Jr., Joe Gutheridge, and Mr. Paul N. Derring. In 1965 General M.W. Shewe was named an Honorary of the Zeta Beta chapter, followed by Rhodes B. Holliman and William H. Lane in 1971, Rev. Al Payne in 1979 and Mr. Al Crawford in the Fall of 1981.
Mr. Jim Teklinski became an Honorary in Fall 1983, only to announce the night of initiation that he had been transferred to Northern Virginia. He had been very helpful in acquiring materials for Woodcutting.
In July 1985, Mr. Patrick Burke became the new National Executive Director. At the Regional Conference held at Wake Forest (Kappa Theta) in November 1985, Mike Scanlon, Zeta Beta President, realized that Mr. Burke had never been inducted as a member of Alpha Phi Omega. After a quick vote, Zeta Beta presented Mr. Burke with a membership pin, declaring that he was an Honorary member of Zeta Beta and now a member of Alpha Phi Omega.
Ms. Valerie Ostroth became an Honorary member in Spring 1986. Mr. Glen Ng, former roommate of Daniel Montague, worked extensively with the chapter during the 1987-88 school year and was recognized as an Honorary in the Spring.
Ms. Mary Leahy came to visit her brother Michael Leahy during the summer of 1989 and met the brothers of the chapter by working at every project held that summer. She moved to Blacksburg in the fall and continued to work at all the projects before finding a job at a local preschool. Although not allowed to pledge, she met all the pledges and as many brothers as possible. According to Brother Rich Edinger, "she is more of a brother than many active brothers." In February 1990, the chapter made Mary an Honorary Brother and gave her a pledge book so that she could interview brothers.
At the urging of Brother Hans Bernhardt, the chapter named Mrs. Blanche Shon of Elmira, NY an Honorary in December 1990. According to Hans, since 1961 Mrs. Shon "has played the role of Mrs. Santa Claus and visited over 60,000 children, elderly and sick people at nursing homes, retirement homes, and hospitals throughout Chemung County, NY," giving small gifts to everyone, mostly at her own expense. The 1990 National Convention awarded Mrs. Shon a National Certificate of Appreciation. Zeta Beta named Mrs. Shon the Spring 2000 pledge class namesake.
In Fall 1992, Dr. Richard Goff resigned as an Advisor and was immediately named an Honorary by the chapter.
Again following the suggestion of Brother Hans Bernhardt, the chapter bestowed Honorary status on Mrs. Dorothy Wiss in 1994. Dorothy was instrumental in starting programs for international students and helped found the Cranwell International Center on campus. Along with her husband Henry, they have also provided room and board for many needy students over the past few decades.
In the Spring of 1998, two new honoraries were inducted into the chapter, Mrs. Wilson-Nicely and Mrs. Haney.
At the chartering of Zeta Beta in 1948, three Honoraries were chosen by the chapter. These three distinguished members of the Virginia Tech Campus were Dr. Walter Newman, Jr., Joe Gutheridge, and Mr. Paul N. Derring. In 1965 General M.W. Shewe was named an Honorary of the Zeta Beta chapter, followed by Rhodes B. Holliman and William H. Lane in 1971, Rev. Al Payne in 1979 and Mr. Al Crawford in the Fall of 1981.
Mr. Jim Teklinski became an Honorary in Fall 1983, only to announce the night of initiation that he had been transferred to Northern Virginia. He had been very helpful in acquiring materials for Woodcutting.
In July 1985, Mr. Patrick Burke became the new National Executive Director. At the Regional Conference held at Wake Forest (Kappa Theta) in November 1985, Mike Scanlon, Zeta Beta President, realized that Mr. Burke had never been inducted as a member of Alpha Phi Omega. After a quick vote, Zeta Beta presented Mr. Burke with a membership pin, declaring that he was an Honorary member of Zeta Beta and now a member of Alpha Phi Omega.
Ms. Valerie Ostroth became an Honorary member in Spring 1986. Mr. Glen Ng, former roommate of Daniel Montague, worked extensively with the chapter during the 1987-88 school year and was recognized as an Honorary in the Spring.
Ms. Mary Leahy came to visit her brother Michael Leahy during the summer of 1989 and met the brothers of the chapter by working at every project held that summer. She moved to Blacksburg in the fall and continued to work at all the projects before finding a job at a local preschool. Although not allowed to pledge, she met all the pledges and as many brothers as possible. According to Brother Rich Edinger, "she is more of a brother than many active brothers." In February 1990, the chapter made Mary an Honorary Brother and gave her a pledge book so that she could interview brothers.
At the urging of Brother Hans Bernhardt, the chapter named Mrs. Blanche Shon of Elmira, NY an Honorary in December 1990. According to Hans, since 1961 Mrs. Shon "has played the role of Mrs. Santa Claus and visited over 60,000 children, elderly and sick people at nursing homes, retirement homes, and hospitals throughout Chemung County, NY," giving small gifts to everyone, mostly at her own expense. The 1990 National Convention awarded Mrs. Shon a National Certificate of Appreciation. Zeta Beta named Mrs. Shon the Spring 2000 pledge class namesake.
In Fall 1992, Dr. Richard Goff resigned as an Advisor and was immediately named an Honorary by the chapter.
Again following the suggestion of Brother Hans Bernhardt, the chapter bestowed Honorary status on Mrs. Dorothy Wiss in 1994. Dorothy was instrumental in starting programs for international students and helped found the Cranwell International Center on campus. Along with her husband Henry, they have also provided room and board for many needy students over the past few decades.
In the Spring of 1998, two new honoraries were inducted into the chapter, Mrs. Wilson-Nicely and Mrs. Haney.