Service Archives - Kappa Sigma Fraternity

West Florida’s Sigma-Xi Chapter Lauded for Volunteer Efforts

Ryan Urban — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 20:25:50 +0000

The Brothers of the Sigma-Xi Chapter at the University of West Florida were lauded for recent volunteer efforts at a charitable gala.

Exemplifying The Kappa Sigma Fraternity’s ‘Service’ pillar, the Brothers had volunteered at a gala that raised nearly a quarter-million dollars for the Health and Hope Clinic, an important medical and dental free clinic in the Pensacola, Florida area.

“(The Brothers of Sigma-Xi showed) punctuality, sincerity, and dependability,” said Sally Bergosh, the Executive Director of the clinic. “This group of young men were awesome volunteers and represented professionally and in a positive light.”

Congratulations to the Health and Hope Clinic and the Brothers of the Sigma-Xi Chapter! Their dedication to Service shines as an example to all Brothers in the Order! Go Argonauts and A.E.K.∆.B., Brothers!

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A GREATER CAUSE-SERVICE TO OUR FELLOW MAN

Michael Malenic — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Probably the greatest education that a man can receive is when he provides service to his fellow man. Kappa Sigma Undergraduate Brothers, Chapters, and Colonies have provided important community service hours as volunteers in supporting communities that are in need of support and care. The examples of this support are spread throughout North America such as the Gamma Chapter at LSU and the Theta-Rho Chapter at McNeese State in Louisiana which have helped rebuild communities that have been ravaged by floods and hurricanes and the Brothers of the Beta-Nu Chapter at the University of Kentucky who raised $10,000 in three days to provide support for communities and towns that were leveled by deadly tornadoes in Western Kentucky. The Brothers of the Delta-Chi Chapter at Mississippi State University raised $220, 802 at their 23rd annual Charity Classic to support the Reclaimed Project, a non-profit that works with the International Mission Board equipping local churches to care for the needs and assistance for support in Lesotho, Africa. The list goes on and on for the many who have benefitted from the kindness from Kappa Sigma’s undergraduates who practice service above self. These Chapters and colonies are examples of Brothers extending a hand to their fellow man in time of need.

In the past four years alone, the Chapters of Kappa Sigma have totaled 2,095,684 hours of service and have raised $9,426,603.20 for philanthropies and charities through Kappa Sigma’s A Greater Cause Initiative and the Military Heroes Campaign to support the young men and women who serve in the Military and protect the freedom of people throughout the World.

The most remarkable part of all of those efforts was that many of those community service projects and funds raised for philanthropy and charity were done while the pandemic was a major issue of social distancing. The face-to-face efforts had to be replaced with virtual campaigns and service projects that were limited by local ordinances and restrictions…but the Brothers of Kappa Sigma were resilient and persevered.

The result of this spirit is that the Fraternity’s commitment and values to reach out and serve our fellow man were incredibly well served. The people who benefitted from those efforts know that they can count on Kappa Sigma in their communities.

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A Greater Cause Spotlight: Brother Justin Constantine

Ryan Urban — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 14:08:46 +0000

Brother Justin Constantine, Lt. Col, USMC (ret) (Lambda-Sigma, James Madison University, ‘90) is the epitome of Leadership and Service. In 2006, while serving in Iraq as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps, Brother Constantine was shot by a sniper and lost his left eye, parts of his jaw, teeth, and tongue. His injuries were so severe that he was mistaken for dead by other patrol members and declared dead at the time. Brother Constantine survived thanks to his own tenacity and the aid of doctors, surgeons, and physical therapists.

This struggled prompted Brother Constantine to found the Veterans Success Resource Group (VSRG), a Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign beneficiary. VSRG is a specialized 501(c)3 charity and is recognized by the GuideStar’s Gold Seal of Transparency, for its dedicated work in providing food, clothing, and other high demand items to veterans. Over the years, VSRG has amassed a database of more than 11,000 resources for veterans and their families. Kappa Sigma is proud to support our Brother and this wonderful organization through the Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign.

Despite all that Brother Constantine has had to endure, and what he has been able to accomplish for others, he is now facing another challenge. Cancer is trying to do what a sniper could not. In January 2020, Brother Constantine was diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer. With conventional treatment proving unsuccessful, Brother Constantine and his wife, Dahlia, have turned to The Block Center in Chicago, IL for help. The costly expenses of this treatment and led to a GoFundMe campaign to help provide support to Brother Constantine, who has already sold his home, and his treatment. To learn more and contribute to the GoFundMe campaign, follow THIS LINK.

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Kappa Sigma Breaks Record with $124,100 Military Heroes Month

Leo Brown — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 16:28:28 +0000

Kappa Sigma Fraternity has broken a new record by having its most successful Military Heroes Month ever, raising more than $124,100, almost twice as much as previous campaigns.

Military Heroes Month was established by Kappa Sigma to honor military veterans and active-duty service members in the United States and Canada, and the campaign coincides with observances of Veterans Day and Remembrance Day each November. Chapters of Kappa Sigma are encouraged to have events and raise both awareness and funds for the Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign. This year’s events raised $124,100 for the Military Heroes Campaign between November 1st and Giving Tuesday on November 30th.

“As a veteran myself, I am extremely proud of what the Military Heroes Campaign does to support the brave men and women, and their families, who have chosen to serve us all through their devotion to duty and personal sacrifice. Kappa Sigma is honored to be able to work with our charitable partners to give back to those who have given so much,” said Worthy Grand Treasurer Martin C. Petersen (Rho, Arizona State University, ’66). Brother Petersen is a proud veteran who served in the US Army in Vietnam, and then joined the Central Intelligence Agency where he served for over 33 years before retiring as the Agency’s Deputy Executive Director and Acting Executive Director.

The Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign was launched in 2007. Its mission then and now remains to give back to those who serve our country. The Military Heroes Campaign is primarily funded by Kappa Sigma undergraduate chapters and their alumni through their philanthropic fundraising efforts. The funds are aggregated through the national campaign so that significant donations can be made to charities verified to be 100% veteran-focused. As a result, 100% of funds generated by the Military Heroes Campaign go to support veterans. Last biennium, more than $500,000 was distributed to veterans charities through the Military Heroes Campaign.

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Veterans Day – Warriors & Quiet Waters

Leo Brown — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 18:30:00 +0000

The Kappa Sigma Fraternity has always prided itself on giving back to its surrounding community. This commitment was elevated to a new level in 2007 when the Fraternity launched its Military Heroes Campaign with a singular mission of providing ongoing care for our military veterans and their families. Our goal is to continuously pursue opportunities to assist veterans with financial and organizational support and to help them overcome the battles they fight every day.

For the past three years, the Kappa Sigma Fraternity has held Military Heroes Month in November in gratitude to those who have given their lives and service in honor of the freedoms we all enjoy. Today, as we celebrate Veterans Day, we highlight our relationship with one of the Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign’s beneficiaries: Warriors & Quiet Waters.

Warriors & Quiet Waters (WQW) is a catalyst for positive change in the lives of post-9/11 combat veterans and their loved ones. They help Warriors find peace and purpose after their military service through their programs centered around fly fishing. With over 1,128 participants WQW continues to demonstrate that their program is effective in creating a positive impact in these veterans’ lives and is in-demand.

The Kappa Sigma Fraternity has partnered with WQW for over five years. At the chapter level, our Delta-Lambda Chapter at Montana State University has hosted their annual Sushi for Soldiers fundraising event for WQW. And, at the international level, the Kappa Sigma Fraternity has donated over $79,000 to WQW in support of their programs. Brother Philip Burns (Beta-Mu, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, ’04), the District Grand Master for Minnesota and North Dakota has this to say:

“Working with WQW has been a blast over the past few years. Being able to see the impact that our chapters can have on our Military Heroes Campaign Beneficiaries is incredible. Each year these guys continue to raise the bar on their Sushi for Soldiers event and their relationship with the WQW organization. We are lucky to have such a strong partnership. I can’t wait to see what we are able to achieve next at the Nationwide level.”

Our philanthropic and community service efforts are led by A Greater Cause Commissioner, Brother R. Julian Gallo, (Rho-Omega, Stevens Institute of Technology, ’12). On Military Heroes Month, Brother Gallo has this to say to our undergraduate and alumni Brothers:

“Thank you, Brothers, for continuing to support our great Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign beneficiaries. I am so proud to be a part of this Fraternity. Not only today, Veteran’s Day, but every day, I ask that you share your gratitude and reflect on the sacrifices made by our Veterans. We are blessed to be able to live freely due to their service.”

Check out our Military Heroes Month Kick-Off call with Warriors & Quiet Waters, here.

The Military Heroes Campaign is currently working with the following 8 Beneficiaries:

SEAL Legacy Foundation
Veterans Moving Forward
Warriors & Quiet Waters Foundation
Homes For Our Troops
The Catch A Lift Fund
Minority Veterans of America
True Love Patriot

Over the past year as an international fraternity, we have donated over $240,000 to these outstanding groups. Learn more about the Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign at www.MilitaryHeroesCampaign.org.

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Delta-Mu Brings Support to Veterans Through Annual Concert in the Park

Ryan Urban — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 18:53:13 +0000

The Delta-Mu Chapter at the University of North Dakota (UND) has raised over $21,000 for the Military Heroes Campaign in 2021, with over $8,600 being raised through its annual Concert in the Park event. The Concert in the Park event was conceptualized in 2018 and has run annually for every year, except in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s concert was held on August 27th and featured two bands, Silver Warehouse and Mud Dogs.

Funds were raised through corporate sponsorship(s) and admission fees, as well as, proceeds from a car raffle last spring. Delta-Mu made a $21,050 charitable donation to the Military Heroes Campaign, taking the number one slot in fraternities at UND for philanthropic donations.

Teamwork was the name of the game, as more than 75 Brothers volunteered to staff the event, led by the chapter’s A Greater Cause chairman, Riley Sondrol, and the chapter’s housing corporation president, Jeffrey Frane.

Since 2007, the Military Heroes Campaign has raised over $2 million to assist veterans.

Click here to read the full article.

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Kappa Sigma Fraternity Donates $240,000 to Veterans Charities

Leo Brown — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 09:55:00 +0000

Kappa Sigma Fraternity announced today that the 2021 results of its Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign resulted in more than $240,000 in donations to veterans charities in the United States and Canada.

Kappa Sigma Fraternity’s international board of directors and the Kappa Sigma Endowment Fund recently announced the following direct donations from the Military Heroes Campaign to partner organizations:

$65,000 to the SEAL Legacy Foundation. Founded in 2011, SEAL Legacy Foundation is dedicated to providing support to families of wounded and fallen United States Navy SEALs. This active group offers support through educational assistance for SEALs and their families and other charitable causes benefitting the SEAL Community. SEAL Legacy Foundation is based in Austin, TX. seallegacy.org
$35,000 to Homes for Our Troops. Homes for Our Troops builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 veterans to enable them to rebuild their lives. Most of these veterans have sustained injuries including limb amputations, paralysis, and severe traumatic brain injury. Homes for Our Troops is based in Taunton, MA. hfotusa.org
$30,000 to Veterans Moving Forward. Veterans Moving Forward provides service dogs and canine therapy services to veterans with physical and mental health challenges. Veterans Moving Forward is based in Dulles, VA. vetsfwd.org
$30,000 to Veteran Success Resource Group. The Veteran Success Resource Group is dedicated to providing professional and personal resources to veterans and their families. They do this by organizing various expos that provide a range of resources from educational institutions, businesses, corporate hiring partners, and other organizations. Veteran Success Resource Group is based in Virginia. bourbiz.com
$24,000 to Warriors and Quiet Waters Foundation. Through the experience of fly fishing in Montana, Warriors & Quiet Waters is a catalyst for positive change in the lives of post-9/11 combat veterans by helping successful reintegration into society post-trauma. Warriors and Quiet Waters Foundation is based in Bozeman, MT. www.warriorsandquietwaters.org
$20,000 to the Catch a Lift Fund. The Catch A Lift Fund enables post 9/11 combat wounded veterans all over the U.S. to recover and rehabilitate both physically and mentally through physical fitness, motivation, and support. The Catch a Lift Fund is based in Timonium, MD. catchaliftfund.org
$10,000 to Minority Veterans of America. Minority Veterans of America (MinorityVets) is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization designed to create belonging and advance equity for underrepresented veterans. MinorityVets aims to transform the narrative of the American veteran by building an interconnected community, fostering greater understanding of their memberships’ identities, and serving minority veterans through the development of targeted programming and advocacy. MinorityVets is based in Seattle, WA. with chapters in Richmond, VA., and Atlanta, GA. minorityvets.org

In addition to these listed beneficiaries in the United States, Kappa Sigma Chapters in Canada are encouraged to donate funds raised for the Military Heroes Campaign directly to True Patriot Love, the Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign’s official Canadian beneficiary. True Patriot Love is a national charity that supports military families, funds community-based programs, and contributes to the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research. True Patriot Love is based in Toronto. www.truepatriotlove.com

Including direct donations from Kappa Sigma undergraduate chapters, the Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign raised $241,329 for veterans charities in the United States and Canada during the 2020-2021 academic year.

The Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign was launched in 2007. It’s mission then and now remains to give back to those who serve our country. The Military Heroes Campaign is primarily funded by Kappa Sigma undergraduate chapters and their alumni through their philanthropic fundraising efforts. The funds are aggregated through the national campaign so that significant donations can be made to charities verified to be 100% veteran-focused. As a result, 100% of funds generated by the Military Heroes Campaign go to support veterans.

Anyone who wishes to donate to the Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign can make donations online at www.MilitaryHeroesCampaign.org.

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Biennium Recap: Military Heroes Campaign Highlights A Greater Cause Success

Leo Brown — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 13:28:14 +0000

The world needed the generosity of Kappa Sigma undergraduates more than ever this biennium, and our Brothers and Pledges delivered like no other when it came to philanthropy and community service under the A Greater Cause program.

Over the course of the 2019-2021 Biennium, Kappa Sigma undergraduate chapters and colonies raised $3,764,755 in philanthropic donations to charitable causes. Our Brothers and Pledges were just as notably generous with their time, giving 527,862 hours in community service.

A number of A Greater Cause highlights were attributable to our Kappa Sigma Military Heroes campaign, which provides significant donations to charities verified to be 100% veteran-focused. Including direct donations from chapters, the Military Heroes Campaign raised $561,850 for veterans charities. Kappa Sigma named November as Military Heroes Month for the first time in 2019, and the effort helped spur two successful fall fundraising periods in 2019 and 2020.

Three new beneficiaries were added to the Military Heroes Campaign this biennium:

The Catch A Lift Fund enables post 9/11 combat wounded veterans all over the U.S. to recover and rehabilitate both physically and mentally through physical fitness, motivation, and support.

MinorityVets performs case work to help minority and underrepresented veterans in need access social services and increase financial stability. This worthy charity was added upon the recommendation of the Brotherhood is Inclusive Task Force.

True Patriot Love has been chosen as the Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign’s first-ever official Canadian beneficiary. True Patriot Love is a national charity that supports military families, funds community-based programs, and contributes to the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research.

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SEAL Legacy Foundation Recognizes Kappa Sigma Fraternity for $500,000 in Donations

Ted Sherwood — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 12:46:15 +0000

(DALLAS)—During its Tenth Annual Benefit and Gala, SEAL Legacy Foundation recognized Kappa Sigma Fraternity for surpassing $500,000 in lifetime donations to the charity. Kappa Sigma recently donated $100,000 in June as part of its Military Heroes Campaign.

“What’s special about the Kappa Sigmas is just this: they give me hope for a brighter future,” said retired Navy SEAL Commander Mark N. McGinnis, Founder and Managing Director of the SEAL Legacy Foundation, during his gala remarks. “These young men have the Military Heroes Campaign, where each chapter is charged with raising funds and committing so many service hours towards military-centric foundations. We’ve partnered with the Kappa Sigma Fraternity for the last five years, and young men, just like you see in the back corner right now, in just five years, have donated over half a million dollars to the SEAL Legacy Foundation.”

Founded in 2011, SEAL Legacy Foundation is dedicated to providing support to families of wounded and fallen United States Navy SEALs. This active group offers support through educational assistance for SEALS and their families and other charitable causes benefitting the SEAL Community. SEAL Legacy Foundation is based in Austin, Texas. More information on SEAL Legacy Foundation is available at www.seallegacy.org.

Including direct donations from Kappa Sigma undergraduate chapters, the Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign raised $320,347 for veterans charities in the United States and Canada during the 2019-2020 academic year.

Anyone who wishes to donate to the Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign can make donations online at www.MilitaryHeroesCampaign.org.

Video of Commander McGinnis’ gala remarks is available HERE.

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Event Ideas For Military Heroes Month

Ted Sherwood — Fri, 13 Nov 2020 21:43:19 +0000

Thanks go out to all our undergraduates and chapters that support the Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign, especially during Military Heroes Month in November!

It is not hard to be inspired by the great achievements of our veterans, which were highlighted all across social media on Veterans Day in the United States and on Remembrance Day in Canada.

It is not too late to plan an event to participate in the Military Heroes Month Competition! If you need an idea, or a refresher on the competition, please check out the information below:

Ideas for Events:

Coffland Hero Challenge (As discussed on Military Heroes Month kick-off call. Wanna start a challenge? Email here.)
Host a Virtual 5k (Have questions how? Ask your fellow Brothers from the Rho-Omega chapter for pointers)
Host a Virtual Gala

Military Heroes Month Competiton Overview: Military Heroes Month Competiton Overview:

The competition will start on October 28th and run for the entire month of November. Points will be awarded to chapters and colonies based on achievements in three categories: Social Media, Dollars per Man, and Hours per Man.

Social Media (Most Viewed Video) – Post a video of your chapter doing a Military Heroes event on Twitter and Instagram. To receive points and recognition for your post, you must use the hashtag #KSMilitaryHeroesMonth and your video must be new (i.e. it can’t be a repost from a previous semester).
Dollars Per Man – All dollars donated to the Military Heroes Campaign in November divided by the number of brothers and pledges in good standing as of October 28, 2020.
Hours Per Man – All hours reported in the A Greater Cause Database in KappaSig.net for events taking place and reported from Oct 28th to Nov 30th. The total number of hours reported will be divided by the number of brothers and pledges in good standing as of October 28, 2020.

At the conclusion of the competition, points will be awarded to the top 10 chapters and colonies in each of the three categories with the first place chapter/colony receiving 25 points and the 10th place chapter/colony receiving 1 point.

In addition to awarding points for the top 10 chapters and colonies in each category, a set of bonus points can be earned:

Chapter Military Heroes Donation exceeds $1500 – 5 pts
Giving Tuesday (December 1st) Chapter Donation – 5 pts
Mid-Term Pledge Class of 10+ men – 15 pts

An example for scoring, if your chapter places 2nd in views on Instagram, 3rd in views on Twitter, 1st for Hours per Man, and 4th for Dollars per Man, you would earn a total of 70 points. If your chapter additionally makes a donation on Giving Tuesday and pledges a mid-term class of 13 men, your point total would increase to 90 points!

At the end of the competition, the top five chapters and/or colonies will receive:

First Place: 4 Extra Leadership Conference Registrations, 2 Hotel Room, and a 4’ x 10’ Military Heroes Campaign Banner
Second Place: 4 Extra Leadership Conference Registrations, 1 Hotel Room, and a 4’ x 10’ Military Heroes Campaign Banner
Third Place: 2 Extra Leadership Conference Registrations and a 4’ x 10’ Custom Military Heroes Banner w/ School and Event name
Fourth Place: 1 Extra Leadership Conference Registration and a 2.5’ x 6’ Custom Military Heroes Banner w/ School Name
Fifth Place: 2.5’ x 6’ Military Heroes Campaign Banner w/ School Name

Let us not rest contentedly this month as we work together to support and recognize the military heroes on campus, in our communities, and across North America. Best of luck Brothers and remember, that whatever you do, do well, and may success attend your efforts!

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