In conjunction with the National Youth Service Day, Sigma Alpha Epsilon hosts each year the True Gentleman Day of Service. We identify a weekend in April when our members can plan service and philanthropy events that support any organization or good cause. In the weeks leading up to the event, we ask participating groups to complete commitment forms so we can track their projects and volunteer efforts. We’ve picked some of our favorites from this year’s projects to share with you in this edition of The Record. For more information about National Youth Service Day, visit www.ysa.org/nysd. And to stay informed about next year’s True Gentleman Day of Service, visit www.sae.net/tgdos.

Texas Tau: Ramp Project

Texas Tau members volunteered their time to help a local woman in need. Through the Texas Ramp Project, the brothers built a wheelchair ramp at her home. They demolished the existing stairs to make room for the ramp, giving her complete access so getting in and out of the house would be easier for her. The Brazos County Chapter of the Texas Ramp Project aims to help those in need each weekend.

Virginia Kappa: Easter-Egg Hunt

For their True Gentleman Day of Service experience, the brothers of Virginia Kappa partnered with the women of Gamma Phi Beta to host an Easter-egg hunt for the Williamsburg community. Both chapters expressed interest in planning and hosting a community event, so they combined their efforts. The men spent several fun-filled hours playing with the children and interacting with members of the community, including faculty members, who live in the local community. As a colony, this was one of the first, large-scale events the group planned.

Nebraska Iota: Kicks for a Cure

The men of Nebraska Iota volunteered their time at an event called Kicks for the Cure, an annual weekend-long soccer tournament. The event’s goal is to raise money and awareness for cancer education and prevention, and it benefits Liz’s Legacy, a local charitable program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. When a brother’s family members came to him asking for volunteers, the chapter decided to help out. Chapter members said they enjoyed their volunteerism and hope to make Kicks for a Cure an all-SAE event in the future. We recognize the good efforts and hard work of our chapters and colonies during the 2011 True Gentleman Day of Service, and with more than 240 chapters and colonies across the country, we’ve collected a smattering of what they accomplished. These groups helped to make a different in their communities and show us what being a true gentleman and a true fraternity man should embody. The total number of hours they spent cleaning, constructing and caring were supported through many letters of praise and thanks we received at the Fraternity Service Center.