2023 Big Bash, Camp Rotary

 

June 1-3, 2023

Wabash Delt Alumni and Actives are clearly the most widely seen fraternity brothers on campus.  Our visibility has been increasing ever since the re-establishment of the chapter in 2015.  The actives immediately made known their presence by demonstrating their campus leadership as scholars, athletes and sheer size of membership.  Several Key Alumni worked behind the scenes to enable the re-colonizing of the chapter, notably Chuck Candiano, Mike Shaver and Richard Sword, all Brooks-Seymour Award Recipients.

At this year's Big Bash, most of the Delts were from "out-of-cycle" years.  Even so, we were one of the largest contingents celebrating the Big Bash.  Our visibility was so grand that we had a college officer and unnamed others adopting our "uniform" of the new Hawaiian-style Wabash shirt.

The early crew and committee arrived early to
set up Camp Rotary and took an evening off to
enjoy a great baseball game with the Indy Indians.
Steve Wakefield, Larry Norris, Ralph Dixon,
Brad Ballentine, Randy Allen, Allen Murphy,
Craig Schroer with Julie.

Steve, Murph, Larry, Ralph, Brad, Julie, Craig

Kicking off the Big Bash weekend at Wally's! 
Included Peter Toll, Delt, Class of 1963, and
Bill Maxwell, honorary Wabash Delt
(great friend of Randy Allen and builder of the Wabash corn hole boards). 
Brad, Randy, Greg Fuchs, Peter, Bill, John Murphy,
Craig, Dan Walters (603 Big Bash Chair), Murph

Dan, Brad

Greg, Randy, Murph, Bill

At registration on Friday morning the Alumni Delts
met several active Delts from the Class of 2026,
exactly 50 years after this author's Class.

Alumni Brad greets a student Delt.

Craig, Dan

Dan, Brad, John M., Randy, Craig, Murph, Greg

Randy, Craig

Dan, Murph, Craig, Randy, John, Brad, Greg

An alumni contingent enjoyed a tour and tasting at the
Old 55 Distillery just northwest of C'ville.
Craig, Randy, Murph, Dan, Greg, Brad, Ralph, Paul Braun,
Mib Braun, John Clark, John M.

Happy hour at the Backstep Brewery in C'ville.
We met Kendra Clark, CFO of Wabash College,
here and she quickly became a fan of all guys
Delt.  Check the photos of Saturday's events,
as she sports a Wabash Hawaiian shirt, just like the Delts!
Murph, John C., Randy, Brad, Greg, Steve,
Ralph, Dan, Craig, John M.

Dinner was at the Mexican restaurant, El Charro,
in C'ville.  As it was also John Murphy's
birthday weekend, the restaurant celebrated
with a free dessert and sombrero while
Greg planted a big smooch! 

The student Delts joined the Alumni at Camp Rotary for 
corn hole and story-swapping around the campfire.

One of the college events was
a bicycle ride through C'ville
and around the county roads.

The first stop along the bike ride was to find the location of
the first Wabash College building which was
located a few blocks from the present campus. 
The building was later moved to the current site. 

Second stop on the bike tour was a visit to the grave of
Ralph Lee Wilson, who died from an injury at a
Wabash game in 1910.  His last words when he awoke
before succumbing in the hospital were,
"Did Wabash Win?"  Those words are now
inscribed at the new Wabash Little Giant Stadium.

The Delts were represented on the ride by Murph, 
in the scarlet "DELT" t-shirt.

This group of Delt alums establish the
new Hawaiian shirt as a Delt uniform!

The Delt actives join the alumni.

At the college luncheon on Saturday.
Brad, Rick Batchelder, Mike Shaver, Gumby's '73 classmate,
Randy, Craig, Kendra Clark (note her attire!)

Pam and Harvey Vandenburg, Sandy and Mark Stuaan,
Murph, Mib and Paul Braun.

Patrick Murphy, John's son.

Delt actives joined alumni Dan, Steve, John C.

At the Chemistry Reception, Murph and Dan chat with
Jojo, Wabash Class of 2024 and star football running back.

Delts return to Wally's for more conversation and stories.
John M., Steve, Randy, Dan, Craig

Has Kendra adopted the Delts?
Randy, Craig, Kendra, Murph, Dan

Patrick, John M.

Mark at Wally's with the
quote from Thad Seymour behind him.

Randy

John M., Murph, Patrick

At Camp Rotary for a cookout dinner and campfire.
Craig, Greg, Randy, Steve, Brad, Murph, Paul, Ralph,
Dan (Chairman of the 603 Events), John C., Batch,
John M., Delt students

The Delt Ladies joined the photo taken by the students.
Brenda Wakefield and Mib Braun. 

Brad, in his kilt, student Delts of 2026, Craig

Ralph, Greg

Batch, Mark, Sandy, Randy, Steve, Mib, Paul, Murph

Steve, Mike Shaver, Greg, Sandy

Delts are significantly PC. 
Brad in his skirt,
Gumby with his all-pronoun restroom and
John M. wearing his "senior socks."

Brad's competition at the Chapel Sing.

Additional data on the bicycle ride.

Additional data on the bicycle ride.