Two weeks ago, Alpha Phi Omega conducted a Share the Love project in the University Center. Alpha Phi Omega is one of the four Greek groups on campus. This chapter has been a part of Siena Heights University for 15 years and was founded nationally 90 years ago.

Alpha Phi Omega member Taylor Patton said, “The group has been rather small, and last year when I came in there were only two active members.”

After two of the members graduated, there were only three members left for the 2015 fall semester.

“It’s co-ed service fraternity. We are the largest service fraternity in the world. They are also founded on the Boy Scout principles. This semester our goal was just to get new initiates, and we were lucky we got eight,” said Patton.

Taylor is the membership vice president and Pledge Master for Alpha Phi Omega. She is in charge of educating all the pledges and in charge of rush week.

“Every week we educate them (the initiates) using the pledge manual so they can get ready to initiate. I was trying to get them to step up and start doing some service projects or to do some fundraising,” Patton said.

She said the fees are relatively inexpensive compared to other fraternities. The cost is $60 for the first year and then approximately $30 each following year.

Patton suggested pushed brainstorming for fundraisers to cut down the fees. One pledge mentioned doing a hug fundraiser.

“We built on that and did the hug candy gram. In change we raised over $100 in five days. It was so impressive, I was really surprised,” said Patton.

The group has expanded to 11 members but hopes to gain even more next semester.

In January or February, the chapter plans to have a more inviting approach to suicide prevention and provide a teacher so people can get certified for crisis intervention, “which can definitely help with the seasonal effective disorder, and I think it’s just a good skill to have in your lifetime anyway,” said Patton.

Rush Week is tentatively planned for the first week of February. Those who want to do service work, Alpha Phi Onega might be the group for you.

Patton said, “We look for our brothers. We call each other brothers, we say sisters, too, but we look for our brothers. We look for people that it’s a good fit… people who are passionate and dedicated to help people and to just be a part of this family. It’s hard to describe, but it just clicks. You know when you attend one of the rush nights that this is it.”