Cedars, October 2017

October 2017 7 CAMPUS by Daniel Garcia Θ ΡΕ will be welcoming newmembers to its first event of the fall during ΘΡΕtoberfest on Oct. 28. ΘΡΕtoberfest is the annual fall kick-off party hosted by Theta Rho Epsilon, or ΘΡΕ, a men’s service orga- nization led by president Blake Ahlgrim and advised by Jeff Beste. Among other activities at the event, the org will be hosting several games, serving apple cider, and celebrating with a bonfire in the evening. Those who take a date to the event also have a chance to participate in square dancing as in previous years, and many members come in collaborative themed costumes. Through the inclusive events of the party, current mem- bers of ΘΡΕ are able to get to know new members during a time to build shared experiences. This fun, yet intentional, aspect of community in ΘΡΕtoberfest fits right in with the origin and purpose behind the org itself. The organization was formed nearly 26 years ago by six students. It has become a group of approximately 30 men dedicated to serving their community and creating broth- erhood. Each year, freshmen who demonstrate leadership and service qualities are nominated for membership by the org. They can serve as part of ΘΡΕ at the beginning of their sophomore year. Throughout the year, members of ΘΡΕ spend the majority of their time doing two things. Their first focus is service. Joe Genco, a senior nursing major and chaplain of the org, said, “It’s not about us … it’s about us serving each other and serving others.” Since ΘΡΕ has a large group of men dedicated to ser- vice, they have the opportunity to bring more hands on deck for volunteer work events than a smaller group could handle. Ahlgrim, a senior business management major, also points out that joint ventures with other orgs, such as Alpha Chi (AX), as well as groups outside of Cedarville, are an im- portant part of what ΘΡΕ does. For example, on the weekend of Sept. 23, most of the org participated as counselors in an overnight camp called Greater Than, where kids of various ages came to Colum- bus for a night of spiritual growth followed by a challenging mud run the next morning. The org’s second focus is on discipleship. Ahlgrim said their mission statement is to sharpen one another. New member Kevin Reep, a sophomore social studies education major, said that what truly defines the org is the people in it. When they are not meeting together to do vol- unteer work, members join together in Blade Groups, which are small discipleship groups modeled after the org’s cen- tral verse, Proverbs 27:17: “As iron sharpens iron, so one friend sharpens another.” These small groups are where many bonds are formed and strengthened. He summarizes the tone of the organization in three words: “service, fellow- ship, and fun.” Finding joy in doing what they do is also a key aspect of ΘΡΕ’s identity. “[The members of ΘΡΕ] can be mature about things, but they can also make people feel loved by making them laugh,” Ahlgrim said. “They can make anybody laugh.” This aspect of having community and service accompa- nied by a spirit of fun shows the purpose behind ΘΡΕtober- fest, which is to strengthen the org and to show others what it is they stand for. “I would love to see more unity come out of it,” said Ahlgrim, though it’s “not nearly as rewarding as [something like] helping people in the town.” Genco also added that “[ΘΡΕtoberfest is] a small part of ΘΡΕ.” Yet both Ahlgrim and Genco said that they hope ΘΡΕ- toberfest can be a venue for the org to connect with others who also have a passion for service and community, so that ΘΡΕ’s other projects and events can be emphasized. When asked what it was that made ΘΡΕ worthwhile, and what drew them to be involved as part of the org, all three ΘΡΕ members interviewed said that leaders and men- tors in their lives were able to transmit the sense of leader- ship and community that ΘΡΕ created. All three also said these qualities became more prominent in themselves once they became official members of the org. Through the mentors and leadership, the aim of ΘΡΕ is not only to create community within the organization, but also to spread these qualities to all who serve with them or are served by them. Through the kickoff party, the members spread their spirit of fellowship through the fun activities, as well as getting the chance to talk about who they are and what they do outside of those fun activities. Following ΘΡΕtoberfest, the next event to be held by the org will be their annual Skyview Ranch Fall Break trip, where members of the org set apart their break as a time to assist in whatever service areas the owners of the ranch need for the season. Projects like these are what the org aims to get people interested in and excited about, and ΘΡΕtober- fest provides the perfect platform for creating awareness of these projects, ultimately aiming to display the key quality that defines the org: brotherhood. Daniel Garcia is a sophomore computer engineering ma- jor and a writer for Cedars. He likes chocolate milk, the Metric System, and pretending he knows more than he re- ally does about comic books. Service Org ΘΡΕ Plans Annual ΘΡΕtoberfest Photo by Kylie Stoneberg The members of ΘΡΕ come together to form relationships focused on service and discipleship.