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The Delta Tau Delta signs stay lit through the night at the foothills of campus. The Delts reestablished themselves at KU this fall and moved into the house previously owned by the TKE fraternity.

It was an overcast morning in April when the men of Delta Tau Delta arrived at the Eagle Bend Golf Course in west Lawrence. This particular fraternity reestablished themselves on campus in the fall, which made this particular fundraiser vital to their survival among the 19 other fraternities at KU. They sat in the parking lot and watched cars of alumni trickle in. Breck Mundis, Leawood senior remembers the time leading up to the event as stressful.

"We feared the weather and the economic situation would discourage donators from coming," Mundis said. "But, boy were we wrong."

Thirty minutes before the golf tournament was to begin more than half the expected number of alumni had arrived ready to play, which also meant to ready and willing to pay their entry fee. Their reestablishment caused a lot of money issues for the men of Delta Tau Delta, especially when it came to remodeling their new home, which was previously owned, by the Tau Kappa Epsilon, TKE, fraternity. Mundis estimated the fraternity's goal for the year was to raise $40,000. At the golf tournament alone they raised $30,000 and through other fundraising efforts and alumni support, the fraternity was able to raise a total of $45,000.

"We were really fortunate to have great alumni support in this year of economic turmoil," said Mundis. "Which goes to show that the bond of brotherhood is strong through the good times and the bad."

The Greek community at KU also had success at the annual Rock Chalk Revue fundraiser. RCR is a 60-year-old tradition at KU. Rock Chalk Revue is a university-wide philanthropy that raises money each year for the Douglas County United Way. Fraternities and sororities team up to write, produce, and perform 20-minute original musicals, complete with costumes and scenery. The five best shows are chosen and presented in the Rock Chalk Revue. Awards are presented on the final evening of Rock Chalk to the chapters or organizations that have contributed the most community service hours.

In honor of the 60th anniversary, the directors set the goal at an all time high of $60,000. Money is raised through ticket costs for the three night show and t-shirt sales for the annual "Night at the K," where sororities and fraternities attend a Royals game with their chosen Rock Chalk partners. Through support from all 32 chapters at KU, they met that goal, making it the most raised money in RCR history.

Juan Izaguirre, Interim Program Director for Greek Life and Leadership Programs at KU, was impressed with the total amount of money raised and said the Greek community at KU has tried not to let the economy affect their efforts.

"Problems with housing don't go away just because the economy is bad," said Izaguirre. "We do all that we are able to help, but these are the times to really seek out alumni help."

According to Association of Fundraising Professionals, research indicates that in challenging economic times individuals often begin to limit the number of groups/causes that they support. Most often people select a core group of organizations with whom they've had the longest or most meaningful relationship.

Pennington & Co., 501 Gateway Drive, is a full-service fundraising, consulting, and public relations firm. Since its start in 1993, Pennington has become a recognized leader in fraternity and sorority fundraising. They have helped raise more than $169 million in support of Greek life, working with 47 international fraternities on 85 campuses. Twenty-one chapters at KU have consulted Pennington for help with fundraising efforts.

Patrick Alderdice, president of Pennington & Co., said alumni relations are key to a chapter's success. The percentage of alumni with whom he has visited, ranked their chapter housing campaign as a medium to high priority and one of every three rank it as a top priority.

"Alumni continue to acknowledge that they value their fraternity membership," said Alderdice. "They recognize the impact that living in the chapter house had on their college experience and they want to continue that for others as much as they can."

Chapter alumni are the first people Pennington turns to when seeking donations for a fraternity or sorority fundraising efforts. In 2007, Pennington helped Greek communities raise $26 million and in 2008, they raised $26.5 million. This proves Greeks are still making significant donations.

Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority has also had positive fundraising results in this tough economy. In their annual Kappa Klassic golf tournament this spring, the women of Kappa Kappa Gamma were able to raise just over $6,000 which was more than they were able to raise in years past.

"Our efforts haven't changed much," said Caroline Goehausen, Leawood junior and president of Kappa Kappa Gamma. "Except for having to be more persistent with sponsors, by asking for support even after they told us no."

Fundraising efforts at Sigma Alpha Epsilon aren't changing much either due to consistent success in the past. Through alumni donations, parent's weekend activities and Allen Fieldhouse clean-up sessions, the fraternity's projected fundraising goal has been continuously met. There has not been an increase in donations, but there has been a consistency. Parents weekend alone brings in $2,000-$3,000 each year.

"I think people are more willing to give to places that they are have the deepest ties to," said Steven King, Lawrence senior and SAE member. "So, it's important for us to reach out to those people and then use them as examples to others."

Even legislators in Washington are putting forth an effort to help the Greek community make donating easier and more affordable. According to the Capital Fraternal Caucus website, the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act (CHIA) would allow fraternity and sorority foundations to make tax-deductible financial contributions for infrastructure improvements to meeting and dining areas in chapter houses in the same way that the tax code currently allows colleges and universities to use tax-deductible contributions to improve university-owned student housing on campus. This bill would make it substantially easier for Greeks nationwide to raise the money needed to install improvements in chapter housing, expand housing capacity, and otherwise modernize the housing provided to Greek students.

On April 13, 2009, the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act secured 210 sponsors in the house and 40 sponsors in the Senate. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, House Representative Jennifer Cook and Senator Pat Roberts sponsored this bill.

Although the economy is taking its toll on people and businesses around the world, the Greek community at KU has stayed strong as a whole this year. Some chapters are hiring fundraising consultants such as Pennington, but overall fundraising efforts have been received well by the students at KU and alumni have been showing their support. The economy has forced tighter budgeting within chapters, but needed improvements don't disappear when the economy declines.

"I am not certain that we have ever experienced an "ideal" time to fundraise," said Patrick Alderdice. "But the need for these projects has never been stronger."

When Angela Gonzales found out she was pregnant at age 16, her mother and step-father forced her to marry the father of her child and then sent her to live with her grandparents in Burlington, Colorado. While still pregnant, she became captain of the cheerleading squad and divorced her husband. Jessica Lauren Gonzales was born on April 11, 1986. With the help of her grandparents, Angela finished high school and took 3-year-old Jessica with her to Lawrence, to be the first in her family to graduate college. For five years, she put herself through college with loans, scholarships and a full time job as a waitress while she raised her daughter.  

"It was hard, but I was determined to provide a better life for my daughter," said Angela. "Seeing her now, all grown up, I can say it was all worth it." 

Jessica Gonzales points to the page in her senior high school yearbook that pictures her and her fiance. The caption under the photo describes the couple as the ultimate high school sweethearts.

Jessica moved around a lot in her adolescence with her mother. Three years in Colorado, five years in Lawrence, three years in Salina and Denver, three years in Chicago and for the last eight years she has called Lawrence her home again. Jessica started her 9th grade year at Central Junior High in September of 2001. She was at home sick on 9/11 and her great-grandparents were taking care of her because her mother was on a business trip. Jessica was taking a bath when her great-grandmother came in and told her what happened in New York. At that moment, Jessica knew her godmother, who worked in tower two, was dead. She didn't have a clue where her mother was. Several hours later, Angela called home to say she was safe in Dallas. All Jessica could think about was how much she wanted her mom home with her.

 "I remember it being one of the worst days of my life," said Jessica. "My mom meant the world to me and when we were attacked, she was flying to Pennsylvania, so I thought the worst." 

This wasn't the only time, 9/11 affected Jessica's life. Two years later in March, Jessica met Eli Fell, a Lawrence High classmate. The first day she saw him, Eli was sitting in his German class and Jessica leaned over to her friend Emily and said, "I'm going to date that boy." Three weeks later, Jessica and Eli started dating and have been together ever since.

When the two of them met, Eli had already enlisted in the army in response to the attacks on 9/11. One night, while the couple was watching a movie the phone rang and Jessica answered. Jessica asked the man if she could take a message for Eli and he said, "On behalf of our president and this grateful nation, he has been put on alert for 20 days. He's being activated in the War on Terror." Jessica froze and felt the blood rush to her head. She said she will never forget that day and those words she heard. Eli was deployed to Iraq for 15 months in June of 2005, two weeks after his high school graduation. 

"I wasn't sure how to deal with it all," said Jessica. "I lived in the dorms my first year at KU experiencing things without him and I resented him for that." 

Eli and Jessica both came from military families and grew up understanding the values of the country, unity and family theory. They both also came from conservative families and supported President Bush throughout his presidency. For most of their relationship, Bush was Eli's boss, and they believed in their country and the decisions Bush made to justify the potential loss of life. 

"It's hard to consider family last in your life," Eli said. "But Jess and I both understood what was at stake at the time for our country." 

After staying together for six months, Jessica decided it was time to take a break. She wanted to figure out what she wanted in life and she wasn't sure whether or not she loved Eli or the romantic idea of them being high school sweethearts.

"It was hard and I really hurt him while he was over there," Jessica said. "But I had to do it for myself and no one else." 

They got back together five months later after Jessica decided she couldn't live without him. When Eli returned in November 2005, Jessica soon discovered he was suffering from PTSD. She found him some nights in the closet crying, but she couldn't get him to open up to her about what happened at war. Eli became very protective of Jessica and had an uncontrollable anger inside of him. 

Jessica and Eli decided to buy a house together in 2007 in North Lawrence. Eli proposed on February 14, 2008 and was deployed back to Iraq in May of 2008. The military made for a different way of life for this Lawrence couple. Jessica describes the army being like a secret society and that only the few and the brave are allowed in. 

Angela Gonzales announced the engagement of her daughter, Jessica Gonzales to Eli Fell in the Lawrence Journal World on April of 2008. The wedding is planned for July 4, 2009 in Lawrence, the home of the couple. This is a contributed photo.

"The military has been the other woman in their relationship," said Jenna Deines, Jessica's maid of honor. "Eli has a special bond with his battle buddies that Jessica will never come close to having with him." 

Eli will officially be out of the army as of October 2009. Jessica says the military has made Eli into the man he is today, a respectful will powered man. Eli is scheduled to return at the end of May, just in time to marry Jessica on July 4, 2009. "It's very bittersweet," said Jessica.

 "The army has been our identity for the greater part of our relationship and it's sad to see it go." said Gonzales. "I am honored to call myself an army girlfriend and future army wife."

When the dismissal bell rings at Lawrence High, Samantha Hays throws her things in her car and drives to softball practice. It is the same story for her friends who play soccer and baseball because LHS does not have on-site practice fields for those sports.

As a senior on the team, Hays said this is a project that is long overdue. For her three years at LHS, every afternoon during softball season, Hays and her teammates have driven to the Holcom fields on 27th and Iowa street for practice and games.

"It's hard not having a field to call home," Hays said. "Our home games feel like away games."

That is all changing now. After months of planning, construction on the new outdoor athletic facilities at Lawrence High and Free State High finally began this winter. With a finish date of August 15, Hays will never get to play on the new fields, but future Chesty Lions will.

When planning began, the equity between the two Lawrence schools was highly considered. Free State already had on-site facilities, but the 55-year-old Lawrence High did not provide the same luxury. In an effort to save money and energy, the school board contacted Johnson Controls, an energy service company, to help plan these facilities.

Scott Morgan, Vice President of the Lawrence School Board, was an advocate of this project from the start and said they have had to think in non-traditional ways in order to fit within their budget.

For both facilities, this project includes two lit turf football fields with 4,000 seats each, one new track, two lit turf softball fields, two lit turf soccer fields, two lit turf baseball fields, a lit eight court tennis facility and 400 new parking spaces.

"The installation of turf on the fields qualifies as an energy-efficient improvement," Morgan said. "We are saving in fertilizer, pesticide, herbicide, and fungicide, as well as the elimination of watering, seeding, mowing and aerating."

A joint study by the county, city and school district was initiated.  Representatives from a number of groups as well as members of the community met several times over a number of months studying what we had and what we needed.  The public was surveyed and asked to rank various possibilities.  A report was issued at the completion of the study and presented at meetings at various schools throughout the community.  The school district began reviewing the study about two years ago.

Original site plan for the Lawrence High School new athletic facilities at 19th and Louisiana Street.

Funding for this project is coming from a combination of capital outlay funds, which are set aside for building repairs.  Roughly $3 million is from what is left over from a $63 million bond issue.  That issue was approved by the voters and was for use at the secondary level and for technology.  All of the projects that had been envisioned by the bond have been completed and these are funds that are left from various projects coming in under estimates.  The school board financed the funds for the fields, lighting and expanded parking at LHS.

District staff continues to meet with Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department officials about continued use of their facilities and the replacement of the jointly operated Lawrence Tennis Center. Currently, members of the LHS softball and baseball teams use Park and Rec

The outdoor athletic facilities color finalized plan for Lawrence High.

When LHS uses the Park and Rec fields, they must put in request for use and then other teams wanting to use the fields are scheduled around the high school athletes. Craig Houfek, Recreation Center Programmer, said he was told to plan on LHS softball using the facilities this season. According to Tom Bracciano, Director of Operations and Facility Planning, the baseball fields are scheduled for completion by their first game on March 17.

A color version of the finalized site plan for Free State High School.

In addition to outdoor athletic facility improvements, elementary facility upgrades are also in the capitol outlay plan. The final phase of the plan includes private and corporate partnerships to create competition athletic venues, such as a wellness campus to expand physical activity for local children.

"These are economic development issues for our community as we seek quality school facilities and competition," Bracciano said.