Lawrenceville, NJ – Jan 22, 2010 – Delta Upsilon’s Reclamation and Retention committee hosted a Legacy Breakfast at Rider University on January 22, 2011.  The event was held to celebration the Chapter’s anniversary and reclaim brothers.  

Participants heard inspiring words from three brothers who spoke and focused on what our great founders had in mind and why we will be celebrating the 100^thAnniversary this year.  Delta Upsilon’s Basileus, Dr. Garry Keel, opened the program with the introduction of Brother Thabiti Boone, Representing IHQ and President Barack Obama’s Fatherhood Initiative.  Boone delivered a message that we have to register as many brothers as possible to be a part of this national fatherhood initiative.  

Life Member William Granville, Jr., entrepreneur and former executive with Mobil Corp., who grew up in Trenton, was the second speaker of the day.  In dedicating himself to the cardinal principles of scholarship and uplift, Brother Granville, founded the Granville Academy Trenton in 1983, an after school program that has been coaching seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth grade students about the fundamentals of business,  entrepreneurship, science and engineering.  “Use economic knowledge and proven financial practices as a spring board to real and everlasting freedom,” said Granville.  

Since its inception in 1983, the Granville Academy (www.granvilleacademy.com) has grown to more than eight affiliates nationwide.  Some affiliates are graduating up to 50 students this year.  Brother Granville closed the presentation by asking the brothers to continue to live up to the cardinal principles and help our Youth.  He, himself, was reclaimed on this bright, sunny, near freezing day. 

 The last speaker of the morning, who truly understood the 3B’s (be short; be good; be seated) was 2^ndDistrict Chaplain Brother Gerald Folsom from Maryland.  He delivered an imaginary and hypothetical conversation he would have with one of our great founder, Bishop Love, querying our founder with what message to bring the brothers on our anniversary and legacy breakfast.  “Bishop Love told me not to tell the brothers,” said Brother Folsom, “that I was one of the founders our great fraternity; don’t tell the brothers that I became bishop and head of my religious organization; and don’t tell the brothers that I had all these achievements,” he added.  “Let the brothers know, that they should stay on course with the cardinal principles; community and put God first,” said Brother Folsom.  Seating in the room were five brothers from Alpha Chapter, which helped connect Brother Folsom’s imaginary conversation with Bishop Love and our founding chapter. 

 If we needed to reclaim 500 brothers -- 500 brothers would have been reclaimed on this day.  Tom Holcomb of the New York Times, traveled more than 2 ½ hours from Hempstead, New York to attend the breakfast.  He and his LB crossed the sands at Columbia University, in 1977 and had been out of touch since that time.  An invitation to this event was extended to Brother Holcomb, which prompted him to reconnect with his sands after all them years.  Brother Folsom seat next to Brother Holcomb and the two had a networking conversation.  A rumor had been circulating throughout Brother Folsom’s federal agency that one of the senior administrators is frat.  It came to pass that the senior level administrator is Brother Holcomb’s sands. 

 One can call the various nuisances in the room, circumstances, faint, God, etc.  But, when brothers get together amazing energy materializes; And, that energy is Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.   Special thanks to brothers Earl Phillips, Gary Gray, Donald Williams, life member Julius Campbell and other members of the reclamation and retention committee and finally, our Basileus, Dr. Garry Keel. 

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