book of records - Kansas State University

7.38 Book of Records
ΑΤΩs also have always been active in interfraternity activities. Dennis O=Keefe and Brian Ansay served as the
Interfraternity Council President, Ed Nickel as Vice President, Mike Parisi as External Vice President and Rich Cherra as
Editor.
There were a number of ΑΤΩs who helped lead the spirit of K-State at varsity athletic events as yell leaders.
These brothers included Brandon Kisner, John Bayouth, Allen Hettich, Dean Robbins, Rance Ames, Mark Arford, Jon
Yeomans, Scott Murray and Chris Coad. Brian Rader was Willie the Wildcat.
Other organizations and honor societies in which ΑΤΩs participated or were selected included Theater,
Pershing Rifles, Scabbard and Blade, K-State Singers, Mens Glee Club, Alpha Mu Alpha, Phi Eta Sigma, Beta Alpha
Psi, Beta Sigma Gamma, Epsilon Chi, Phi Kappa Phi, Alpha Sigma Rho, Alpha Epsilon Delta, Blue Key, Golden Key,
Student Foundation and Student Alumni Board.
ΑΤΩs also participated in varsity athletics. Mark Porter was a key member of the football team as kicker and
was in the Blue-Grey All-Star game. Also playing football were Troy Horton, Dave Poague, Mike Carroll, Bill Molitor
and Brian Nabours. Bobby Randall not only was a varsity baseball player, but also was drafted into the Major Leagues
and played for the Minnesota Twins. Running cross country were Cory and Greg Barron, while Brian Zwahlen ran
track, Jason Goertzen ran both cross country and track, and K. C. Byrne was on the golf team. Ellis Rainsberger, who
played for K-State in the 1950's was Head Football Coach from 1975 through 1977.
Kevin Saunders, who was paralyzed from the waist down in a grain elevator explosion in 1981, fought his way
back to become an international competitor in the Wheelchair Olympics. He won four medals at the 1990 Pan American
Games, a gold medal at the 1990 World Track and Field Competition. He earned the title of Best All-Around
Wheelchair Athlete. He won a bronze medal in the Seoul Paralympics. In the Barcelona Paralympics, he finished third
as Best All-Around Wheelchair Athlete in the World and missed the gold medal by only 19 points in the Pentathlon. He
appeared in the movie ABorn on the 4th of July@ and was appointed to the President=s Council on Physical Fitness and
Sport.
The Chapter House underwent some changes during this twenty-five year period. In 1977, a room in the
Chapter House became the Walter Rogers Library to honor one of the chapter=s founders and long-time Building
Corporation Treasurer. The Library was later moved to its location in the original Living Room during the 1994
remodeling. There was a fund drive in 1984 to remodel and update the then-existing Living Room. In 1984, the
Endowment Fund purchased the land to the east of the Chapter House, and in 1990, the Endowment Fund sold all of the
land to the Building Corporation. An expanded parking lot now contains enough parking spaces to accommodate all
chapter member vehicles. A major remodeling occurred in 1994 after a major fund raising campaign. It included central
heating/air conditioning for the public areas, expanding the front of the functional areas on both levels, bathroom
remodeling, new concrete parking lot, moving the Leo L. Hadley Memorial Living Room to the first floor and creating a
Hall of Honor on the second floor. The Rogers Library was relocated to the larger space in the old Living Room, which
now also serves as the Chapter Room. This $370,000 project was financed through alumni donations, chapter housebill
increases and loans. The Project was under the direction of Building Corporation Vice-President Joe Berlekamp.
In 1989, Tom O=Connor, father of Kevin O=Connor, constructed the Chapter Officers Table in the Chapter
Room as a memorial to Larry Marvel. In 1991, a permanent loan of a grand piano was accepted from the National ΑΤΩ
Foundation. The piano, a 1882 Hazelton Brothers piano valued at over $20,000, replaces the piano given the chapter by
L. Allyn Laybourn.
The chapter celebrated its 60th Anniversary on October 24 and 25, 1980. There was a 60th Anniversary
Banquet at the Knights of Columbus Hall, with ΑΤΩ National Executive Director Mark O. Thorsby as the Keynote
Speaker.