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Home > Documents > Newspaper Articles > 1980 Convention a Big Success Published in Torch and Trefoil on January 1981.Six hundred and thirty-two delegates officially registered for Alpha Phi Omega's National Convention at the Marriott Hotel in Los Angeles, California on December 27-29, 1980. While this was one of the smaller Conventions in recent years, it was highly successful in maintaining and building the spirit of Alpha Phi Omega. The actions of the delegates and the election results were covered in the last issue of Torch and Trefoil. Because of the volume of business conducted, we were not able to provide a general overview of the Convention. This article and the Convention Candids on Pages 4 and 5 will provide a broader picture of the meeting. The Convention Committee, headed by Larry Pang, Convention Chairman, and Earle Hearbert, Convention Coordinator, worked hard to make this a memorable experience. Reports from the delegates indicate that they were successful. For three days the delegates debated changes to the governing documents, the site of the next Convention, the election of National Offiers, and participtaed in a variety of development seminars and leadership workshops. Sandwiched around these important areas were two banquets and ample opportunity for information discussion. The delegates enjoyed a Mexican flavor at the opening banquet with pinatas supplied by Theta Iota, University of Arizona, and a mariachi band. At the closing banquet a local Scout Drum and Bugle Corps entertained. Addressing the delegates at the banquets were Joseph Scanlon, former National Executive Director and James L. Tarr, Chief Scout Executive. The National Distinguished Service Key, Alpha Phi Omega's highest honor, was conferred upon Roger A. Sherwood, National Executive Director, and Sid Smith, National Board Member-at-Large. Epsilon Zeta Chapter, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, received the Arno "Shorty" Nowotny National Service Award for conducting the outstanding service program over the last two years. The Josiah Frank Historian's Award was presented to Epsilon Lambda, Michigan Tech. The National Alumni Committee presented the Distinguished Alumni Key to J. Franklin McMullan, for whom the Fall 1973 Pledge Class was named. Alpha Chi, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, received the Man-Mile Award, bringing 30 people from the East Coast and having a number of West Coast alumni in attendance. The award for the best chapter exhibit went to Beta Sigma, Texas Tech. The delegates enjoyed two slide shows, one on H. Roe Bartle and the second on the Convention itself, consisting of slides shot throughout the Convention and presented at the closing banquet. Dr. Librado Ureta, founder of Alpha Phi Omega of the Philippines, was a featured guest. He was joined by four members from the Philippines and several alumni from the Los Angeles area. Kansas City, Missouri, was selected as the site of the 1982 National Convention. Begin your planning now to join us in K.C. in '82. |
