THE LAST PASS

The COVID Comma

By Rex Martin

AS I WRITE THIS, I HAVE

COVID-19. I am actually surprised it has taken this long to get it especially as many events and handshakes I have given since last summer. Luckily for me, it has not been too bad. However, I know this is not the case for everyone. We certainly mourn the loss of the Alpha Gamma Rho friends and family to this awful virus as we mourn the loss of all brothers.

We have all experienced a pause or a COVID Comma. Because of the many changes our chapters have seen in the past two years, it has been hard for alumni to engage. We are social beings and the brothers of AGR are no different. I encourage all of you, that if you have taken this pause engaging with our collegiates, please reach out to them. If you have not been involved, or moved away from your home chapter, engage with a chapter closest to you or volunteer with the National Fraternity. I assure you, the feeling of giving back is one that makes your day, week, or year better.

Being apart from AGR brothers has taken a toll on us as it has you. Through the bond of brotherhood, we can work on bringing back the feeling of AGR before COVID-19. Although the Fraternity has gone through many changes, some of which may be around for a long time, it is only through the strength of the Promise of AGR we can continue to move forward in this time of constant change.

The great work of our volunteer leaders continues to amaze me. I watch them fundraise for a chapter house campaign. Cook burgers for a philanthropy event. Invite our collegiate brothers to their homes for a Super Bowl party. Travel with them to a Leadership Seminar. Their great efforts go on and on.

Can it be a lot of work… Of course… But again, you are helping shape the lives of our collegiate brothers and Make Better Men. They need your support more now than ever. Certainly, if one of your brothers calls asking to contribute to a scholarship fund, if you can give, please do. But if you can give any of your time, that is worth its weight in gold. We need more alumni involvement to help steward our men in the right direction before that direction goes too far off course.

So, take this spring, and consider your involvement with Alpha Gamma Rho. Maybe it is time to help make a difference. Ask someone who does spend time with our men and start small. But the key is just to start!

We need more alumni involvement to help steward our men in the right direction before that direction goes too far off course.

For more information and to discover how you can get involved, contact the Home Office by phone 816-891-9200; email agr@alphagammarho.org; or the web at www. alphagammarho.org.

Leadership Seminars

Since 1997, Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity, in partnership with The Educational Foundation, has dedicated resources to provide our collegiate brothers with numerous educational, leadership and social opportunities designed to Make Better Men. The Leadership Seminar experience has continued to grow over the years to help brothers sharpen their personal skills to be effective leaders in their chapter, on their campus and in their community.

From its humble beginnings, Leadership Seminars have evolved from heavily depending on National Fraternity leaders and volunteers to present various sessions on chapter best practices, financial management and leadership through integrity, to a professionally managed and facilitated program with a central curriculum at its core. To meet the ever-changing needs of our members, a Steering Committee was established to analyze the overall effectiveness of the Seminars, adjust the focus of educational content where needed, and identify new learning outcomes for attendees to become more familiar with. In 2005, Alpha Gamma Rho was proud to establish the partnership with Sigma Alpha Sorority which opened the doors for more like-minded future agricultural leaders to come together to learn and grow from each other. Today, the Leadership Seminars are jointly hosted by both organizations and interact with nearly 800 individuals on an annual basis. While each year has a different theme, the purpose of the Seminars remains steadfast, which is to focus on helping each attendee become a confident and impactful leader in their respective organization.

1333 NW Vivion Rd, Suite 110, Kansas City, Missouri 64118.

SAVE THE DATE

2022 National Convention / July 27-29 Hilton Milwaukee City Center; Milwaukee, WI

Don’t miss the opportunity to attend the now in-person National Convention and reconnect with brothers after a long awaited four years. The 2022 National Convention will maintain the theme used in the 2020 Virtual National Convention of Find Your Forward. It will be held in downtown Milwaukee near the River Walk, the Milwaukee Public Market and more!

Brothers will have the opportunity to network with other AGRs and agricultural businesses from across the country at the Career Fair. Witness the 2022 Hall of Fame inductions and explore the Milwaukee area.

We look forward to seeing you there! Save the date and start planning your trip to “The Other Coast.” Take advantage of National Convention and all of its opportunities to Find Your Forward in July 2022.

Visit www.alphagammarho.org/events