AGRelevance
Texas AGR Retreat Four Years Later by Cody Lane In early January, undergraduate and alumni brothers from ten diff erent chapters across the country gathered at the 4P Game Ranch in Hico, TX for the 4th Annual Texas AGR Retreat. This retreat has been held every January since 2017. The retreat was a vision fi rst developed at the 2016 National Convention in Omaha, NE between Donald DeJong, Chi Chapter (Cal Poly-SLO) Alumnus and Educational Foundation Director and Cody Lane, Beta Sigma Chapter (Tarleton State)Alumnus and Regional Vice President. After discussing the idea with all the chapters at the Convention, the plan was put into place to meet for a two-day retreat early each year after the new offi cers are elected and before the spring semester starts. The group wanted the six Texas chapters to work more hand and hand throughout the year on re2
SICKLE & SHEAF
SUMMER 2020
cruitment, membership development and alumni engagement statewide. Through the years they have tackled other areas of interest like: AGRconnect, Fraternal Excellence Awards, attending the Texas FFA Convention and other brotherhood ideas. In more recent years Donald DeJong has chal-
The group wanted the six Texas chapters to work more hand and hand throughout the year on recruitment, membership development and alumni engagement statewide.
lenged each chapter monetarily with goal setting sessions which included completing AGRconnect modules, applying for Educational Foundation scholarships and Fraternity Awards. In the four years since it’s humble beginnings, the retreat has brought over a hundred brothers together in the Making of Better Men. Grant Bargfrede, Senior Director of Operations and Thomas Schwarz, Educational Leadership Consultant, with the AGR Home Offi ce to help educate the group on ways the Fraternity can help the chapters strive to become better. This event was made possible by a Sayre Grant within the Educational Foundation of Alpha Gamma Rho. Lane says “Bringing all the Texas chapters together to help promote brotherhood, fellowship and the Fraternity was the vision Brother Bill Sayre had when he gave the money to develop the grants, he would be proud of what has been done over the last four years.” Without the kind gesture from David DeJong, a Chi Chapter Alumnus allowing us to gather at his ranch this wouldn’t have been possible. We look forward to many more years to come.
