Winter Olympics a Boon to Phi Alpha

01/02/2010

Canadian National Post

Vancouver, British Columbia

By: Lin Hanson, O'59

Winter Olympics a Boon to Phi Alpha

Although the Canadian financial publication National Post for December 30, 2009 bore the accusation "Frathouses Evict Students to Cash in on Vancouver Olympics," the Phi Alpha/British Columbia chapter would beg to differ.

The Olympic Torch has been making its way across Canada, as reported by Stephen Pratt, AT /Manitoba '07, one of the attendees at the 2008 DKE Convention in Naples, Florida for for Canadian TV News Tonight.

The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, will be held on February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The 2010 Winter Olympics will be the third Olympics hosted by Canada, and the first by the province of British Columbia.

As reported by Phi Alpha alum, Brent Tynan, who is an advisor to the Rampant Lion Foundation, use of the chapter house at Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics was discussed with the chapter months ago, and overwhelmingly approved. The real facts are that the chapter will be used to house security personnel for the games for one month, during which school will not be in session for two weeks. All brothers needing assistance in finding alternative housing will receive it from the chapter. 

The chapter house will receive substantial improvements in advance of the games, and, in addition, the tenants will provide their own linens, dishes and flatware, all of which will be left for use by the chapter when they leave.

Every man vacating the house for the games will receive a two month rent credit for doing so, and the total benefit to the chapter will be far greater than could be realized through rental of the House under normal circumstances. I bet other chapters would line up for the chance to be "evicted," don’t you?