125th Anniversary
125th Anniversary Re-cap
Our 125th anniversary and Founders’ Day banquet on April 10 was an extraordinary event. Held at the Haile Plantation Country Club in Gainesville, it was an incredible celebration of our fraternity’s rich history, and Alpha Omega’s legacy. Our active brothers really outdid themselves hosting this event.
The keynote speaker was Wynn Smiley, National Fraternity chief executive officer. Our members, as well as many parents who attended, were impacted by his words. Not being been members of our fraternity, parents don’t always appreciate the benefits of being an ATO brother, let alone the depths of the friendships made in the process. As a result of Wynn’s talk, they now have a better appreciation of the impact our fraternity and the positive influence it has on their sons.
Frank “Doc” Maturo, Mu Iota ’48, who recently stepped down as our faculty advisor after 51 years of service, was honored during this celebration, and so was our most recent house director, Mom Bennett. Both Doc and Mom Bennett were in attendance, as were members of their families. Kind words and memories of Doc and his service to Alpha Omega were shared with the crowd by Patrick Nutt ’99. Greg Marion ’83 shared stories and fond memories of Mom Bennett. Doc and Mom both received beautifully engraved gifts as tokens of our appreciation for their service. They were very touched by the presentations and their gifts.
Next, Worthy Master Alex Jenkins ’06 presented awards to several brothers for their outstanding efforts and service. He presented the Worthy Master’s Award to Garrett Crawford ’09, Worthy Best Brother Award to Casey Stamps ’09, Unsung Hero Award to Sam Slone ’10, and Catalyst of Change Award to Zach Bryant ’09. Finally, Michael Baynard ’80 presented scholarships to several brothers, including new scholarships the Baynard Trust established in honor of Doc Maturo and Tim Kaskey ’72. The Baynard Trust wanted to recognize these gentlemen as two of several men, including Michael’s grandfather, ships the Baynard Trust established in honor of Doc Maturo and Tim Kaskey ’72. The Baynard Trust wanted to recognize these gentlemen as two of several men, including Michael’s grandfather, who have devoted practically their entire lives to our fraternity. When the ceremony was over, we all gathered and shared stories—again and again. This was truly a special event and one we hope to duplicate and improve upon next year. Please make plans to attend next year’s banquet. I promise you will not be disappointed.