Fundraising
Alumni announce Multi-Year Capital Campaign
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DKE/DKS is the oldest continuous fraternal organization at Virginia Tech, and thanks to the foresight of several brothers in the late 1960’s, the DKE House at 302 East Roanoke Street is the oldest continuously-used fraternity house in Blacksburg. As of this year we will have owned the house for 40 years.
The house itself is approaching 100 years of age and is located in the designated Historic District of Blacksburg. The house has withstood fires, evictions, condemnations, a sorority tenant sublease and last but not least 40 years of use (or abuse depending on your perspective) of over 300 residents and thousands of brothers and guests.
The Alumni Association, through Sigma Alpha Properties LLC, assumed ownership of the house in 1999, and beginning in 2004 and 2005 began its long-term stewardship by replacing the gas boiler heater and the front porch.
Unfortunately, the overall condition of the house remains in serious decline. In response we have begun a multi-year renovation program. We jump-started work on the exterior in late 2005 with a new roof and new skylight windows, followed by the Spring 2006 replacement of 13 large windows and tree removal. Winter 2006 saw the replacement of eaves, soffits, gutters, and porch and veranda ceilings, and in Spring 2007 we replaced the porch and carport roofs with metal roofing as originally constructed. We completed professional exterior painting and veranda flooring replacement in Summer 2007.
Fall 2007 saw the beginning of the most ambitious project yet: a total rehabilitation of the second and attic levels of the house, including the addition of three usable rooms and a bathroom to the attic level, proper attic stair access, and a renovated second level bathroom. It also includes a whole-house sprinkler/fire suppression system and a central air system for the upper floors. This second floor work was completed by Fall of 2007 and the attic level renovations were done over the course of 2007 and 2008 and final inspection and approval by the Town of Blacksburg was acheived in Spring 2008. Beyond this phase, we have a wish list including a variety of other improvements that will bring the house up to 21st century standards, capable of years of future service. You can learn more about our plans by clicking the links above.
Our program is ambitious, and we can only make it happen with your financial support. We have established the Rampant Lion Foundation—Sigma Alpha Fund (RLF-SA), a chapter-specific education fund within the Rampant Lion Foundation of DKE International. This makes your donations tax-deductible and eligible for corporate matching.
This fund will fulfill its academic support obligations by providing scholarships and other educational benefits to the Dekes of Virginia Tech. The RLF-SA Fund will invest in market-rate financial instruments, namely a second mortgage on the DKE House to support the capital plans.
Your Alumni Board has approached this capital improvement program in a professional and business-like manner. Be assured all money raised will be placed in the fund and used only for its intended purpose. So when you receive the next newsletter, a call or visit for support, please be generous.
Additional details on the house renovation plans and the fundraising program can be found by clicking the links at the top of this page.
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