News

SAE rises from the ashes

Photo by Jordan Pace

Sigma Alpha Epsilon is recovering from the destruction of its former fraternity house on Eighth St. last semester.

The fire claimed the Tennessee Delta chapter house early morning on March 22. It started in the basement of the house where the flames spread, leaving nothing but the foundation of the former fraternity house.

“Fortunately for the chapter, no composites or anything related to our ritual was lost because we had moved it from the old house to the new house,” said David Farmer, a member of SAE. “As for the other few brothers who lived in the house with me, we lost basically all of our personal possessions.”

Tyler McFall, Elliot Keas, and Farmer lost all of their possessions except the shirts they had on their backs. Farmer even lost his car that was parked next to the house.

Insurance covered thousands of dollars’ worth of belongings to try and get back what they had lost.

Some of the SAE members pulled together to help their fellow brothers who had lost all their belongings by giving them clothes, shoes, a place to sleep and more that would help them recover from their loss.

“Sigma Alpha Epsilon is a brotherhood that is still striving today,” said Ryan Gibbons, SAE president. “Because we are so close and strong, not even a disaster such as the fire has or can tear this family apart.”

SAE had many rush events this semester to pull new members to their fraternity and new house.

“We had A.J. Carter, a local guitarist, come play at Main Quad while we cooked out and talked to new potentials,” said Dylan Barstad, recruitment chair of SAE. “We also had a low country boil where we played corn hole. We met a lot of great guys on campus.”

More than 20 young men came down to the recruitment events to see if they could join, but only four were given membership to the fraternity.

“For us to dwell on the past would get our chapter nowhere,” said Barstad. “This recruitment is a great example of walking strong and looking onward.”