A Note on COVID-19 from Your Alumni President

Welcome to another online edition of the Sig Bear Monthly.  As everyone is aware, much has changed in the world due to COVID-19.  The halls of the Alpha of California have also been impacted. UC Berkeley has cancelled all in-person instruction for the remainder of the semester.  Sigma Phi remains open, and a handful of Sigs will stay for duration.  We are grateful that there will be an experienced crew to manage care of the property.  Rent payments to the alumni board (which generally cover insurance, property taxes, and misc. expenses) may be impacted.  Hopefully, the house will reopen by summer, and I expect the Actives will tell tales of their unique experiences in a future Bear. 

This month’s Bear features the story of the rebuilding of the timber bridge.  Since that project completed, we have not had a major fundraising drive.  But we are starting to plan for major work to preserve the house in a major earthquake.  So donations are greatly appreciated:

https://donorbox.org/calsigmaphi (Non tax-deductible, to our general fund)

https://sigmaphi.site-ym.com/donations/donate.asp?id=1756 (tax deductible, to the Thorsen House Restoration Fund)

BSL

Joel Shumaker, I’80