Another GLOs Being GLOs

[Tom Earp]

Corvallis Gazette-Times
Wednesday, February 4, 2004

Fraternities bring hope to cancer patient

By Finn J. John
Staff writer

CORVALLIS -- The sound in the upstairs room at the Lambda Chi Alpha house
was thick and powerful -- the low power chords, throbbing bass and edgy
vocals of today's punk-rock scene.

The room was thick with people, too. Well over a hundred 18- to 24-year-old
college students stood facing the band, some dancing, others just nursing
Red Bull energy drinks and soaking up the sound. And the party had just
gotten started.
They were there for two reasons: to have a good time, and to help
10-year-old Alice Heinz beat brain cancer -- for the third time.

Alice got her first brain tumor at age 5. With the help of chemotherapy,
she beat it. Then, several years later, another tumor was found. This time,
a brain surgeon was able to remove it for her.

In May of last year, she was diagnosed with her third brain tumor, which
she's now fighting with the help of chemotherapy again. But five years of
battling brain cancer have taken a serious toll on her family's finances.

The men of the Lambda Chi Alpha and Acacia fraternities learned about
Alice's situation in early October at an interfraternity meeting.

"We saw this ad about Alice Heinz -- there was no picture, no nothing, just
a description of what her condition was," said Lambda Chi member Rami
Kassab, one of the event's organizers. "We talked with the guys from
Acacia, and said, 'What do you guys think about helping them out?' They
thought it would be a good idea."

The fraternity members got organized and geared up for a big project.
Lambda Chi Alpha member Adam Bullock is in a band cµalled Five Star
Failure, so a benefit concert was a logical way to go.

"We started out by talking about the Escape (dance club) in the Memorial
Union -- we were going to rent it out for the event," said Kassab. "But one
thing led to another, and we figured out it was just going to be too
costly. The whole point of this is to raise money, not spend it. So we
decided to keep it here at Lambda Chi."

Five Star Failure was joined by two other bands, AlterEGO and One Buck
Short, for a concert from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the Lambda Chi House.
Guests paid $3 each -- every dollar of which goes to Alice and her family.

It's been a big project for both fraternities.

"I would consider this one to be above and beyond," said Kassab. "I mean,
we've put so much work into this, lots of guys on a team handling this: one
guy handling public relations, one keeping in touch with the family, one in
charge of marketing, one in charge of music -- it's been a big project.
Lots of people are working on it."

So what's next? Members of both fraternities said they aren't about to dust
off their hands and consider their duty done.

"After tonight, it's trying to raise more money for them," said Matt Knapp,
a member of Acacia. "I see it as an ongoing process."

"Yeah -- tonight is to jump-start the financial situation for them," said
Knapp's fraternity brother Chris Martin.

"And we did pretty good, because we've raised over $1,000 already -- not
counting what they're taking at the door," added Juissepp Rodriguez, also
an Acacia member.

"We were actually talking about making this a continual project until she's
taken care of," said Kassab. "Because, like I said, the family does have a
large load on their backs right now."

Anyone interested in contributing to the fraternities' fund-raising efforts
for Alice can call Kassab on his cell phone at (503) 888-8605.

Copyright © 2004 Corvallis Gazette-Times