The smallest of organizations can do the greatest of good. Phi Alpha Delta brought this message to Bert Davis, associate athletic director and students who now use the newly renovated weight room in the basement of the Student Recreation Center.
Under the supervision of Davis, seven active brothers and several alumni spent 17 and a half hours during the third weekend in July, painting the walls and cleaning the machines, weights and floor mats.
"People called the place the dungeon," said Keith Horbatuck, president of Phi Alpha Delta. "The machines were bad. The place was disgusting."
"They supplied the labor, and I supplied the materials," Davis said.
"They had inspiration and followed through, and deserve a lot of credit," Davis added.
Mike Robortaccio, vice president of the organization and director of the weight room clean-up, said that a regular group of about 50 students use the room throughout the day to work with heavier weights than those in the Packer Hall gym. The weight room is equipped with free weights, barbells and dumbbells.
The fraternity's efforts are part of a larger renovation that is taking place at the Rec. Center. "We are going to be renovating the entire building in phases," Davis said.
The first phase is currently underway.
The College is installing a new heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system in the Rec. Center.
Upon completion of the HVAC system, the College plans to create racquetball courts and fitness rooms for power lifting, free weights and cardiovascular equipment.
Rooms for activities like aerobics and martial arts will also be included.
"We are revitalizing the entire building, and bringing it back to a rec. center," Davis said.
The brothers of Phi Alpha Delta are happy to be able to give something back to the campus.
"Because we are a local fraternity, we get to pick and choose projects. We vote on projects that benefit the community and campus as a whole," Robortaccio said.
Phi Alpha Delta participates in a range of community service events including a monthly campus clean-up, and is in the process of signing up members to compete in the Philadelphia Marathon to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
"Even though we are a small organization, we try our best to give back," Robortaccio said of the fraternity, which has seven active brothers.
"Even with limited manpower, there are a lot of things you can do if you put your mind to it."
