Delta Tau Delta Fraternity strongly believes that hands-on service is the most effective way to impact a community. I, along with many other of my brothers are very passionate about service and feel that it is our responsibility to use our vast variety of skills in order to help the needs of those in the community. I also believe that serving a community helps build essential leadership skills necessary for life. Serving as a fraternity strengthens our brotherhood since it allows us the work toward a common goal. We often are able to learn from the people we serve, and many of them make an emotional impact in our lives which we can remember forever. Serving truly opens our eyes beyond the sphere of own lives.

Delta Tau Delta's national community service program is Adopt-a-School. Through this program, Delts from across the country impact their communities by partnering with local organizations to serve as positive role models and participate in the education of youth. The Brothers of Alpha Chapter fulfill the adopt-a-school hour requirement by working with a variety of different groups of children in the Meadville community. Some volunteer at Seton Catholic and Second District Elementary schools, where they tutor children with homework and reading. Others such as myself, work at the Gill Village Computer Literacy Program, where children who are living in poverty and do not have computers of their own are taught basic computer skills such as using the internet and typing. The kids are able to express themselves by making a powerpoint presentation of whatever they want, and at the end of the year the presentations are shown to their parents. Other ways in which Delts impacted local children include working at the YMCA, volunteering with Boy Scouts, and helping coach various children's sports teams.

Philanthropy at Alpha Chapter includes more than just Adopt-a-School, as there are numerous ways to impact the Meadville community. Each Delt is required to do 14 hours of service each semester, four of those hours must be Adopt-a-school hours. The other ten hours are for any type of service in the community. Brothers in the past have volunteered at the fire department, served at soup kitchens, raised money for the special olympics, lead Alternative Spring Breaks, worked for Habitat for Humanity, participated in Service Saturdays, served as Bonner and Davies Leaders, and volunteered at the Grounds For Change Coffee Shop. Many brothers also participate in many large service events such as SAMS (Students Against Multiple Sclerosis), Floor Hockey Tournaments, King of the Wing, Up Til' Dawn, Relay for Life, and Make a Difference Day.

Alpha Chapter of Delta Tau Delta believes that committing to a life of excellence means more than just excelling at academics or sports. It also means working actively to strengthen communities and extending a helping hand to the less fortunate, which ultimately can impact the world. Serving is just one of many ways of showing what Deltism really stands for.

~Adam Lessard

Philanthropy Chair