 Well, there are some nice things about this job I've got and one of them is the chance to have a few fraternity brothers over to the house But it is wonderful to have you here, and incidentally I I also learned in public speaking never open with an apology but then also if you're public speaking you should get here on time, and I didn't and That's kind of normal that there's a certain time in the day when I find myself automatically behind schedule But I apologize for that and the fact when things are over in here Going in the blue room, and then we'll have a chance to meet each one of you individually and In there, and I'll be waiting and looking forward to seeing you since 1929 talkapa epsilon has been important to me as I know it has to so many of you the friendships and the Valuable experience. I enjoyed there in iota chapter have been one of the more satisfying things in my life In addition to a chance to reminisce today also provides me the chance to note the enormous good work That is done by the American College fraternity movement Each year fraternity men contribute over one million hours of public service and raise over seven million dollars to support hospitals health research and other private sector initiatives, and that's quite a difference from the old days when they used to paint fraternities and sororities is somehow dens of evil and Capitalistic frailties American fraternities striving together for the common good. I've had a great positive effect throughout the country They're helping to promote sound values like scholarship Leadership and service to alma mater and community. I know in my own day if your grades fell below a certain point You were introduced to assume the angle So I just want to take a second here and Salute the National Interfraternity Conference on 75 years of service to the fraternity movement There's one other item that I want very much to mention back in 1929 I was informed the TKE is a fraternity for life Well next year the TKE educational foundation begins an important campaign to establish an endowment I've Tried to be a supporter of the foundation for more than 20 years and I can tell you firsthand That the work of the foundation means a great deal to the future of our fraternity Our nation was built by people helping people Generation passing on to generation the permanent things And today future generations of TEEks rely on the support of the TEEK alumni so I hurtly and hardly endorse the TEEK educational foundation and encourage everyone to do their part and So Frotter's in the bond May I say how good it was to have all of you over to the house today? Continue sharing our brotherhood with new young men on the campus throughout the United States and Canada Extending our bond and its tradition for excellence is worthy work Work that with your help will prosper and endure for many generations to come And with that I will just say again a heartfelt thanks and God bless all of you Mr. President fraternities are known by the members that they keep active and involved and certainly your involvement In TKE has been well-chronical from the very moment you signed the scroll of iota chapter Eureka College You have lived the very principles of talk Epsilon those principles of love charity and esteem your undergraduate activities as Hagamon and big brother and Honor he store and then to chapter pretense chapter president Demonstrated even then your natural ability to be a leader by continuing your service as an alumni member You have indeed put meaning into our fraternity motto the fraternity for life Your continued visits to iota chapter and your assistance and producing our fraternity for life film and our subsequent slide Presentation has helped TKE to record its own tradition of excellence throughout history Your personal commitment to excellence and as chairman of the grand prettiness advisory committee Helped us to set the direction of our long-range plan our long-range goals and the development of our educational foundation as you have pointed out your personal support of the TKE educational foundation has indeed helped us to Help perpetuate the values that we all share and so mr. President we are here today as witnesses to the success that you have achieved through your personal dedication and involvement And as a role model for literally thousands of young men Mr president the order of the golden eagle is the highest award that TKE can bestow upon a frotter in the bond The eagle of course is identified with strength dignity and authority attributes which you eloquently and forcefully personify Therefore it's most befitting that this order of the golden eagle be given to a teak who has demonstrated this his leadership and success By being elected by the people of this nation to serve as president of these united states So frotter reagan i'm deeply honored to be here today and on behalf of the entire grand council The leadership of our educational foundation Our undergraduate students and the hundred and fifty thousand teaks throughout the world To present to you with our hark fell thanks Teaks highest and most prestigious award the order of the golden eagle Mr president the 57 Fraternities of the national fraternity conference are proud that there's one among us who has distinguished himself and his life achievements That the 1983 annual meeting of the conference you mr. President were selected to become a recipient of the n i c gold medal We feel very privileged to be here this afternoon and to have this special time to recognize your achievements as an outstanding fraternity member The gold medal was first given by the n i c in 1940 to individuals who had distinguished themselves in service to youth A life devoted of service to the fraternity system Personification of the gold of service to youth Champion of the efforts to raise fraternity standards freely time given effort and energy promotion of sound educational attainments of positive advantages to youth and representation of the composite aim Of all fraternity leaders and workers to improve the service of the educational and fraternity systems We take great pride that the membership in a fraternity can offer students the leadership development opportunities Necessary for them to become businessmen scientists doctors lawyers clergymen educators athletes entertainers and yes, even president of the united states Although 15 former presidents have been members of n i c fraternities You mr. President are the first so honored by this conference And so on behalf of the board of directors of the conference the 57 member fraternities and some three million fraternity men I am proud to present to you frotter president The conference is highest honor the gold medal which is uh the Proud embolication of those ideals that we discussed. Thank you very much Thank you very much. You've Believe me have made me very proud and may I say also in this helping of others of talk app epsilon talk app epsilon did more than just honor me with Brotherhood in the fraternity Teak named dan benethiel was instrumental in My choosing eureka college And then becoming a teak And I couldn't have chosen any college If talk app epsilon iota chapter Had not given me a job Waiting on tables and washing dishes In my pledge year and I must say having given me that experience and made it economically possible for me to go to college Then of course when I became a member I was no longer permitted to hold that job So my brother got the job And That experience then led to one of the better jobs that I've ever had in my life Because my second year in school I started washing dishes in the girl's dormitory But thank you all very much. I'm going to go over into that other room there the blue room and uh out that way All right, and then look forward to seeing and being able to greet each one of you individually