Winter Retreat 2014

By February 18, 2014Blog

By Kevin Kim

Every winter, the brothers of Alpha Zeta Chapter trek deep into Leavenworth, Washington for their annual Junior Active (JA) Retreat. This opportunity not only sharpens the professional development of each individual member, but also reenergizes the chapter’s internal morale as a whole.

The JA Retreat educates new initiates on the necessities of becoming an active leader within the fraternity. External Vice President Josh Chen facilitated the leadership dialogues on risk reduction among the new member intake process, performance assessments of all officers, and deep readings of the chapter constitution. The executive board also shared both their short-term and long-term strategies for meeting the future goals of the house.

Despite the heavy snow, the brothers enjoyed their trip to the heart of City of Leavenworth where they immersed themselves with locally signature activities. From chowing down on German style frankfurters to indulging on habanero hot sauce, brothers reveled in each experience. Came nightfall, brothers enjoyed the amenities offered within their cabin and let off some steam through various contact sports: boxing, taekwondo, and wrestling.

The final night of the JA Retreat erupted with earnest catharsis. All brothers seized the chance to speak on any internal/external matters that needed resolving. President Gary Ho was most critical of his own leadership. However, as each brother spoke about how great of a job they believe their president has done for the chapter, everyone’s newly hyped “Lambda Fire” burned with renewed intensity.

Although the retreat ended quicker than most anticipated, it remained a memorable and empowering experience for everyone. Alpha Zeta Chapter of Lambda Phi Epsilon now stands stronger with reaffirmed ambition and drive for the upcoming year.