Alpha Phi Omega, co-ed service fraternity, trains pledges in service

Every Monday and Thursday evening, sophomore Alex Luboff makes his way to Boxcar Books at the corner of Third and Washington streets. He spends the next several hours pouring over letters, filling book requests and packaging, reading materials to be sent to prisoners all over the United States in a collaborative effort for Pages to Prisoners. \nThe weekly service project, directed toward prisoner rehabilitation and self-education, is just one of many volunteer initiatives hosted and organized by Alpha Phi Omega. \nAlpha Phi Omega is a coed national service fraternity that focuses on promoting fellowship, leadership development and service. The fraternity has chapters in all 50 states as well as in Australia, Canada and the Philippines. \n“We serve the campus, community and the nation,” President Jenny Rohde said. “There is a lot of emphasis on leadership roles, and we often have meetings and socials. We don’t just do service projects all the time. We also get together, have fun and bond as an organization.” \nEvery semester, the fraternity has a rush period for students interested in becoming members. This semester, the pledge class consists of 44 pledges, which Rohde said is an ideal number.\nSo far, the pledge class has been ambitious in serving the community. Rohde and Luboff both said the new pledge class has already shown will to get involved in the community. \n“This is a really good group,” Luboff said. “This semester we have pledges that have done some amazing things already. The class really wants to branch out and not just do a simple fundraiser or a one-time event, but a big-brother type of project for mentoring kids. I really like to see that kind of ambition; it definitely bodes well for the future.”\nAlthough Rohde stressed that membership is nonexclusive, all its members have a variety of qualities and interests. \n“We look for someone who is involved in multiple areas and activities; it makes for a very diverse environment. We’re interested in people who want to be involved and help out,” she said.\nEach pledge class is responsible for a specific project before initiation into the organization. The current class is planning an effort in collaboration with the Bloomington Boys and Girls Club or another youth-development organization that focuses on mentoring children and encouraging them to become involved in their communities. \nThe chapter has also begun planning its active semester service project, which will involve the current initiated members. The project will include a Battle of the Bands competition Dec. 1 at Rhino’s Youth Center and All-Ages Music Club. The event will have judges and prizes, and all proceeds will go toward Wonderlab, a Bloomington children’s museum oriented toward science and research.\nAnother one of the fraternity’s distinct qualities is its emphasis on leadership. \n“Even as a new pledge, you have the power to tell the active body about a certain organization or project going on in the community, and you can get people involved with it,” said Luboff, who helps guide pledges through the membership process and serves as a pledge-trainer, mentor and reference. \nBesides planning semester service projects, both the pledge class and active members of the fraternity chapter volunteer with several organizations around Bloomington. Besides Pages to Prisoners, Alpha Phi Omega volunteers with the Hoosier Hills Food Bank, Bloomington Parks and Recreation and the Bloomington Animal Shelter. The organization actively participates in highway cleanups and recently collaborated with other Alpha Phi Omega chapters from all over Indiana for a tree-planting expedition in Indianapolis.