Dear Editor,
In a letter recently published in the East Tennessean (March 20 issue) I couldn’t help but notice an article criticizing my fraternity for our waste, which then continued on to deface our creed.
It is true that a group of 50 men can come up with a lot of trash, but I don’t feel this problem warrants our image being tarnished.
It’s a much easier task buying into the stereotypes of Greeks and criticizing us than taking notice of our contributions to the community.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon at ETSU has contributed more than 40 hours to the Children’s Speedway Charities through the Bristol Motor Speedway and helped raise over $50,000.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon participates annually in “The True Gentleman Day of Service” which is sponsored nationally by our 200-plus chapters. Every Christmas we sponsor families from the Angel Tree in the D. P. Culp Center and every spring we compete and receive a high placement in Relay for Life.
We have contributed service to Coalition for Kids, the National Kidney Foundation, and the Up ‘Til Dawn letter-writing campaign to benefit the St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
It is important to note that all of this service is from the past year alone.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s roster includes several Preview and Orientation leaders, executive members of the Up ‘Til Dawn and Relay For Life committees, and recent alumni who have helped found two other campus organizations, Bucs Against Drunk Driving and the College Republicans.
If my chapter was comprised of nothing but drunk guys in boat shoes, with nothing better to do than skip class and litter for fun, most of our service and philanthropy would not have come into fruition.
If anyone wishes to criticize my chapter in the future, please ask yourself first, “what have I done lately?”
-Todd Maynard, president, Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Editor’s note: Holly Dillon contacted the East Tennessean on Thursday, March 20 asking to withdraw her letter to the editor about Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Unfortunately, the East Tennessean had already been sent to be printed and no changes could be made at the time. We apologize for any inconvenience.

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