Tau Kappa Epsilon Beta-Chi at SIUC

12/04/2020

Make a donation today!

Help TKE fight childhood cancer by supporting the kids of St. Jude.

09/13/2020

And we’re back ! Fall 2020 Rush is in full swing with several events to offer. Following Covid guidelines, events will be limited to 10 people MAX so RSVP by contacting our recruitment chair, Mark Lorden, at 312-888-6211.

Tau Kappa Epsilon builds Better Men for a Better World.

03/12/2020

With fears looming of the COVID-19 outbreak, SIU is seeing an exceeding number of cancellations for classes and campus events alike. Everyone take great care this extended spring break! Be safe and take precautions to avoid the viral spread!

04/19/2019

The results are in! We and our friends over at Alpha Gamma Delta were able to raise over $6,000 during our naked mile two weeks ago. TKE’s and Gam’s donated used clothes they didn’t need anymore to those who could use them and the final tally was over $6,000. Way to go guys and girls!

03/02/2019

Day 7, Saturday, March 2nd: Dan Sepulveda and Mark Yoder took a gentle 7.5 mile trek down through the rain forest to Mweka Gate at 5,347 feet. After finishing some National Park formalities, they will be on their way to a hotel with a hot shower and a soft bed.

The climb that Dan and Mark just did is not as difficult as the “climb” many of St Jude children face. Please consider supporting this St Jude Children’s Research Hospital fundraiser by making a donation

Help TKE fight childhood cancer by supporting the kids of St. Jude.

03/01/2019

Day 6, Friday, March 1st: Dan Sepulveda and Mark Yoder woke up about midnight to start the very long day and climb to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro. They hiked up a steep climb pass the summit glaciers in a scree field for 4 or 5 hours. They should have reached the crater rim at 18,828 feet known as Stella Point to see the first rays of the morning sun. They can now see some spectacular ice cliffs surrounding them. They had an hour climb to the summit at 19,341 feet.

https://inreach.garmin.com/textmessage/txtmsg?extId=13928837-b894-49d8-be18-62f7b7ec5d5b&adr=davbegin%40gmail.com

After a short rest at the top of Mt Kilimanjaro they start the long decent down going back to Barafu Camp for breakfast and then on down to Millennium Camp for a long rest at 12,434 feet elevation. It was a cold long difficult day for Dan and Mark (8.3 miles and 12 to 15 hours) but not as difficult as the “climb” the St Jude children with cancer have. Please consider supporting this St Jude Children’s Research Hospital fundraiser by making a donation at https://tke.org/mountain/.

02/28/2019

Great news! Dan and Mark have just topped $7,000 in donations for their climb in support of St. Jude Children's Hospital. Help them get to the $10,000 goal by Monday! https://tke.org/mountain/

Day 5, Thursday, Feb 28th, Dan Sepulveda and
Mark Yoder crossed a desolate scree slope with no vegetation. It was a tough steep climb made more difficult by the altitude. They arrived at Barafu Camp at 15,223 feet elevation. They had an early dinner and then tried to get some sleep for the midnight start to the summit.

https://inreach.garmin.com/textmessage/txtmsg?extId=b35567af-1c5b-4f81-b30c-aa3e4d0c375a&adr=davbegin%40gmail.com

Help TKE fight childhood cancer by supporting the kids of St. Jude.

02/27/2019

Day 4, Wednesday, Feb. 27th, Dan Sepulveda and Mark Yoder started their day by hiking down into the Great Barranco ravine. Then they exited steeply up the Great Barranco Wall and then pass the Heim and Kersten glaciers. They hiked across the Karanga valley and then up a steep climb to the Karanga Camp at 13,001 feet above sea-level. This was only a 3.4-mile hike but at 13,000 feet elevation it took them 5 hours.

Please consider supporting this St Jude Children’s Research Hospital fundraiser by making a donation at tke.org/mountain/ .

https://inreach.garmin.com/textmessage/txtmsg?extId=f8a730fc-59ee-4778-a394-bb713fddcf94&adr=davbegin%40gmail.com

Help TKE fight childhood cancer by supporting the kids of St. Jude.

02/26/2019

Mt. Kilimanjaro for St. Jude
Day Two and Three

Please consider donating directly to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital by using the link below. Frater Danny Thomas (member of Tau Kappa Epsilon and Founder of St. Jude) will be proud of you. If you gave a penny for every foot that Dan and Mark have climbed on Days two and three (from 9,117 to 13,038), you would be giving $31.21. Please go to (tke.org/mountain) and give $31.21.

Monday, February 25th: Dan Sepulveda and Mark Yoder are continuing to climb up and out of the forest. They reached a steep ascent onto the Shira Plateau, where they can now see the top of Mt Kilimanjaro. They hiked 3.4 miles and got to the Shira Camp at 12,614 feet elevation. Above 12,000 feet elevation, the night time temperatures are below freezing. Us this link for a map showing the location of the Shira Camp.

https://inreach.garmin.com/textmessage/txtmsg?extId=9e3ea306-baf9-49e0-a048-2ffc00cb04c1&adr=davbegin%40gmail.com

Tuesday, February 26th: Dan and Mark are now hiking on high moorland, the landscape changes the entire character of the trek. They traversed the southwest side of Kilimanjaro passing under the Lava Tower and the final section of the Western Breach to reach the Barranco Camp at 12,992 feet elevation. The air is getting thinner and harder to breathe. It took them 8 hours to hike 6.7 miles. Use this link for a map showing the location of the Barranco Camp.

https://inreach.garmin.com/textmessage/txtmsg?extId=5e8d4308-b427-4acc-882b-67f8fa27406b&adr=davbegin%40gmail.com

02/25/2019

Mark Yoder reported today his SAT phone that the group has arrive at Shira Camp.

"Day 2, Monday, Feb 25th, we are continuing to climb up and out of the forest. We reached a steep ascent onto the Shira Plateau, where we can now see the top of Mt Kilimanjaro."

They hiked 3.4 miles and got to the Shira Camp at 12,614 feet elevation. Above 12,000 feet elevation, the night time temperatures are below freezing.

Please consider supporting this St Jude Children’s Research Hospital fundraiser by making a donation at https://tke.org/mountain/ ."

https://inreach.garmin.com/textmessage/txtmsg?extId=9e3ea306-baf9-49e0-a048-2ffc00cb04c1&adr=davbegin%40gmail.com

02/25/2019

Many of you may be wondering about the special connection between Tau Kappa Epsilon and the St. Jude Children's Hospital. St. Jude was founded by Danny Thomas, who was a very famous television star in the 1950s and 1960s, although his career lasted five decades. As you can see in these photos, he is also a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon, having been initiated by the Gamma-Nu Chapter at the University of Toledo.

02/24/2019

Mark has borrowed a SAT phone from his friend David Begin and can send us his GPS coordinates periodically. He reports that "Everything is A-OK" and they are at the Weru Weru River Lodge preparing for the ascent. Follow this link to see their location on a map.

https://inreach.garmin.com/textmessage/txtmsg?extId=a8750f8c-7400-4bb0-9e8f-745b72ea97b7&adr=davbegin%40gmail.com

And, as always, we would love for you to support Dan and Mark by going to https://TKE.org/mountain and donating to St. Jude Children's Hospital.