The Alumni Association urges alums to support the active chapter's 7th Annual Boxcar Derby which will be held on Saturday, March 28, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., near the intersection of South University and Linden Street (about 1 1/2 blocks from the chapter house). Local alums with children may wish to consider having them participate in the race.

The Alumni Association is partnering with the active chapter to host a BBQ fundraiser which will be held in conjunction with the Boxcar Derby from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. near the finish line.  Both the Boxcar Derby and the BBQ are open to the general public.

After the event, the Alumni Association, active chapter and Metro Detroit PDT Club are planning to hold a Founders Day ceremony in the chapter house which is open to alums and their guests.

Since its inception in 2009, the Boxcar Derby has been co-hosted with Ann Arbor Active Against ALS. Over the years, the Derby has raised awareness about ALS -- also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease -- and thousands of dollars that help to fund research intended to mitigate, if not eventually cure, this terrible disease.

ALS afflicts more than 30,000 people in the U.S. of which about 1,000 live in Michigan.  Each year, more than 500 new cases are diagnosed in Michigan while over 5,000 additional people are stricken across America.  Sadly, most people with ALS only live about 2 to 5 years after experiencing their first signs of disease. 

Fighting ALS is  Phi Delta Theta's (PDT) top philanthropic priority for the fraternity's General Headquarters and most local chapters across the nation.  The Alumni Association is proud to join with our active chapter to make the Boxcar Derby one of the best philanthropy events for ALS run by any PDT chapter in the country.  

View the 85th Volume of Sword & Shield newsletter online at https://www.scribd.com/doc/259721067/PDT-MA-Sword-Shield-Newsletter-2014-Review-FINAL.

The Metro Detroit PDT Alumni Club was founded in 2014 to periodically invite all Phi Delt alums living in Southeastern Michigan to get together for social, networking and philanthropic activities.

In December, more than 30 alums from over six chapters attended the "Winter Social" held at the Atwater Brewery in Grosse Pointe Park which is owned by a PDT alum from Michigan State University.  As a philanthropic effort held in spirit of Founders Day, the Club has invited Phis to attend Michigan Alpha's Boxcar Derby and BBQ on Saturday, March 28, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., which will be followed by a Founders Day ceremony in the chapter house (open to alums and their guests).

The Club posts events and announcements on its Facebook page that all Phi alums are encouraged to join
(https://www.facebook.com/MetroDetroitPhiDeltaThetaAlumniClub).

For more information about the Club, please contact President Gary Scypta, Ohio Mu '77 (Ashland University) by e-mail at gscypta@sanfordrose.com.