Anna Nelson

While most students have abandoned Big Falls until next spring, 10 members of Phi Gamma Delta spent their Sunday afternoon at the beach.

There were no volleyballs or beach towels this time though – the fraternity brothers were there to pick up garbage that littered the park.

Jesse Landre, senior and service chairman of Phi Gamma Delta, organized Sunday’s hour and a half community service project through the Adopt-a-Park program.

“We all had a good time going out to do something for the community,” Landre said. “It was a good time for the brothers to get together and help someone else out.”

The fraternity brothers went to both park entrances and picked up bottles, cans and other garbage that littered the entrances and the park.

Eau Claire County Parks and Forest Organization supplied bags for the garbage, Landre said.

Jason Reynolds, a sophomore and member of Phi Gamma Delta, said the fraternity has adopted Big Falls for the month of October. Reynolds participated in their second visit to clean the park this month.

“We pride ourselves in doing projects every semester,” Reynolds said. “We thought this would be a noble project to help clean up the environment in what I think is one of the nicest looking areas around Eau Claire.”

Another project the fraternity did this semester was work at the haunted hallow at Fanny Hill.

The brothers volunteered to dress in costumes to scare kids on the haunted trail.

Last year the members worked through Interface Hospitality Network.

With them, the fraternity helped a homeless shelter on Farwell Street remodel and make other changes.

The fraternity is looking into getting a hot tub to put in their front yard, Landre said.

During the coldest months of the year they will sit in the hot tub and try to raise money to donate to charities.

Phi Gamma Delta was chartered in 1975 and the brothers have lived at a house at 1404 State St. since 1980.

There are 20 members in Phi Gamma Delta.