There is something really special about 1518 Kincaid. The house, built in 1925, boasts of history and Pi Phi Pride. It is evident that there is consistently heart and soul poured in this house, with a strong CHC at the helm.

When I attended the Oregon Alpha Centennial, women of all ages passed through the house whispering “remember when we used to study in here?” or “that was my favorite place to nap!” Over the years, furniture has changed, and what was once was carpet may now be hardwood flooring, but the sentiments are the same — no matter what pledge class year, the women of Oregon Alpha loved their house.

During the Centennial, I was able to meet with two of the women that have made 1518 Kincaid a special home away from home for many women: Janet Uhlenhake Clay, Oregon Alpha ‘69 and Sharon Loomis Greig, Oregon Alpha ‘75. They shared their stories of how they became involved with CHC. While their post-grad journeys may have been different, their paths would eventually cross in the 2000’s when they became members of Oregon Alpha Chapter House Corporation.

“There was a lot of deferred maintenance when I joined in 2004,” explained Sharon. “But we had a solid group of women with a good mixture of expertise, and we made the changes happen.” A few years later, and Sharon brought Janet on board.

“Sharon is the reason I’m here! I wanted to get involved, and CHC is a good fit for me because I don’t love meetings, but I love to do stuff.”

When asked what their favorite project they’ve completed thus far, they both smiled. “THIS ONE!” they said in unison. “Sure beats converting the oil furnace to a high efficiency gas furnace, and the roofing project AND the fire escape project!” laughed Janet. “We just believe in the girls so much. We believe it was worth the time and expenditure to create a place where they were going to do the leadership development; these women are the leaders of this school!”

It is Sharon and Janet’s hope that the “Building for the Next 100 Years” campaign will help mintain the shared experiences in the house that have kept the Oregon Alpha bonds so strong. “These [Oregon Alpha] bonds of friendship are incredible, and they last. That is really remarkable in this world. They carry you through life.”