THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 2, 1995 TAG: 9512020564
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
Halloween's gremlins have become Santa's elves.
Little more than a month after a fraternity prank left the children of Larchmont with a bitter new understanding of ``trick or treat,'' a group of Old Dominion University students who stole pumpkins, flags and other decorations hosted a Christmas party for their victims.
``I'm thrilled,'' said Scott Ward, president of the Larchmont Civic League. ``I don't want people to think that Larchmont and ODU can't coexist. We are good neighbors.''
And the frat guys? ``They are up and coming, nice kids.''
It's a big change from a few weeks ago.
Just before Halloween, residents of Larchmont - a community nestled between the sprawling ODU campus and the Elizabeth and Lafayette rivers - noticed that Halloween decorations were vanishing.
They later discovered many of the items outside an apartment on 40th Street near the campus where a fraternity party was to be held.
University officials later linked three social fraternities - Delta Sigma Phi, Lambda Chi Alpha and Pi Kappa Alpha - to the thefts.
The vandals may not have realized it then, but with each hijacked jack-o-lantern, shanghaied scarecrow and purloined pendant, they also stole a little youthful innocence.
Kathy Jublou was among those whose pumpkins vanished.
``We had hidden them under some bushes so they wouldn't be stolen,'' she recalled. It didn't work. ``We never got to the carving part.''
Her two sons, Alex, 8, and Nick, 10, were disappointed. There were no jack-o-lanterns at the Jublou home, thanks to the frat guys.
Friday night, both boys were off having a ball, the sadness of a month earlier forgotten. Again, thanks to the frat guys.
The party was held in a small park at the corner of Bolling Avenue and Hampton Boulevard, adjacent to the campus.
With some bright lights, a couple pots of cider warmed on a camp stove, a decorated Christmas tree, and a stereo system playing Christmas carols - not to mention miniature candy canes that the college kids chewed as fervently as the little kids did - the Christmas spirit came alive under a moonlit sky.
``I wanted to make sure they did something for the children. But they took the idea and did even more.
``When I outlined what we had in mind (with the fraternity members), they said, `OK, Mr. Ward. But we can do better than that.' And they did.''
One fraternity brother's father, who is in the carnival business, loaned a ``moon walk'' that had kids lining up waiting to bounce, jump, fall and romp on the inflated surface. There was even a city fire truck on hand to climb in and over.
Although only a few frat members were responsible for the thefts, with the honor of their chapters at stake, all three fraternities are shouldering responsibility for making things right.
``We spent the last two weeks getting this ready,'' said John Wheary, 21, community services chairman for PKA. ``We wanted to show how sorry we are.''
For Wheary, the whole incident - which he was not involved in - was particularly embarassing. His family lives in Larchmont.
Now, he wonders if it wasn't ``a blessing in disguise.'' He said the PKA brothers have already decided to make the Christmas party an annual event. They also plan to get involved with nearby Larchmont Elementary School.
``We'd like to say we would have done this anyway,'' said Michael Pleasants, 22, of Louisa, PKA president. ``But I don't know if we would have pulled it off this quick otherwise.''
Delta Sigma Phi, which procured Santa's visit Friday night, is also looking ahead.
``We're planning to hold an Easter egg hunt for the neighborhood,'' said Ariel Mordetsky, president of Delta Sigma Phi.
And the mood of several residents Friday night was gracious. ``They are making good strides at improving community relations,'' said Jublou. ``This is an opportunity for us to all get together.''
In essence: Apology accepted. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by BILL TIERNAN, The Virginian-Pilot
Jimmy Turrietta and his granddaughter, Anna, 18 months, dance during
a Christmas party and tree-lighting hosted by the ODU fraternity
that stole pumpkins at Halloween. The fraternity says it plans to
make the Christmas party an annual event. A slow shutter speed
created the antler look on Turrietta's head. At right are lights
from the Christmas tree.
by CNB