Cross & Crescent

Core Values form the foundation of Lambda Chi Alpha’s approach to brotherhood. As a part of the True Brother Initiative, our Seven Core Values — Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Service & Stewardship, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage — once learned and internalized equip each Lambda Chi Alpha undergraduate brother and associate member with a clear moral compass always orienting him, no matter the environment or consequences, toward making ethical decisions. true brother sidebar

For Lambda Chi Alpha, it is not enough simply to know how to do things the right way; more importantly, it is to do the right things, for brotherhood and leadership are ultimately about action, about doing.

Core Value in Action: Service & Stewardship

Mark Eberhart (Maryland-Baltimore County 1994) has phantom pains all day everyday, “It sucks, it feels like he has a left foot and it feels like he is getting a tattoo 24 hours a day.” “it helped him chill out.” He says life doesn’t go the way you want or expect but losing his leg has made him mentally stronger and has matured him ways he never thought possible.

Eberhart grew up as an athlete. He was MVP of his high school state championship cross country team and a student athlete for the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. By the spring of 1994 he had pain in his in his left leg, which was diagnosed as cancer. In 1996, he had his first surgery, which was an initially successful insurgence against the cancer. Unfortunately, the cancer reappeared, which called for more surgeries in 2003 and the eventual amputattion of Mark’s leg in 2005.

“I am better off now than I was right after 2003 surgery,” says Eberhart. “Just before the amputation, I had so much of my leg removed it looked like a shark had bitten a chunk out of my leg. It was like slowly dying.”

Through his trials, Eberhart has learned he has a personal need to be involved and spends time working with cancer victims and amputees.

In 1998, Eberhart fielded a team in the local Relay for Life. He admits he was initially interested in the event because he thought it was a competitive 24 hour race but after realizing his mistake he formed a team anyway. The Lifeguards, as Eberhart’s team is known, has been actively partaking in the event ever since. Howard County Relay created the Team Spirit Award in 1998 specifically for The Lifeguards, who have become somewhat of a local legend, so that the group’s liveliness would not go unrecognized. The event has become a flagship event for the Maryland-Baltimore County chapter.

Eberhart is also active in with Team River Runner, a group that helps veterans of the Iraq and Afghan wars recuperating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center find health, healing, and new challenges through whitewater boating on the Potomac River. While the focus of Team River Runner’s work is on soldiers recuperating at Walter Read, the group also provides whitewater boating opportunities for family members as well as for other wounded veterans. He says he has learned how to outfit his kayak and has transferred that knowledge to other amputees. He says he takes joy in teaching veterans how to roll and work kayaks and taking them out on the water, including Class 4 rapids.

Throughout his battle with cancer and the many difficulties associated with losing his leg, Eberhart has found an inspiring and meaningful way to serve his country and exemplify Lambda Chi Alpha’s Core Value of Service & Stewardship.