Jeffrey Katlien – Adopted by the UCLA “Lunch Bunch”
In 1998, Jeffery Katlien (SUNY Albany ’94) moved to Los Angeles at 27 years-old to start a chiropractic practice. Distance made him miss the connection he had with Pi Lambda Phi. But 3,000 miles from home, he found that the Pilam brotherhood carried farther than he knew.
He said, “In 2000, I got a postcard that Stanley King (UCLA) was receiving the Big Pi award at the historic Friar’s Club. Understanding that I’d be at least 35 years junior to the youngest brother there. I still said, ‘Hell yeah, I’m going!’ And it turned out to be a great event.”
It led to Jeff being invited to monthly Lunch Bunch meetings where he was welcomed by a group of UCLA brothers from the 50s and 60s, who got together regularly to keep in contact with each other. His experiences gave him a new perspective on Pilam brotherhood.
Getting a warm welcome – “Boooooooo!”
After the Big Pi event, Jeff attended the monthly Lunch Bunch gatherings of old-school UCLA brothers. They were a close-knit group and their chapter produced prominent businessmen, doctors, lawyers, an Olympic gold medalist (Rafer Johnson), a highly successful sports agent (Leigh Steinberg), an NFL Hall of Famer (Jimmy Johnson), and other upstanding members of the community.
From his first meeting, Jeff found he was accepted and welcomed, though when he announced himself as “NY Kappa Alpha Class of ’94” he received a resounding chorus of boos. It was just their way of welcoming him with a dose of biting humor.
The UCLA brothers started every meeting with a round of jokes. Mitch Eggers ’56 who was one of the originators of the Lunch Bunch said when telling stories, “Exaggeration is permitted. Gross exaggeration is preferred. And outright lies are the best of all.”
Jeff began attending their lunches pretty regularly saying, “Their meetings were like a party. They were very, very funny guys.”
Making unlikely connections
Jeff continued to attend many of these gatherings for years and he always felt welcomed. He enjoyed hearing their entertaining stories and meeting some of their most revered members, including Rafer Johnson.
It didn’t matter that he was from a different chapter and a different era (the UCLA chapter closed before Jeff was born). Jeff enjoyed not just their company, but also the nostalgia of the historic LA landmarks where they hosted their events.
Jeff will always be thankful for the friends and contacts he made through the “Lunch Bunch” and is saddened by the fact that many are passing into the Chapter Eternal. But he’ll always remember the way they lived our motto, “Not Four Years, But a Lifetime.”
Does your chapter have a great tradition or a way to stay connected?
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