On Saturday, Oct. 12, the University’s Xi chapter of Psi Upsilon (Psi U) hosted the Middletown Fire Department for dinner in their ballroom, bringing back an annual tradition that halted before the pandemic. The event honored the first responders on shift Saturday night with a delicious Italian meal from Avella’s & Melilli’s Italian Specialty Market and Catering and Pizzeria.

President of the Chapter Cate Baldwin ’26 addressed the gathering and expressed her gratitude for not only the Middletown community, but also those who serve it.

“We hope to continue this tradition as a way to build our relationship with Wesleyan and the Middletown communities,” Baldwin said. “While we may set off fire alarms and make the occasional poor choice, we’re immensely thankful for your ongoing dedication to our community.”

Another fraternity brother, Owen Forbes ’25, described his experience dining with members of the Department.

“I was lucky enough to share a table with three other Psi U brothers and four firefighters,” Forbes said. “They were extremely generous in answering our questions, which I am sure they’ve had to answer a thousand times. They explained their wide range of responsibilities from being on the diving team to delivering babies. We talked about school, sports, and family, and, with some guilt, asked what percentage of their calls are Wesleyan fire alarms in senior houses. A lot, was basically their answer.”

One attendee from the fire department, Lieutenant Dan Canevari, echoed Forbes’ sentiments.

“Students are typically running out because they set something on fire or they cooked something,” Canevari said. “We have a little bit of interaction with them, but it’s typically them waiting outside for us to fix whatever’s going on.”

In comparison to those quick meetings, the dinner at Psi U was a good change of pace.

“The kids were really social,” Canevari said. “It was good, it showed support. It seemed like [they] had a lot of good questions, really interested in what we do.”

The dinner abruptly ended when the Department’s fire alarm pagers went off, and the fighters jumped up to respond to the call.

“We were honestly lucky they made it so far into the dinner without receiving one sooner,” Forbes said.

This dinner is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the fraternity’s community service and involvement. Psi U’s goal to serve 200 hours of group community service every semester demonstrates their commitment to having a positive impact beyond the University.

“As a member of Psi U, various efforts had been made to reestablish community service efforts [after the pandemic],” Forbes said. “This year, spearheaded by our community service chairs Malachi Johns [’27] and Anthony Crossman [’26], we have been able to…commit to community service on a weekly basis.”

Baldwin further acknowledged those working behind the scenes, emphasizing that their contributions are the backbone of a community’s success.

“As president, it is truly important to me that we honor the people who serve our community,” she explained.

Baldwin’s leadership is focused on fostering a culture of gratitude and appreciation for those who donate their time and efforts to Psi U. Members acknowledge the responsibility that accompanies their status as a fraternity: Though they do not follow the traditional all-male model, they remain conscious of how their historical identity shapes their role within the community. Community service initiatives reflect this awareness, allowing them to uphold their traditional commitments while demonstrating the values they represent.

“For us that means both a community composed of a diverse group of members who make a community for one another, but also Psi U as an entity contributing to the community in which it is a part of,” Forbes said. “Hosting this dinner was a great way to connect with and learn from people outside of Wesleyan and to find a small way to express some gratitude for the work the fire department does for all of us.”

Annika Wilewicz can be reached at awilewicz@wesleyan.edu.

Sophie Jager can be reached at sjager@wesleyan.edu.