Overview
Withinside April of 1914, a Los Amigos club formed a national fraternity at the University of California in Berkeley. That fraternity is Alpha Kappa Lambda. In todays world AKL has chapters set coast-to-coast of the United States. A Fraternity has terminated 22,000 initiated members & has granted charters in 76 campuses. Alpha Kappa Lambda occurs when collegic fraternity, as it's independent cause is to strive toward betterment of men around the collegic setting.

History and Tradition
Many students attending a University of California at Berkeley in 1906 discussed the possibility of forming the home club in which it may survive together when men & brothers, helping both extra, encouraging every more, & possibly residing more economically than it can on an individual basis.

A earthquake that devastated San Francisco that year delayed the formation of the club for a instance, however around 1907 the idea was brought higher once more among Charles Booth, Harry Osborne, Joseph Taylor & Gail Cleland when it were attending a YMCA Conference together at Pacific Grove, California.

There it processed plans to start Los Amigos, a home club known as from either the Spanish translation of "The Friends." These men were joined around 1907 by William Barnum, Harold Savage, Oscar Perrine, Herman Bergh, Leonard Day, Allen Kimball, & Ludwig Rehfuess.

Seven years late inside 1914, in response to a guide of Benjamin Ide Wheeler, the President of the University of California, Los Amigos organized thehouse club as a national fraternity of 1 chapter." Alpha Kappa Lambda became the first fraternity founded west of the Rocky Mountains.

Fraternity motto
The motto of The Fraternity of Alpha Kappa Lambda is "Alethia Kai Logos," which in Classical Greek means "A Truth & a Word." Former AKL National President William B. Herms explains "A shibboleth occurs as symbolical statement of my Ideals. I am seekers when Truth, a greatest Truth, if you please . . . & a Word, which once more lends itself to interpretation."

Fraternity badge
The Official Badge of the Fraternity is made of ten carat (42 %) gold, and is set with 11 whole pearls. Among other principles, the eleven pearls represent the original founders of the Los Amigos Club. The badge is worn only on collared shirts, sweaters, or suit vests, and in the traditional position over the heart. The badge may only be worn by initiated members of the Fraternity.

The yellow rose
The Souvenir de Claudis Pernet, described as a tantalizing yellow rose was adopted as the Fraternity's Official Flower at the 6th National Conclave in 1927, because "it was non expensive, & its deep golden color matched swell by using a colors of AKL." The flower was a popular rose in early 1900's. While the Souvenir de Claudis Pernet itself is no longer widely grown, it has many hybridized descendants. The rose was originally bred by a famous French rose-breeder, Joseph Pernet-Ducher, who named the rose after one of his sons who died in World War I.

National service projects

These Hands Don't Hurt
Alpha Kappa Lambda realizes that sexual assault is a serious problem on college campuses and believes that it can be fought through education, service and philanthropy projects. The philanthropic fundraising aspect is the most visible of the three. The fundraising is performed via a “Promise Wall.� The Promise Wall is displayed prominently in a high traffic area of campus. Students, faculty, and members of the community are asked to add their “hand� to the Promise Wall for a contribution of $1. By placing their “hand� on this wall they make a promise that their hand will not be used to harm others.

Cystic fibrosis
The Fraternity adopted Cystic Fibrosis as a national philanthropy at 1990 National Conclave. Chapters support the fight against Cystic Fibrosis in many ways. Chapter fundraisers provide financial support to local organizations, research, and individuals. Chapters provide manpower to help local organizations' events. Members can have holiday or birthday parties for children suffering from CF. There are countless ways to touch the lives of CF sufferers and their families.

Adopt-A-School
The Adopt-A-School program was endorsed by the National Executive Council during their 1994 winter meeting. The goal of the program is to provide for the formation of one-on-one relationships between local college students and local elementary students. This program provides an opportunity for college students to give something back to their host communities while devoting time and energy to be a role model for young children.