Share Your Gifts

Sisters Share their Many Gifts

By Susan Pelchat, KAPPAN Staff, CT Mu

Each of us has a special gift or talent and no matter how we may underplay it, the way we express it can distinctly set us apart from one another. In this article, members share their special gifts and how they share them with others to entertain, inspire, motivate or just let the cares of the world go away.

“I make quilts, fabulous exciting cuddly love-stitched quilts,” touted Susan Potthoff, NH Beta. She just adores her craft. She makes quilts for members of her family for any occasion. Coming from a family of twelve children, Susan finds there is always someone ready for a quilt. Since retiring from her kindergarten position, she has made over sixty quilts. Susan grew up sewing with her mom and grandmother. She began quilting to decorate her own home, creating her own patterns and quilting on a regular machine. She finds her rewards in the joy each quilt brings and loves the photos people take with their quilts. “These stitches bind us all together,” she declares warmly.

Annette Wauchop, VA Beta Beta, loves to share her gift with others. “My gift is card-making,” she says. “I enjoy making cards and sending or giving them to people to help brighten their day. I have made cards for essential workers, doctors, nurses, firemen, teachers, children in hospitals and patients in the hospital. I recently presented a learning session at our state convention to make cards for residents at Cardinal Village, a facility for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.” Annette loves to improve the day for people and make them smile.

Suzi Bonifay, GA Alpha Iota, became interested in art as a child and pursued courses through college. “While my interests have ranged from drawing, painting, photography, woodworking, jewelry and other crafts, I am perhaps best known for ‘pen and inks’-- primarily of historic buildings,” she said. Suzi has sent pen and ink Christmas cards since the late 70s, some with digitally edited photographs and a few pictures in color. Recently, she colored note cards for her chapter to print as a scholarship fundraiser. She started a Member’s Show for her local Arts Council and has continued to display her art. She has conducted clay jewelry programs for her chapter, students and others. Suzi says she spent most of her youth outdoors but credits her parents with giving her books, art supplies and encouragement. When Suzi taught handicapped high schoolers in Career Tech, she dabbled in woodworking, metals and photographic silk screens etched in glass. “It was as much an education for me as the students I taught. Creating art and photographing wildlife bring me joy and, hopefully, sharing it does the same for others.”

Writing is a passion for Victoria Smith, CA Alpha. She cites that 82% of people want to write a book but only eighteen percent actually see it to fruition. Victoria is one of the latter. She is writing a children’s book. Having wanted to write for a long time, Victoria proclaims, “I’ve written about ten stories and will be publishing my first one soon.” This is her way to achieve fulfillment in retirement and to share her gift with others.

“I have a hidden talent,” revealed Diana Vasicek, MN Alpha Rho. “I play piano.” She confessed that she only shares that talent with family and that many people don’t even know she plays. However, the talent she does share is her crafting skill. Diana has created centerpieces for scholarship teas and other events. She frequently sews items to be used as prizes or raffle items at meetings. She learned to sew at the age of seven and enjoyed passing it on to her own daughter. Now, with Pinterest, she has discovered unending ideas for making purses, gnomes, baby clothes, toys and masks. Diana is happy that she can keep busy, express her creativity and give gifts that are appreciated by others.

English and Hebrew folk songs are a forte of Ruth Shushan, ON Upsilon. As a counselor at a children’s camp, she used to lead 350 campers in rousing songs, chants and cheers. Later, as a primary educator, she used her vocal talent, accompanied sometimes by her mountain dulcimer, to lead the class as they read together the lyrics of familiar songs like ‘You are my Sunshine.’ Now retired from her role as an early literacy teacher, she uses her trained skills to teach her granddaughters the thrill of reading and writing. Over the past 12 years, Ruth has enjoyed singing and playing banjo and dulcimer in harmony with her Celtic quartet. They have performed many ‘gigs’ for nursing and retirement homes. Preparing for the performances at members’ homes once a week all year is such a creative, satisfying and enjoyable process. “But,” Ruth contends, “the greatest reward of all is seeing the faces of those with whom we share our talent and skills.”

Annette Wauchop, VA Beta Beta, loves to share her gift of card-making. Ruth Shushan, ON Upsilon leading campers in song.

Vicki Doyle belongs to CO Alpha Iota. When she came to America at the age of seven, she was put on stage to do small skits and sing. “I think that I was young enough that I had no stage fright,” she said. Vicki loves vocal music. She has sung in choruses, glee clubs and mixed choirs and has performed in vaudeville acts. She joined a church choir and continues to sing there. Playing the piano has also been a passion. She started lessons in the fifth grade, the same year she became a US citizen, and continued to study piano through high school. She also played the pipe organ for her church and credits her parents with giving her the opportunity to make music a part of her life. “I sing because it also releases tension. I hope my audience enjoys the music and that it makes their day. I feel happy and fulfilled when I am singing.”

“I grew up in a funny family,” says Nancy Burkett, DE Epsilon. “Friends loved to hang out at our house. Humor was an important part of my life teaching high school and college. Now that I am retired, I’m checking off my Bucket List entries by getting into stand-up comedy.” Nancy performed at a few open mics before the pandemic. As restrictions were lifted, she entered and won a comedy contest. Now, she does weekly stand-up shows, several as paid gigs. Reflecting on the pandemic, she says, “It has made us realize the importance of laughter, being uplifted and hopeful.” Nancy likes to think that her new hobby contributes to that for others.

Diane Carter of VA Beta Lambda has been involved in music most of her life. She plays a little piano and studied the flute from fifth grade through three years of college. She sang with her school and church choirs and has played with the handbell choir at her church off and on since 1993. She affirms that music is a lifetime gift which she is happy to share with others.

Edwina Aaron, AL Beta Lambda, retired in 2006 and loves to design and create. She volunteers at her school by helping in the office and creating monthly hallway bulletin boards. After COVID protocols prohibited volunteers from entering the building, Edwina continued to create the bulletin boards which someone else mounted for her. “That way I could use my creative abilities to help without being in the building.” Her creations hang ready to be enjoyed by all.

International Executive Board member Charlene Lauria’s talents are patience and tenacity which serve her well as she pursues her love of constructing intricate Lego kits. She claims herself to be a frustrated architect who began her career with Tinker Toys and graduated to Legos. Her projects include incredible interior and exterior details which she considers to be just “another construction challenge.” One of her proudest builds involved models of the Saturn V rocket and the Lunar Lander. The rocket had 1,969 pieces in honor of the year of the first manned lunar landing. In 2019, the town librarian asked Charlene to arrange a display at the library to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s “one small step”, and both space travel models were proudly and prominently displayed. Charlene’s hobby is no small coincidence given that her hometown of Enfield, CT is the North American Headquarters of Lego. She feels her pleasing pursuits support the local economy and that just keeps her building.

Whatever your talent or skill, when you share it with others, its impact and your satisfaction increase. “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.” Don’t forget to let your light shine for yourself and others.

The Gift of Teaching

Share Your Gifts

By Brigitte Tennis, WA Beta Iota

Teaching is an art and a gift. Not everyone can do it well, although many believe they can. When the art of teaching is honed, refined and elevated, it is nothing short of a wondrous gift.

You know the feeling. You wait anxiously in your classroom for your charges to enter – elementary, middle school, or high school – the feeling is the same. In my middle school classroom, students often entered class shuffling along while they chatted with their friends, unaware of the gift I was preparing to bestow upon them. They took their seats, and I saw a glimmer of hope in their eyes as they sensed something was about to happen.

One year, I had a student named Andrew. Oh, he was one I’ll never forget. Andrew came to class a week later than everyone else because his family had just moved. He was outfitted in a camo shirt, khaki pants, combat boots and a mambo sock crammed on his head. He was ready for battle. Not 20 minutes later, Andrew flung his desk to one side, stood up and loudly announced, “I don’t want to learn nuthin.” The battle had begun. My class was silent as they waited to see what my next move would be. As calmly as I could, I gave instructions to read the next page in the history textbook and asked Andrew to step outside in the hall with me. I have never kicked a student out of class, and I was not going to begin now. I asked Andrew why he did not want to learn history, and he glared at me in defiance saying it was “just old stuff that did not matter,” adding that it was “boring” (the dreaded word of all teachers) and he never did well in that subject anyway. I tried to explain that history is important as we can see patterns and learn from those. I did not receive a response. Finally, I told Andrew that I wanted him in my class, but I could not allow him to disrupt the learning of the other students. Then, I made a deal with him. If he was open to learning the lessons for a period of three weeks and he still felt the same way, he could transfer out of my class. For my part, I would try to make the lessons relevant and interesting. He nodded and stomped off to his next class.

For the next three weeks, I worked harder than I ever had. I learned an important lesson from Andrew. Good teaching is really a gift. As I planned the lessons on the ancient Roman Empire, I incorporated music and a cooking lesson on pasta. I brought in little stoves for students to cook on and even organized the building of a 300-foot aqueduct made of PVC piping outside one afternoon. Then, one day about three weeks into the quarter, it happened. I had my back to the classroom door writing up the schedule as the students shuffled in and took their seats. They chatted noisily as they came in and all of a sudden, I heard a deep voice say, “Dude guys, shut up; she’s going to teach about Julius Caesar today.” I did not need to turn around because I already knew who it was. It was Andrew.

With a smile on my face and dressed in a toga, I began to unfold the story of the great Julius Caesar who became the dictator of Rome. Slowly and carefully, I unwrapped this gift until I read an excerpt from the Shakespeare play which described his tragic death. The room was silent. A moment of awe hung in the air, and I recognized the gift I had given not only to Andrew, but also to all of the students. My efforts to refine my own art had become a gift, the gift of learning that students would take with them. Then, without warning, the room exploded with applause. I would like to think that Andrew was the first to start clapping, but I am not really sure who it was.

Years later, I got a letter from Andrew. He had gone to Italy to become a chef. He thanked me for giving him a chance to learn in my class, and he said that my lessons had inspired him to learn to cook in Italy. I was so proud.

Now that I am retired, I still give my gift. You can too. Being a master teacher can transcend into many things. Do you enjoy gardening? Teach someone. Do you love music? Play for someone. Do you love cooking? Show someone else how to or cook for the people that are often forgotten, such as the postmaster, retirement home employees or Ace hardware employees. How about sewing? Make a quilt for someone or knit baby socks for the local shelter. Through the art of teaching, you can deliver joy to multitudes. Yup, teaching is truly a gift.

The Gift of Wisdom

By Betty Sherrod, KAPPAN staff writer

Share Your Gifts

My Mother Always Said…. Amit Kalantri, author, wrote, “A mother is your first friend, your best friend, your forever friend.” During our youth, we may hear our mothers saying the same things to us over and over again. Reminders, advice and wise sayings are a part of a mother’s nurturing spirit. She uses quotes that she may have heard when she was young, so they flow easily off of her tongue. As we grow older, the words of our mothers return to us during times of stress, sadness, loneliness or happiness. Our A∆K Sisters were asked to submit some of their favorite “Mom Quotes.”

Kathy Beatty of VA Gamma Epsilon shared, “My mother tells me that I am ‘burning the candle at both ends.’ She told me that as a teenager, young adult and even now. I guess I still haven’t mastered that advice.”

Kim Gloede of WI Tau, stated, “My mother always told me, ‘you get what you dish out.’ This, of course, was her version of Karma. If you are angry toward others, they will be angry in return. If you treat people with kindness, they will be kind to you.”

Ivette Bender of NE Theta shared a well known quote that her mother used: “Treat others as you want to be treated.”

WA Alpha Nu Sister, Mary Jane Henderson shared, “When my siblings and I were not getting along, our mom would always tell us to love one another because, you’ll have friends, but your siblings will be with you for life. My sister and two brothers learned her lesson well. We are very close and try to honor her memory every day.”

Joyce Boone of WV Epsilon remembers that her mother always told her that when she had lost something to stop and think about the last place she was when she had the item. When she did that, she usually found what was missing. “I still do it to this day. It works,” she said.

SC Alpha sister Jean Danner was raised by her father. He reminded her often to always do her best. “Others will see that effort and help you along,” he said. Jean has found that to be true in her personal and professional life. When she set goals, she always found there was a mentor present to push her over the finish line.

“Mom would always say, ‘’Don’t make eye contact’ when I would be driving us somewhere. It eliminated any chance of road rage,” shared Charlene Lauria, International Executive Board member.

KY Alpha Theta Sister, Jan Martin’s mother “always told me to sit up straight and eat all of my food. Those were the days of all the starving children in China.”

Alice Hall’s mother used to say, “every lady needs a nice hanky.” The FL Delta Kappa Sister went on to share, “she would put a hanky in every birthday, Easter, Mother’s Day, anniversary and Christmas card she sent my sister and me.” Alice and her sister continue the tradition and give each other a new hankerchief on special occasions and gift them to other women in their community.

“My mother was a teenager during the Great Depression, and she and her family struggled for food and clothing. Only that which could not be eaten or worn any longer was thrown away,” said Anne Brooks, FL Gamma Omicron. “A saying that has stuck in my memory is ‘Take the scraps out,’ rather than take the trash out. She carries her mother’s advice with her today as she is frugal and judicious about the environment.

MS Alpha Theta Sister Vicki Vaughn’s mother passed away at 96 years of age, but Vicki remembers her mother always saying, “I love you more than anything else in the world. Make sure you tell your children that.”

Carla Nations, MS Alpha, and Rebecca Jane Beltz, LA Alpha Sigma, had mothers who thought alike as they both told their daughters, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”

Susan Rae Long, WY Delta, shared, “My mother wrote inside my graduation gift, ‘Remember the world we live in--- it’s mighty hard to beat.’” Another quote her mother often spoke was, “You get a thorn with every rose, but aren’t the roses sweet?”

Ruby Strother (FL Tau) said that her mother always told her, “Find a way, or make one.”

Our mothers and fathers may well be our first teachers. Our A∆K sisters have shared many “old sayings” that seem to have been passed from generation to generation. Give credit to the parents who inspired their children through thoughtful and simple quotes, because many of us have tucked those words away, but can pull them forth at just the right time. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for your gifts of wisdom.

Sharing the Love of the Game

Share Your Gifts

By Annie Yankus, President FL Alpha Alpha,

Scratch golfer, handicap and par for the course are part of the everyday vocabulary of Christina Steffen, FL Alpha Alpha. For over 25 years, she has shared her knowledge and love of the game with students at Fernandina Beach High School, where she is the head golf coach. In fact, she heard about A∆K from chapter members who were also golfers.

“I started playing golf at 12 when my family moved to Florida from Oregon. I won my first junior tournament that summer and was hooked on the game. I received an athletic scholarship to play golf at Coastal Carolina University. After graduation, I returned home and began subbing in the local elementary schools. I became a volunteer assistant girls’ golf coach at my former high school, Fernandina Beach High School. The following year, I was hired as head girls’ golf coach. I took over the boys’ program eighteen years ago. Both programs have been very successful. The girls have eleven district golf titles and ten state final appearances. The boys’ golf team has eight district golf titles and five state final appearances. In 2021, the girls’ golf team ranked number one in Florida all season and finished runner-up at the state golf finals. The boys’ golf team was in the top ten in the state all season and finished seventh at the state golf finals. I love the game of golf and absolutely love coaching high school golf. Next year, I will have six of my former players playing at the college level, following in my footsteps, and I couldn’t be prouder.”

Christina is an elementary school teacher and a Violet Sister, having joined FL Alpha Alpha in 2012. Her sisters are confident she will continue to share her love of teaching, coaching and belonging to Alpha Delta Kappa. Christina will serve as membership chairman for the chapter next biennium.

Chaplain's Thoughts

By Judy Barnhill, 2023 International Convention Chaplain, TN Beta Zeta

Sharing Your Gifts

One of the things that warms my heart is to see the look of sheer joy on the face of a child when they receive a long wished-for gift. Why not consider sharing a “gift” with your sisters? The gifts you share best are the gifts with which you have been “gifted.” Never forget, each one of you has special gifts. Use those gifts to make someone smile. A kind word, a sweet note or simply a smile or a hug can be a great gift to brighten a sister’s day.