International President’s Message

It has been more than a year since the World Health Organization announced the discovery of a mysterious coronavirus related pneumonia. Within a month, countries worldwide began to restrict travel and require nonessential personnel to work from home. I bet each of us can remember when we learned that we would experience our own lockdown. I had been planning my annual St. Patrick’s Day dinner. The brisket went into the freezer with hopes that my corned beef and cabbage dinner would be postponed for maybe a month or so. Sadly, I don’t think there will be guests in my dining room again this year.

The impact of this pandemic has challenged every aspect of our lives, from how we teach our children to how we buy our groceries. Those who can work from home are considered fortunate as many businesses have been forced to close, and jobs have been lost. Lines at local food banks everywhere are staggering. On the bright side, those who can have stepped up to help. Alpha Delta Kappa sisters have once again contributed … and contributed … and contributed. The theme of this month’s KAPPAN, The Power of Altruism, could not be more appropriate.

Are you familiar with the theory of the butterfly effect? The butterfly effect is a physics concept that a single butterfly flapping its wings on one side of the globe can start a hurricane on the other.

Several years ago, I saw a report on one of the morning news shows about ALS patient, Chris Rosati. Chris was confined to a wheelchair, and his voice was almost gone. Yet, he made a significant impact on many, many people. Chris wondered if this same theory could be applied to kindness. He decided to test the theory at a diner in his hometown of Durham, North Carolina. He saw two girls at the table next to his and gave them each $50 with one very simple instruction --- do something kind.

He left the diner and forgot all about it until he got an email several months later. It included pictures from a village in Africa with villagers holding signs that read, “Thanks a lot for spreading kindness -- Chris Rosati.” It was the butterfly effect. The girls he gave the money to that day in the diner had followed his directions. Thirteen-year-old Kate Cameron, and her 10-year-old sister, Anna, knew exactly where to spend the money. Their father had worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in Judy Ganzert Sierra Leone. The village had been working hard to fight the spread of Ebola, and the girls’ money went to provide a feast to celebrate being Ebola-free. When asked what he would do after proving the butterfly effect, Chris said, “Oh man, you get a whole lot of butterflies to flap their wings.” The hurricane of kindness had begun. Chris asked fans to give out their own little butterfly grants -- $50 each -- to any kid who wanted to start changing the world. Therein lies the beauty of the story. We see ourselves as so small in the universe that we think we can’t possibly make a difference…yet nothing can be further from the truth. Alpha Delta Kappa sisters know about the power of altruism. Inside this issue, you will learn about the history of our altruistic projects and the impact of the kindness sisters have spread throughout the world. You will also learn about the International Convention Altruistic Project, the Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas (DSACT). This project is dear to my heart and to other sisters who, like me, have a family member with Down Syndrome. Teachers exemplify the unselfish concern for the welfare of others, the power of altruism. During this pandemic, many teachers have been reported taking bags of food to their students’ homes, providing coats and shoes to children in need, and providing extra Zoom sessions with students who are not handling virtual learning well. I could not be more proud to be a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an organization dedicated to promoting such selflessness. Kindness is the mark we leave on the world. No act of kindness, no matter how large or small, is ever wasted. The spread of kindness has infinite possibilities.