take hikers in to their homes or leave snacks along the way.” She continues, “I saw breathtaking vistas. I enjoyed life’s simple treasures – the sunrise, cool stream water, deer grazing.” To sisters who think they are up for the challenge of the AT, Christi suggests doing your research. “Try part if you’re not sure you can do the whole thing. I think everyone should do it for at least one week,” she says. “The experience really puts things in perspective. You look at things differently when your concerns are ‘Where am I getting water next?’ and ‘Do I have enough food until I get to the next town?’” Most importantly, she adds, “Don’t be afraid. Have faith in yourself.” What did Christi gain from her experience? “I learned to be grateful for the little things: water from a faucet, grocery stores, beds!” She continues, “I learned to believe in the goodness of strangers. I also realized how little people really need to be happy. It truly was the adventure of a lifetime.” To read about Christi’s adventures along the Appalachian Trail, visit christihikes.blogspot.com.
Executive Office Staff Volunteers at Frances Willard House In observance of Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service in January, Executive Office staff members volunteered at the Frances Willard House (Evanston, Ill.). The house is a national historic landmark that houses the Frances Willard Historical Association, House Museum, and Library and Archives. Frances E. Willard (Alpha LambdaAlumna Initiate) was Alpha Phi’s first alumna initiate and the Fraternity’s 16th International president. She was an educator, temperance reformer and women’s suffragist and one of the most prominent social reformers in 19th century America. She lived and worked in the house during
the 19 years she served as president of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). For many of those years, the house also served as an informal national headquarters for the WCTU and a boarding house for its workers. Established as a museum in 1900, the Frances Willard House Museum has a remarkably intact collection of original furnishings and objects, including furniture, artwork, textiles, family photographs, books and her bicycle. For more information about the Frances Willard House, visit franceswillardhouse.org.
Top: Program Manager of Collegiate Chapter Services Heather Scheuer (Delta Eta-Adrian) helps organize the Frances Willard Museum archives. Left: Manager of New Chapter Development Cassidy Rosenthal (Beta Gamma-Colorado), left, and Foundation Development Coordinator Sheatarra Ervin prepare to polish silver for the museum. Right: Director of Collegiate Operations J.D. Louk volunteers by putting away holiday decorations. Spring 2012
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