Perspectives 62.1 (Fall 2014)

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Making your GSS social media great

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Members reach to Serve 100

Project I.M.P.A.C.T’s reach touches member Collegiate Chatter

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A message from our president Karen Kerr | National President

Happy fall to all of you! I want to thank you all for your service to the sorority and your local communities. You are the face of GSS with each interaction you have. We have had a busy year as a sorority with many hours of service completed, many new members welcomed and many new members that have become alumni. I encourage you to continue to stay involved and engaged in what it means to be a member of our great sorority.

National Board President Karen Kerr president@gammasigmasigma.org

Vice President Ranita Lopez vicepresident@gammasigmasigma.org Treasurer Jennifer Wilson treasurer@gammasigmasigma.org

The 32nd National Convention will be held in Nashville next July and your chapter/ colony is formally invited to attend. This Convention we will return to a tradition in some of our earlier conventions and that is conducting roll call at Convention of the delegates by name of the respective chapter or colony. This means that when we look back at the minutes from the 2015 Convention, we will see who represented each chapter/colony as a delegate. It is expected that your chapter/ colony take great care in selecting its delegates as we expect to accomplish great tasks at this 32nd National Convention.

Service Director Aurelia Spaulding service@gammasigmasigma.org

Until May of 1960, the National President maintained direct contact with all of the collegiate chapters and districts and District Directors as we know them today did not exist. At the 1959 Convention, delegates recommend that the sorority was split up into four regions. At the Regional Conference held in May of 1960, the National Executive Board (a prior version of our current NBD structure) was tasked by the delegates to put the regional structure in place immediately. The NEB acted and secured the Regional Directors. This was the first but not the last that the sorority was geographically split up to serve our chapters. The sorority experienced a boom in chapters and the regions were realigned from four into ten regions. It was not until the 1985 convention that the convention delegates voted to change from ten regions to four districts, introducing the term District and District Coordinators. Six years later at the 1991 convention, District Coordinators became District Directors but it wasn’t until the 1995 Convention that district makeup changed from four to seven districts. We realigned the sorority again by a vote of the delegates at 2005 Convention within the seven existing districts. Heading into the 2009 Convention, the NBD approved a redistricting plan at their pre-convention board meeting that included adding in another district and it was introduced to the delegates at Convention.

Program Director Jennifer Baker program@gammasigmasigma.org

We have operated under this structure of 8 districts since that time and have experienced some geographical shifts in the location of chapters that have left the workload of our District Directors unbalanced. After many discussions at the end of the 30th biennium, it was obvious that we needed to take another look at our district boundaries. I appointed a committee at the Training & Planning (August 2013) meeting of the NBD made up of Jenna Hershelman, District 2 Director, Ashley Jennings, National Membership Director, Ranita Lopez, National Vice President, KJ Kuenzle, past National President and Jennifer Wilson, National Treasurer who also served as the Chair of the committee. At press time of this issue, the NBD was reviewing the report of the committee to determine if realignment was recommended by the committee and if so, to approve new districts. Chapters/colonies will be notified of the results of the NBD’s vote regarding this matter so please be sure you keep an eye out for this information.

In Service, Karen

Membership Director Ashley Jennings membership@gammasigmasigma.org Alumni Director Karen Erickson alumnidirector@gammasigmasigma.org

Marketing Director Anastasia Morrison marketing@gammasigmasigma.org District 1 Director *OPEN district1@gammasigmasigma.org District 2 Director Jenna Hershelman district2@gammasigmasigma.org District 3 Director Ashley Robinson district3@gammasigmasigma.org District 4 Director Keli Connor district4@gammasigmasigma.org District 5 Director Katy Haynes Owens district5@gammasigmasigma.org District 6 Director Tanisha Cousby district6@gammasigmasigma.org District 7 Director Andrea Powers district7@gammasigmasigma.org District 8 Director Cristal Johnson district8@gammasigmasigma.org Parliamentarian Bridget Hall parliamentarian@gammasigmasigma.org

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Committees help make events possible Ranita Lopez | National Vice-President

Greetings Gamma Sigs!

As we begin the second half of our biennium, I am very excited about what some of our committees have planned for you! Our Membership Committee is working on improving recruitment documents and continuing to work to expand our membership, and our Program Committee is beginning work

on launching GSS University, an online learning community.

There are so many great projects going on and I cannot wait to see them come into fruition. Also, with our National Convention quickly approaching next year, our Convention Committee has already been hard at work planning!

who have expressed interest in serving at this level, as well as those who are currently serving as committee members. This sorority cannot continue to grow and thrive without your helping hands. I again sincerely thank you all for your service, and your passion to make Gamma Sig the very best it can be! Happy Fall!

I want to also thank all of you

5 tips for your GSS social media accounts Valerie Perez | National Social Media Coordinator

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Make sure that you are following Gamma Sigma Sigma’s Social Media Guidelines. You can find this on the national website. The social media guidelines are extremely important since thy explain what is allowed to be posted as well as what types of social media sites chapters and colonies are allowed to have.

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Show off your Service! Post pictures of your service with a short description that’s around 140 characters. This allows for easy posting onto your Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. The new methodology Facebook is using for its newsfeed is based on pictures with short descriptions. Any post from a Facebook page that only has words, will not pop up as a Top Story. Keep this in mind as you post.

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Show some love! Other chapters and colonies are doing amazing work in their communities. Support them by liking their pages, following them on Instagram and Twitter and liking or reposting their hard work.

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Remember to post — but not too often or too little. Posting too much will cause your account to become an ineffective tool for recruitment, and never posting will cause you to be forgotten or unnoticed around your campus. Limit your posts to 1-3 times per week to build your supporters and to keep yourself relevant.

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Send in your National Service Partners, Project I.M.P.A.C.T, and GSS CARES pictures to Perspectives and pics@gammasigmasigma.org! Every Wednesday, the National Gamma Sigma Sigma social media accounts posts chapter and colony photos for #GSSChapterSpotlight and #GSSColonySpotlight. If you’re chapter or colony is spotlighted remember to “repost” it to your own social media sites. Plus, National recognition helps build recruitment and your chapter/ colony’s reputation. (Helpful Hint: Tag Gamma Sigma Sigma in your pictures!)

Remember, we are all displaying #UnityInService.

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Gone but not forgotten Barbara Maccarillo, 9th national president and lifetime member of Gamma Sigma Sigma, recently passed away. Below is her obituary that ran in The Times of Trenton newspaper.

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arbara Maccarillo, 74, died after a long illness on August 22, 2014, in her home in Palm Springs, California.

Barbara was born June 23, 1940, in New York City, to John and Mary Murawski. She was married in June 1962, to Bernard J. Maccarillo Jr., who preceded her in death. They moved throughout the western United States before eventually settling in Pennington, New Jersey, where she lived for 33 years. She retired to Palm Springs in 2000.

Barbara graduated from the New York School of Industrial Art, City College of New York, the St. Francis Medical Center School of Nursing in Trenton, New Jer-

sey, and earned her Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Rutgers University in 1998.

til 2013. She was also an active member of the American Association of University Women in Palm Springs, and of the Western Arts Council of the Palm Springs Art Museum.

Although nursing was her chosen profession, she was a lifelong artist whose works in watercolor, collage, and mosaic decorated her home and the homes of her friends and children.

Barbara is survived by her sister Geraldine Hanson, and her husband James, of East Northport, New York, her son, Bernard J. Maccarillo, III, and wife Lisa Stone, of Los Angeles, California, her daughter, Lauren Maccarillo Myrick, and husband Gary, of Falls Church, Virginia, and three grandchildren, Benjamin, Francis and Henry.

Barbara served from 1969 to 1971 as the National President of Gamma Sigma Sigma National Service Sorority.

Barbara acted as a Docent at the Palm Springs Art Museum from 2000 un-

Memorial Services was held September 13th in Jericho, New York, and in Palm Springs, California in November.

Donate your sorority memorabilia to the Gamma Sigma Sigma National Archives!

Whether you are an alumni member from the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s or the 2000s we would love to have chapter and national items to help preserve our history for future members to view.

If you have items including photos, chapter documents, or other sorority related items you would like to donate, please send them to: Deb Folsom, National Archivist 2450 121st Avenue Clear Lake MN 55319

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Members reach to Serve 100 Aurelia Spaulding | National Service Director

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wenty-two members have committed to take Gamma Sigma Sigma’s first Serve 100 Challenge, but there is still time to participate. Serve 100 provides members with the opportunity to be recognized and recognize their favorite service organization by volunteering 100 hours of service during the year.

Members interested in participating in Serve 100 sign up online at gammasigmasigma.org.

Individual reports record their hours on individual service hour forms and submit them by January 21, 2015. Then, all members who submit the report will be entered into a drawing to win $250 toward a nonprofit organization of their choice. In addition, all members who participate in Serve 100 will be recognized at the 32nd National Convention for their service.

Any member of Gamma Sigma Sigma can participate in the Serve 100 challenge.

This includes collegiate members, alumni members, and alumni-­ at­‐large.

Member-­in-­training hours can count for any member activated by December 31st. Multiple members cannot combine hours.

Gamma Sigma Sigma was founded on the purpose of providing service to humanity, and for six decades members have given back to through service with their campuses and communities. Serve 100 brings members together no matter the location or membership status to continue in the spirit of service.

Shout out out to all of the members who have already committed to Serve 100!

Tondalaire Ashford, Donna Barrett, Leslie Bartner, Kelean Connor, Amber Gates, Elizabeth Holt, Phyllis Horridge, Cristal Johnson, Ke’Antrice Lamb, Jamee Lawson, Chanel Marshall, Krystal Mudgett, Kimberly Mulvaney, Monisha Murarka Laura Pasquine, Michelle Pedicone, Samantha Schneider, Sarah Smith, Lindsay Stack, Jiselle Thomas, Emily Trego, and Alyse Weaver.

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National leadership welcomes members The National Board and staff welcomed three new members this past spring. Anastasia Morrison, a 2014 graduate of the Epsilon Beta chapter at Clemson University, became the National Marketing Director. As marketing director, Anastasia will oversee all promotional efforts on behalf of the sorority. Valerie Perez, a 2012 graduate of the Eta Theta chapter at the University of Central Florida became the National Social Media Coordinator. As social media coordinator, Valerie will be the voice behind the Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts for Gamma Sigma Sigma. Joanna Williams, 2014 graduate of the Beta Sigma chapter at Western Kentucky University became the Perspectives Editor. As perspectives editor, Joanna will work to make sure the Perspectives newsletter is created and distributed each fall and spring. The three members will serve in their positions until the end of the 2013-2015 biennium.

DISTRICT 2 District 2 Spirit Day was held on March 29, 2014 and hosted the Gamma Phi Chapter at St. Francis University in Loretto, PA. There was a fantastic turnout for this Spirit Day - 7 out of the 10 collegiate chapters in D2, the Steel City Alumni chapter and Epsilon Xi from District III were all in attendance. The members of Gamma Phi provided a great day of activities that includes a photo booth, multiple service projects (making tie blankets, hospital bags for children and paper flower bouquets), icebreakers and a step show. It was a wonderful day spent bonding with other Gamma Sigs from around Pennsylvania (we missed our chapters from NY!) and doing service.

DISTRICT 4 District 4 has many wonderful fall happenings that you should check out and be involved in. 1st Keli Connor, District 4 Director, will be revamping and again posting monthly inter-chapter service projects for the whole district to participate in. These are great for award points and spotlights. Also there will be a district Spirit Day at the end of October or the beginning of November.

This event will be held in the northern part of the District, more information to come. Lastly, Keli is going to campaign again this year to have all the chapters of D4 participate and communicate more frequently. A contact list is available through a Google link that will assist with chapters in communicating and participating in projects together.

Anastasia Morrison

Joanna Williams

Valerie Perez

DISTRICT 3 District 3 is looking forward to a great fall this year! The four chapters in the district are off to a great start, planning exciting service projects and planning to make an impact on their campuses and communities. The Beta Chi Chapter at Lebanon Valley College will be sponsoring a Domestic Violence Awareness campaign at LVC at the end of October. This project will address one of our Project IMPACT areas and help educate students on campus about domestic violence resources and prevention.

District Director Ashley Robinson will be visiting the Zeta Chapter of Drexel University in October over Founder’s Day weekend and participating with the chapter in a Habitat for Humanity build in Delaware. This weekend project will be a great opportunity for learning, growth, and service!

DISTRICT 7 District 7 is off to a busy start for the remainder of the biennium.

With a new DD at the helm, the group is working to grow membership in their current chapters, ensure compliance with nationals, and improve footprints on campus and in the community.

With the help of the alumni groups, we are planning events for Founders Day in Alabama. In addition, chapters can look forward to Sprint Day in Florida scheduled for March 2015. The district will continue to work on unity, improvement, and national involvement. Stay tuned for great things from dynamic district 7.

DISTRICT 5 The fall semester is jam-packed for District 5! Spirit Day was September 13 in Bowling Green, KY. The District 5 Spirit Day was full of service projects, fellowship, and Gamma Sigma Sigma swag! Also, a HUGE thank you to Beta Sigma for all of their help hosting Spirit Day at Western Kentucky University! Spirit Day would not be possible without those dedicated women.

During the rest of the fall semester, District 5 Director, Katy Haynes Owen, will make trips to Clarksville, TN, Knoxville, TN, and, finally, Nashville, TN to conduct chapter evaluation visits with Zeta Epsilon, Gamma Kappa, and Epsilon Psi. Another key event in District 5 include the White Rose Lounge on November 8, which is a night of art, community, and spoken word hosted by White Rose Alumni Chapter. The energy of the White Rose Alumni chapter is palpable, and the event should be a night to remember.

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Impactful Service Project I.M.P.A.C.T’s reach touches Gamma Sigma Sigma member Aurelia Spaulding | National Service Director

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or more than 16 years JaNee’ Lamb has had Lupus, a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body, including skin, joints, or organs inside the body, according to the Lupus Foundation of America.

Thirteen of those 16 years, Lamb has been a member of Gamma Sigma Sigma. One thing she recognizes is the impact Gamma Sigma Sigma has had on her while living with Lupus.

“GSS helping with Lupus Awareness or even kidney disease is a huge deal because everyone comes together to support me and other members that are going through a disease they cannot control,” Lamb said.

To increase support of our Project I.M.P.A.C.T. areas, the sorority allocated money specifically for Project I.M.P.A.C.T. area service efforts. Now, chapters and colonies can complete the Service Assistance Program funding application to apply for $50-$250 in funding to support service projects within the Project I.M.P.A.C.T. areas.

“GSS members have shown me they are there for me rather if it is at the LupusNow Walk or a visit to the hospital or get well card,” Lamb said.

Although four out of the five national service partners are within the realm of the health services, this biennium is the first time Gamma Sigma Sigma has taken on overall healthy living as a Project I.M.P.A.C.T. area. When attendees at the national convention elected Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention and Healthy Living as Project I.M.P.A.C.T areas in 2013, the opportunity to impact the community was endless. However, the impact on members was also limitless.

For healthy living, Gamma Sigma Sigma members organize walks, volunteer with health and wellness events, raise awareness for health-

related organizations, and support national organizations that work to find cures for illnesses, diseases, or disorders. Chapters, colonies, and members support Project I.M.P.A.C.T. areas not just because it is a national initiative, but also because of their personal connections.

During the month of May, many members showed their support of Lamb by wearing purple for Lupus Awareness.

She had recently been released form the hospital when the photos flooded her timeline. “It means so much to

know they are there regardless if my hair falls out, I gained weight, or I am emotionally drained,” she said.

Lamb began supporting Lupus Awareness upon joining Gamma Sigma Sigma in 2001. She attended the 2005 National Convention along with other Beta Sigma chapter members, and set up an awareness table to talk to attendees about Lupus.

Then, in 2013, Lamb helped her follow members in the Bluegrass Alumni chapter prepare for the nomination of Healthy Living.

Service assistance can be used to help with supplies, materials, or publicity for Gamma Sigma Sigma efforts that benefit nonprofit or charitable causes or raise awareness. In addition, chapters and colonies can also apply for the money to assist with travel expenses to volunteer with a charitable organization.

Applications are due November 21, 2014 for spring 2015 projects. Late applications will only be considered if additional funding is available.

For more information, visit http://www.gammasigmasigma.org/service/national_service_efforts

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COLONY CORNER

Colony updates

Bi-Coastal Florida raises money for ALS On April 19, 2014 members of the Bi-Coastal Florida Alumni Colony met in Orlando, Florida for an Alex’s Lemonade Stand service project!

They raised a total of $104.00 for the foundation and were very happy to contribute to this national partner. Bi-Coastal Florida Alumni Colony has scheduled to participate in another ALSF event on June 7, 2014 in accordance with our national partners Lemonade Days. Simultaneously, BiCoastal Florida Alumni Colony is also

raising money for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida which is sponsoring a Summer Hope for Kids virtual food drive.

This program will help to feed children throughout the communities while they are out of school. As of April 24, 2014 the colony has raised a total of $232.00 of their $500.00 goal set for May 31, 2014.

Follow The Bi-Coastal Florida Alumni Colony of GSS on Facebook and learn more!

Texas A&M Colony excited for future

Karen Erickson

The Southern New England Alumni Colony has inactivated and merged with the Central New England Alumni Chapter. As both groups were quite small, they felt they would have a better impact by merging. They have chosen a new name, Greater New England Alumni Chapter.

There are currently four active alumni colonies/reactivating chapters: • Cherry Blossom Reactivating Alumni Chapter • Hampton Roads Alumni Colony • Heart of Texas Alumni Colony • Pine Tree Reactivating Alumni Chapter Their members are working towards chartering during early 2015.

The Texas A&M Colony are so glad to be working their way to becoming a chapter.

The colony’s journey began this past spring and they were officially inducted as MIT’s on August 30th. The colony feels blessed to just be beginning this journey and they cannot wait until they’ve achieve chapter status! They are 21 strong and look forward to lots of great things this year. So far the spirit of Gamma Sigma Sigma has led them to participate in many service events together across campus. One of the events they participated in was Big Event. Big Event is a campus wide service project where Aggies are sent out into the community to give back and say Thank You! This past spring they participated as a group and made many fond memories while they gave back to the community! This was just one event that showed them all the true spirit of Gamma Sigma Sigma and all that it stands for. In the coming months they will be learning, growing, and spreading the spirit of service together!

Welcome to our reactivating chapters and collegiate colonies: • Alpha Reactivating Chapter (U of Houston) (2/25/2014) • Nu Reactivating Chapter (UConn) (4/14/2014) • Texas A&M University (4/17/2014) • Roanoke College (VA) (4/30/2014) • Robert Morris University (PA) (6/9/2014) • California University of Pennsylvania (9/4/2014)

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COLLEGIATE CHATTER

#OverheardOnTwitter

DELTA NU HELP TO GIVE PROM DRESSES ORONO, ME — This past spring, the MIT class of the Delta Nu chapter chose The Cinderella Project as their MIT project. The Cinderella Project is an organization that accepts donations of gently used prom dresses and accessories and then donates these dresses to underprivileged teens. The MIT class held a clothing drive at the University of Maine campus and from that clothing drive, they acquired formal dressed to donate to the cause. All the clothes that didn’t go to the Cinderella Project were donated to a local teen homeless shelter.

The MIT class then traveled to southern Maine to assist girls in finding the perfect prom dress. The Delta Nu chapter loved participating in this project and can’t wait to help the Cinderella Project again next year.

GAMMA PHI ROCKS OUT FOR GSS ALUMNA LORETTO, PA — On Friday, March 21st, 2014, the student center at Saint Francis University was rocking... literally. The sisters of the Gamma Phi chapter of Gamma Sigma Sigma came together for a unique and new service project – a Rock-a-Thon.

This event was to raise money for an alumni sister of the chapter, Erin Dean, who was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2010. The event consisted of 12 rocking chairs rocking steady from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and local band performing for the second half of the rockin’ event. This event means so much to the chapter, to be able to help one of our own sisters. While their initial goal was to raise $1,000 for Erin, the grand total of donations came to an even $3,000 – tripling their initial goal. They look forward to making this event annual and making it even better for next year. Wee-Oop!

@AshleyNRobinson Sep 2 My new backpack holds exactly 8 @ gammasigmasigma Member-In-Training binders. That’s an advisor win, right there. #gammasig #weeoop

@jeffeythefrog Aug 31 Officially a Gamma Sigma Sigma MIT @GSSatUMD Super excited to announce we raised $1600 for the second harvest food bank! #service #gammasigmasigma @hswizzllee Sep 4 All of my roommates went to some Gamma Sigma Sigma meeting and I’m all alone :( @jayyslaglee Aug 31 so happy to be a part of Gamma Sigma Sigma! ΓΣΣ @Makkk04 Sep 22 So excited to become part of Gamma Sigma Sigma :) #Sorority!

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COLLEGIATE CHATTER BETA SIGMA

#OverheardOnTwitter

READY TO IMPACT CAMPUS

BOWLING GREEN, KY — The Beta Sigma chapter is ready for a prosperous year! They have recently elected new officers, created new and innovative annual events, and soon will be taking in new members. They are excited to bring new ideas and events to their campus and get other students just as excited about service as they are. Beta Sigma is a working on establishing a courtyard day on WKU’s campus to bring everyone together at least twice a month to join them in service.

They are also making huge improvements to their annual Powder Puff Game that is held in April for March of Dimes. All in all, Beta Sigma is also looking forward to bringing in new members, executing our new ideas and, as always, keeping service first!

GAMMA KAPPA

SETS AMBITIOUS SERVICE GOAL FOR THE YEAR

@Un_X_Plainable Aug 28 Looking at old photos and joining Gamma Sigma Sigma was one of the best decisions I ever made @allison_rw Sept 3 Okay I REALLY like Gamma Sig! Tonight just kinda won me over :) @GSSatUMD Apr 30 So incredibly honored to be nominated for the outstanding student organization award! #umdproud #gammasig @alyssabrownie7 Sep 8 I can’t believe it’s been a year since I joined Gamma Sigma Sigma. @_vaaaaay Sep 8 im signing up for gamma sigma sigma :)

KNOXVILLE, TN — The Gamma Kappa chapter at the University of Tennessee has a lot of exciting service and events planned for this semester. With last spring’s MIT class and the new fall’s MIT class, the chapter has gained over 80 members this year alone. With such a large group of members, they completed over 1900 service hours last semester, and a goal to reach 2000 this semester. In addition to weekly service, the Gamma Kappa chapter will participate in Boo! At the Zoo, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, and the Salvation Army Angel Tree. After all the service, the chapter unwinds with social events, such as mixers, date parties, formal, and participating in homecoming with a fraternity on campus.

@omgitskatttttie Sep 3 Want to join a sorority, but can’t because you’re a first semester freshman!?

Well dreams do come true, Gamma Sigma Sigma accepts freshman! @GSS_UTK Sep 8 We had so much fun welcoming the new MITs last night!

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COLLEGIATE CHATTER GAMMA PI

ALPHA ETA RAC

ENCOURAGES NEW MEMBERS TO DREAM BIG

KEEPS BUSY WITH SERVICE PROJECTS

MENOMONIE, WI — Gaining new members is always an exciting new time for any Gamma Sigma Sigma chapter, especially Gamma Pi. Their theme for 2014 rush was: Dream Big, Dream Gamma Sig. The members of Gamma Pi feel that being a part of an organization such as Gamma Sigma Sigma is living the dream of serving others while doing it with friends they will have for life. The newest rush event they added was a Cookout on Carson-Newman Universty’s campus including volleyball and messy twister. Potential Members-In-Training had a blast bonding with their current members as they played the old fashion game of twister with a fun twist of adding different colored paint to the mat. The Gamma Pi chapter looks forward to another year of adding to their constant growing chapter.

And remember that life is always more colorful being in Gamma Sigma Sigma!

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This year, Alpha Eta RAC has been working in the Howard University and DC Metropolitan communities. They kicked off their service projects this academic year with an Alex’s Lemonade Stand. Over the course of a few short weeks, Alpha Eta RAC raised over $500 to benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand! Not only did they raise awareness for cancer through Alex’s Lemonade Stand, they also helped Latina cancer patients through Nueva Vida. They raised awareness for the needy with their volunteer work with several organizations including Food For All DC and Project Giveback where they were able to give food to those in need.

Alpha Eta RAC also participated in the MLK Day of Service with elementary schools in the DC area and following, they hosted, “Flourish: Spring 2014 Service Week”. They hosted a Blood Drive with the help Children’s Hospital and Zeta Phi Beta Alpha Chapter where we exceeded our blood collection goal! Additionally, they hosted a canned food drive and a cell phone drive, which benefited victims of domestic violence.

They participated with the YMCA Healthy Kids Day where members were able to volunteer with the children in the DC area and various health organizations to bring awareness to healthy eating. They are excited about the things Alpha Eta RAC have accomplished this year and look forward to more Service with a Purpose!

BETA DELTA CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF TEETER LA CROSSE, WI — Beta Delta celebrated 20 years of Teeter on April 25th, 2014 with the theme “Kiss Aids Goodbye”.

Teeter was brought to the University of Wisconsin La Crosse in 1994 by Gamma Sigma Sigma after one of the members family members was diagnosed with aids.

Each year since 1994 Beta Delta has hosted the event to promote safe sex and raise money for the Aids Resource Center of Wisconsin. This year a donation of $1,237 was made thanks to the hard work members put into the raffle, bake sale, and collecting personal donations. Beta Delta looks to improve Teeter every year. If you or your chapter would like to make a contribution to the 2015 Teeter- Totter-a-Thon please contact at betadelta@gammasigmasigma.com

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COLLEGIATE CHATTER TAU CHAPTER GIVES BACK THROUGH VARIOUS SERVICE PROJECTS UNIVERSITY PARK, PA — There are currently 93 active members in the Tau chapter at Penn State who participate in various service projects each semester to give back to the community. Some projects that are unique to Penn State include the Abba Java Coffeehouse, Shaver’s Creek, Mount Nittany Cleanup, Hands-on Therapeutic Riding Center, WPSU Telethon, Folly Fest, and a plethora of others. The most unique aspect of the Tau chapter is a 46-hour no sitting, no sleeping Panhellenic dance marathon, affectionately referred to as THON. Though THON takes place next semester, the Tau chapter THON chairs (Gillian Wood, MaryKate Jennings, and Bridget Phillips) are already planning fundraising events and will continue their efforts all throughout this fall semester. Jennings spoke on behalf of the group saying, “we are extremely excited for THON 2015, and we are determined to make

DELTA CHI CELEBRATES 40 YEARS WITH SERVICE GREENVILLE, NC — Delta Chi is celebrating their 40th year with lots of service, such as Take Back the Night, Riley’s Army, Boot Scoot for Babies, Take a Stand Wear a Strand, March of Dimes Health Carnival, Ronald McDonald House, Adopt a Street Cleanup, Breast Cancer Awareness Softball Tournament, MADD sober driving program and cooking and serving breakfast for the local homeless shelter.

it the best THON yet!” Last year, THON helped raise $13,343,517.33 for the Four Diamonds Fund, which aids children and their families in the fight against pediatric cancer. The Tau chapter hopes to help in exceeding that total for THON 2015, along side their three THON families: the

Archambeaults, the Adamskis, and the Tafels. If any other chapters or alumni would like to join the fight, please donate at http://thon.org and do not hesitate to contact the national liaison, Chandni Patel, at cpatelmates@gmail.com for more information.

BETA GAMMA BETA GAMMA RAISES $4K NEWARK, DE — The Beta Gamma chapter at the University of Delaware had over 100 girls who participated in their local Relay for Life.

They were the third overall fundraising team with $4,366 raised!

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ALUMNI IN ACTION Reminders for Alumni-at-Large members

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ll alumni member who are not affiliated with an active alumni chapter or colony are considered alumni-at-large (ALL) members. There are national opportunities available for these alumni who are unable to join an alumni chapter due to geography, finances or time commitments. These members are encouraged to use the national website www.gammasigmasigma. org for alumni information and service opportunities. Mass mailings and service information for Project IMPACT and our service partners are posted there.

All AAL members are encouraged to submit the Alumni-at-Large Service Report annually so their service hours can

be counted toward the national organization’s service profile. This form can be downloaded from our website, or can be requested from the Alumni Director or the Service Director. Alumni-at-large who complete more than 100 hours of service during the biennium are eligible to receive a certificate of merit.

The newest addition to AAL opportunities is the virtual alumni chapter, which is still in the formative stages. The hope is that this chapter will be entirely online and service interested

members across the country.

Just like alumni chapter members, alumni-at-large members are encouraged to attend Convention, Conferences and Spirit Days, to volunteer for national committees and staff positions, and to run for national office.

I encourage each and every AAL member to be as active as possible in our sorority. Your participation is wanted and needed, and will be greatly appreciated.

Yours in Service, Karen Erickson, Alumni Director alumni@gammasigmasigma.org

MID-JERSEY SHORE ALUMS HELP WITH USA SPECIAL OLYMPIC GAMES NEW JERSEY — Two members of the Mid-Jersey Shore Alums volunteered at the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games.

New Jersey was the host to 3,500 athletes who participated in 16 different sports from 53 delegations. Leslie and Barb volunteered for four days at the bowling venue. Leslie helped by being a lane manager where she helped keeping the scores, moving the bowlers along, and cheering them on. Barb helped by assigning the volunteers to their lane assignments each morning. Later she was responsible for entering the scores in the computer for awards. Highlights for both were attending the opening ceremonies.

At the June meeting the members of Mid-Jersey Shore Alums said goodbye to one of their members. Sherry Hollier and her family moved back to Houston after 26 years of living in New Jersey.

Everyone enjoyed the great food, good memories, and viewing the scrapbook put

together for Sherry. She will be missed, but we know she will continue as an active member of the Yellow Rose Alum

Chapter with her sister Lynne Thorton.

The chapter also collected money for Alex’s Lemonade.

15 | PERSPECTIVES — GAMMA SIGMA SIGMA

ALUMNI IN ACTION BLUEGRASS

TWIN CITIES ALUMNI HOST SPIRIT DAY

ALUMNI WALK TO END LUPUS

KENTUCKY — The Bluegrass Alumni Chapter is excited about the opportunities that await them for the remainder of the year. The chapter continues to support Walk for Lupus by participating annually in the event in Louisville, KY. This effort continues to be a cause near and dear to the chapter and they work effortlessly to raise awareness about the disease with actions as simple as wearing purple for a day! The chapter encourages other members to meet a need with Walk for Lupus or another organization that addresses feeling fit, feeling good, and feeling free.

The Bluegrass Alumni Chapter will also provide meals and spread cheer through donations for the Thanksgiving and Christmas this holiday season. Members are also working on reinstating the Bluegrass scholarship which will provide financial assistance to a collegiate chapter member in Kentucky. The Bluegrass Alumni Chapter is committed to not only promoting service amongst our members, but advocating for excellence in the classroom and scholarly achievement.

MINNESOTA — Twin Cities Alumni hosted a Service Day on April 5th for chapters in District 1, a tradition since 2007. Thirty-one collegiates from Alpha Pi and Beta Delta, and nine alumni from Twin Cities participated. In the morning, they volunteered at Feed My Starving Children to package meals for families in third world countries. In the afternoon they made 55 mastectomy pillows for cancer patients; 36 beaded bracelet Mothers’ Day gifts for women at a local shelter; 50 fleece blankets,125 fleece tug toys and 157 decorated plastic egg toys for the Animal Humane Society; 12 styrofoam bird centerpieces for a local assisted living facility, 20 May Baskets for a long term care facility in LaCrosse, and several dozen tug toys out of t-shirts for a struggling Animal Humane Society in Menomonie. They also wrote notes of thanks and encouragement to military members overseas to be included with those written during the National Alumni Conference.

Got a talent for web design?

Interested in giving back to your sorority on the national level?

Consider applying to be the Webmaster for Gamma Sigma Sigma!

To apply, go gammasigmasigma.org to get the application. Once complete, send the application to president@gammasigmaigma. org. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

GAMMA SIGMA SIGMA

c/o Sharon Murri National Database Coordinator PO Box 248 Rindge, NH 03461