My Holiday Charity

As a sorority woman, my member group and the National Panhellenic Conference have taught me the importance of helping others. During the holidays, I often reflect on how blessed my family is, and I know that we can never give enough to those in need. However, if as sorority women we all do one thing with our families to provide service or funds to an organization we hold dear, the potential to meet many needs is great.

During the holiday season, I fill shoe boxes as a volunteer for Samaritan’s Purse – Operation Christmas Child. This organization sends shoe boxes filled with gifts to children across the world. In 2010, 8.17 million shoe boxes were delivered to children on four continents, brightening their holidays.

I encourage you this holiday season to remember the NPC Creed, “The opportunity for wide and wise human service, through mutual respect and helpfulness, is the tenet by which we strive to live.” Then, think about the one thing you and your family can do this holiday season to aid the less fortunate. We have the potential, it’s your move.

My Christmas Tree

Everything about the holidays is “tradition” to me. I love getting out the Christmas decorations and ornaments. Many of them were made by my mother and grandmother or my husband's mother. As we decorate, particularly the tree, we reflect on the person who made the ornament or the trip we were on when we bought certain ornaments. Take a look at my tree, the sequin and bead balls were made by my great aunt and sent to me each Christmas as a child. The ornament with a red heart says, “My First Christmas – 1981,” and was cross stitched for my daughter Mary Leah’s first Christmas by her aunt. There are four china bells that have been passed down through three generations. Our tree may not be designer, but it was designed with the love of a family throughout the years. Now with our daughter in her own home in California, I have shared some of these family ornaments, so when we go there for the holidays ... the tradition lives on.

The AFA Annual Meeting

The Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors is comprised of professionals and volunteers who work on college campuses, work at a fraternity/sorority inter/national headquarters, work for businesses that support fraternity/sorority members and/or volunteer locally or nationally for their fraternity/sorority, or for organizations that support fraternities and sororities.

Two of the Association’s primary purposes are professional development and support for members and advocacy for the fraternity/sorority advising profession. The cultivation and consistent demonstration of these competencies are keys to success among professionals and volunteers who work with fraternities and sororities.

As a supporter and member of AFA, NPC representatives, including myself, attended the AFA annual meeting in St. Louis last week (Nov. 30 – Dec. 3). My experience at AFA was beneficial and here’s some points that outline why.

• Passion, dedication, engagement ... that's what I experienced when talking with the FSAs.

• Appreciation for the support NPC gives to College Panhellenics and FSAs.

• Desire for continued dialogue on NPC processes such as extension, recruitment and RFM.

• Enthusiasm for dialogue and partnership with the newly appointed NPC FSA Advisory Committee.

Thanks to all of the fraternity and sorority professionals who made this meeting a success, and thanks for all you do to advance the sorority experience.

Give us Three Minutes of Your Time

In all of our lives as Panhellenic women, we’ve been hit by the all too common stereotypes that follow when we choose sorority life. But it’s time to put them to rest. It’s time to turn our hearts and our minds to what we know the truth to be – that sorority is a personal calling.

To read the rest of my chairman's message please click here.