lambda sigma news oct. 10

8/8/2019 Lambda Sigma News Oct. 10

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LAMBDA SIGMA NEWS

The Delta Kappa Gamma Society InternationalTexas State Organization Lambda Sigma Chapter

Missouri City, Texas

Volume 29, Number 3 October, 2010Area IV, Number 282

President: Cathie Ritchie Editor: Barb [email protected] [email protected]

President's Message

Dear Lambda Sigma Sisters,

As I am writing this, I am thinking of being outside in our glorious, cool, sunny weather. We will probablybe sweating again by the time this letter is sent, but this will remind me of the beautiful couple of weekswe have had.

Our meeting in September was enjoyed by all. Dale Araujo orchestrated a readers theater typeof skit on parliamentary procedure. It was funny while providing good information about parliamentaryrules.

Abby Grobe informed members about our website. It has all the information any member willneed about our Lambda Sigma chapter. If you are ever in doubt about our meeting times, places, ordates, just log on to http://lambdasigma.weebly.com .

It is amazing the number of scholarships that are available to us through Delta Kappa Gamma.Georgia Hicks, Scholarship/World Fellowship Committee chairman, informed us of the requirements and

how to apply. Please look on our website for this information. I know many of our sisters would benefitfrom these scholarships.

Those at the meeting may be a little more knowledgeable of the words of The Delta KappaGamma Song. Christi Chrisman had us race (in cooperative groups) to put the stanzas of the verses inthe correct order. It was quite funny and fun.

I am looking forward to our next meeting on Wednesday, October 27. Tracy Hoke, CFO ofFBISD, is going to speak on the financial challenges facing our district. She will hopefully clear up themany questions we have about why such drastic cuts that we are experiencing are necessary. I hopeyou will be able to join us at this meeting.

Plans are under way for our first progressive dinner. This is going to be such a treat! PutDecember 7th on your calendar! I imagine this is going to become an annual event for us. You will beinformed of specifics about the dinner soon.

I realize that teachers are under more pressure and stress now than I have seen in years. Pleasedont pass up the opportunity of sharing time with your sisters. You give so much to your children andschools this is a time for us to enjoy our bonds of friendship and professional relationships.

Sincerely,Cathie Ritchie, President
http://lambdasigma.weebly.com/http://lambdasigma.weebly.com/


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The Delta Kappa Gamma MissionStatement

The Delta Kappa Gamma SocietyInternational promotes professional and

personal growth of women educators andexcellence in education.

October Chapter Meeting

Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2010 4:30 p.m.

Lexington Creek Elementary Library

2335 Dulles Avenue, Missouri City 77459

Tel: 281-634-5007

Hostesses:

Margaret Larson, Chair Sheryl Lambert

Andrea Fine Ann Thompson

Program: Tracy Hoke, chief financial officerof FBISD speaks on school district budget

Raffle items courtesy of Inspiration,Achievement, and Professional Affairscommittees. Bring your $ to win!!

http://lambdasigma.weebly.com/

Visit our chapter website for up to dateannouncements!

Birthday Girls!

10/11 Peggy Wood

10/12 Carla Meuth

10/14 Vicki Delgado

10/15 Pat Schroyer

10/23 Susan Voradakis

11/1 Janie Holsapple

11/4 Lucille Williams

11/7 Scotty Bass

11/7 Donna Whisonant

11/12 Sharon McGlaun

11/23 Carolyn Madden

11/24 Sheryl Lambert

11/25 Vicky Hemme

11/30 Sue Sowell

A Look at Your Committees

The Ceremonials Committee assists in

installation of officers, initiation, celebrationof Founders Day, and our chapter birthday.It is a committee that contributes to thedignity of our organization. This yearscommittee members are Bonnie Alverson,Julie Hamilton, Sheryl Lambert, DeniseLoftin, and Arlise Wilson.Committee chair, Denise Loftin, is aReading Specialist at Lexington CreekElementary in FBISD. This is her twenty-seventh year teaching. She will be married

to husband, Gary, for 35 years this January.Denise and Gary have three adult childrenand two grandchildren. Their oldest, Kelli,and her family are Southern BaptistMissionaries in Buenos Aires, Argentina.Both grandchildren, Daniela (5) andNicholas (2), live there. Their son, Keith,plans to return to Texas A&M this January tocomplete a degree in Kinesiology and, whenfinished, will coach. Their youngest, Kirk, is
http://lambdasigma.weebly.com/http://lambdasigma.weebly.com/


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currently attending the University of Houstonwhere he is majoring in English and willpursue a career in writing.

The Music CommitteeAll of the music committee members have a

musical background and beautiful voices!Members include chairman, ChristiChrisman, Ocie Whitaker, Vicki Hemme,Liz Ellis, Selethia Morris, and AndreaFine.Christi was born in MacAllen, TX but movedto the Houston area and has lived here herwhole life. She has a husband, Bill, who isthe fleet manager of Helfman Ford. Theyhave a 31 year old son, Josh, and a 28 yearold daughter, Mandy. Instead of agrandchild, they have a grand-dog namedSadie. Christi went to Westbury High Schooland acted and sang in The King and I,Sound of Music, and How to Succeed inBusiness without Really Trying. She taughtschool for 31 years, 25 of those at SettlersWay Elementary. She also received aMasters degree in Administration. Now sheis home enjoying her new countertops anddeaf in one ear from the electrical drill goingconstantly!Vicki Hemme has been enjoying teaching afew private voice students and free-lancingas a choral adjudicator and clinician after 7years of semi-retirement. The summer of2010 found her traveling to England and theBaltic with longtime musician friends,enjoying the cooler climate and multipleCathedral and Abbey musical services.Current activities include singing with theHouston Masterworks Chorus and HoustonLiederkranz, directing a Fort Bend KinderChoir made up of students from ColonyBend and First Colony Middle School,remodeling projects at home with husbandLarry, and participating in various localorganizations.Ocie Whitakeris a graduate from A&MCorpus Christi University. She retired fromteaching in 2009 from Settlers WayElementary where she taught 1st, 3rd, 4th, and5th grades. Ocie is a native Texan fromBishop, TX a small town south of Corpus.

Being from a large family, she too surroundsherself with a large family. She is married toMark, her husband of 38 years. They areboth retired and together spend most of theirtime with their four children and threegrandchildren. Family is most important.Ocie plans yearly trips with her sisters,

daughter, and nieces called Girls WeekendAway. They have been to Dallas, Houston,Reno, New Orleans, Austin, San Antonio,NYC, South Padre, Washington D.C.,Gruene, and this past year to Chicago!It has been Mark and Ocies dream to moveto an area in Texas where Mark (being anamateur astronomer) can view a clear nightsky. This opportunity will become a realitybecause their last child, John, will graduatefrom college this December!! Her philosophyis Make each day a special one, For thatday will never come again.The Morris family consists ofSalethiashusband, Bill, daughters Jasmine, asophomore at Elkins H.S. and Chamecia, asophomore at Baylor University. Theirminiature dachshund, Bailey, along withseveral fish, round out the family. Althoughno formal family trip was taken this summer,quality family time was squeezed in arounda busy schedule filled with Band camp,teacher trainings, and a transition of jobs forBill. Bill works for TMG Exhibit Group andSalethia is a second grade team leader atAustin Parkway Elementary. All three Morrisgirls are fascinated by crafts, reading andvocal music! Bills leisure time also includesa love of music boasting quite an extensivemusic collection. Bill and Salethia haveLouisiana roots while both girls were born inTexas. They have lived in the Missouri Cityarea for the past 10 years.


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Finance CommitteeChairAnn ThompsonMembersKaren Paulus, Terry Harris,

Rene Lamb, Sue SowellResponsibilitiesThis committee willprepare and monitor the budget for ourchapter for the biennium. It will discuss thefinancial goals of the chapter and assist thechapter president and treasurer with thepreparation of the budget. The budget willbe the blueprint for action for our chapterover the next two years. Also included inour responsibilities is fundraising, budgeting,and auditing.Committee ChairAnn Thompson is in her40th year with FBISD. She was a classroomteacher at Lakeview and Dulles elementaryschools for 23 years teaching 3rd, 5th, andthen 2nd grades. While at Dulles she wasselected as the Teacher of the Year. Shewent on to become one of five finalists forTeacher of the Year for the district. She isnow in her 17th year as a librarian havingopened Arizona Fleming and Rita Drabekschools. She served as Lambda Sigmastreasurer for six years. She plans to retire atthe end of 2010-2011 school year.Ann has one son Brad who is apharmaceutical representative who lives inFriendswood with his wife Amy and theirthree children. The two grandsons playbaseball, football, basketball, soccer andlacrosse. The five-year-old granddaughter

just started playing girls softball. Ann usesher grandchildren to do some of the thingsshe enjoys such as going to Disney World,Sea World, childrens movies, etc.

Our next gathering

December 7th Progressive holiday dinner.More information to come.

Chapter News

Barb Hansen has been in training for theSugar Land Marathon on Sunday, January16, 2011. She completed the half marathon(13.1 miles) last January in just over 2 hoursand helped raise funds for the Fort BendEducation Foundation. If you are interestedin walking or running 3.1 miles, 13.1 miles,or 26.2 miles, check out

http://www.usafitmarathon.com/

Just a Thought

We teach more by what we are than bywhat we teach.

-Will Durant

Minutes to the September 26meeting follow:
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Minutes for Lambda Sigma MeetingThursday, September 30, 2010

The meeting was called to order at 4:30 p.m. by Cathie Ritchie, President, atLexington Creek Elementary Library. An inspirational message was delivered by Joan

Eubanks. The minutes were approved.

Margaret Larson, chairman of the hospitality committee, passed a sheet formembers to volunteer for refreshments at the meetings.

Linda Russell, 1st Vice-President, confirmed reservations for the Napa Grillfollowing the meeting. She announced plans for the progressive dinner to be held onDecember 7. Members signed up for dishes they would like to bring to the dinner. Aplanning meeting will be held on October 16 at Harriet Mantinis home to finalize plansfor the dinner. Linda also informed us of the January 22nd meeting to be held at theUniversity of Houston, Sugar Land Campus.

Sally Cain, 2nd Vice-President, announced that 29 members and 1 guest were inattendance at the meeting.

Treasurer, Dale Araujo, reported that we presently have a balance of $3,217.00,but our dues to state and national have not been paid. She will be sending outreminders to members who have not yet paid their dues. The deadline for paying isOctober 31. She reported that the raffle at our August meeting raised $148.00.

Mary Crochet, Yearbook chairman, passed around the roster for corrections.She plans to publish our new yearbook in November.

Mary Louise Ivey, Achievement Awards chairman, presented a rose gift to BarbHansen for achieving the Five Star Newsletter Award from Texas State. She hasconsistently published an exceptional newsletter for Lambda Sigma.

Dale Araujo got volunteers to perform a parliamentary procedure skit that sheobtained at State Convention in Waco this past summer. It was quite humorous, butvery informative on rules we should follow according to parliamentary procedure.

Abby Grobe presented a demonstration on the use of our very own website,http://lambdasigma.weebly.com/. Members will be able to find everything they need to

know about our activities on this website.

Scholarship/World Fellowship Committee chairman, Georgia Hicks, presented avery informative power point on the many scholarships available to members from theDelta Kappa Gamma Society. Look on our website for information about this verybeneficial aspect of membership in our society.

Linda Russell provided members with letters from Delta Kappa Gamma to give tomerchants who donate items for our raffles. She also gave us letterhead paper to writethank you notes to the merchants.


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Christi Chrisman presented a fun challenge to members to learn our Delta KappaGamma song. Each table was provided with sentence strips to glue into the correctorder for the verses of our song. Herb plants were given to the members who put theverses together in the correct order the fastest. It was a very enjoyable activity.

Cathie Ritchie and Dale Araujo showed members a rose badge holder that

Cathie bought over the internet. Sheryl Lambert and Cathie will make a bead lanyardwith rose-shaped beads to see if members would like to make them to sell to raisemoney for our grant-in-aid fund.

Cathie Ritchie announced that Alpha State Leadership Seminar applications aredue on October 15. Forms are in the Official Manual. Mail to: Alpha State, TexasHeadquarters, P.O. Box 797787, Dallas, Texas 75379-7787.

International Scholarship applications are due on February 1, 2011. StateScholarships are due on March 1, 2011.

Martha Ewell and her committee were thanked for their delightful refreshments.Appreciation was give to Dale Araujo for the cute skit, Abby Grobe for our webinformation, Georgia Hicks for the scholarship information, and Christi Chrisman for thehelpful and fun song lesson.

Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 27, at 4:30 p.m. atLexington Creek Elementary Library. Tracy Hoke, CFO of FBISD, will speak onfinancial concerns facing the district.

Members were reminded to bring art supplies for the Juvenile Detention Center at thismeeting.

Raffles at the October meeting will be provided by Inspiration, AchievementAwards, and Professional Affairs committees.

The winners of the raffles were awarded. The meeting closed with the DeltaKappa Gamma Song.

Submitted by Cathie Ritchie for Lana Petrizzo

lambda sigma news oct. 10

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