Kansas Laureate Kappa chapter of Beta Sigma Phi hosted the Founder’s Day celebration on April 25 at First Christian Church, on the international sorority’s 86th anniversary.
Theme for the celebration was “Mardi Gras.” Decorations included colorful masks, beads, coins and other items depicting Mardi Gras festivities. Two King’s Cakes highly decorated with glitter icing were served as dessert.
Dixie Watkins, a former Laureate Kappa member who lived in Louisiana for eight years, gave the program describing the Mardi Gras celebration and customs.
Great Bend Beta Sigma Phi chapters, including Laureate Kappa, Preceptor Pi and Xi Delta Upsilon, participated in the event. Guests included members of the former Theta Master chapter: Patty Fairbanks, Shirley Slater, Elsena Bender and Joyce Boor.
Chapters honored outstanding members. Preceptor Pi members presented the Woman of the Year award to Rosie Luthi, and named Susan Brown as Sister of the Year. Laureate Kappa members gave the Woman of the Year honor to Sandy Smith. Xi Delta Upsilon honored all of its chapter members.
Sandy Smith, president of Laureate Kappa, led the celebration. Nancy Cale read the Beta Sigma Phi International official communication from President Laura Ross Wingfield announcing the 2017-18 Beta Sigma Phi theme, “In Touch With Tomorrow.”
Each year, Beta Sigma Phi chapters choose special service projects, both large and small, and set about fulfilling their goals.
This year, Kansas Laureate Kappa helped Stuff the Bus for United Way and volunteered for the Numana humanitarian organization providing food for people throughout the world. Laureate Kappa boxed more than 200 meals that went to Haiti and Rwanda.
Laureate Kappa also continued its support of Casey Rohrer, chapter member Ann Palmer’s grandson, by donating to the Casey Rohrer Scholarship Fund at the Hermosa Beach Family Theatre where Casey has performed in and directed the play he wrote. Members also collected plastic bags for Almost Home. Ann Palmer was named Valentine Queen for Laureate Kappa.
Preceptor Pi members continued donating to the Makinna Ann Hope Foundation and also donated to the Central Kansas Dream Center this year. They provided fruit for the First United Methodist Church’s Fruit Fillers backpack project for local grade school children. The chapter also presented donations to Quilts of Valor and the United Way’s Boxes of Love project.
The chapter gave food to the Barton County Food Bank and provided holiday hams to the Food Bank in December. In March, the chapter gave pizza and movie tickets to Barton County Youth Care Inc. (Girls Home) for a movie night. Preceptor Pi’s Reception Sisters assisted with four wedding receptions this year to raise funds for the chapter’s service projects.
In February, the chapter honored Susan Brown as Valentine Queen. Also in February, Preceptor Pi member Karen Reif was honored with the Preceptor Degree ritual.
Xi Delta Upsilon organized a garage sale to benefit the Fyler family with their quadruplets, providing the Fylers with a sizeable donation and baby items. In November, the chapter hosted its third Holiday Décor at Flavored Celebrations with businesses and individuals providing place settings and decorated tables and rooms. Chances were sold for a Christmas centerpiece created by Chris Bitter. Partial proceeds from this event went to the Central Kansas Dream Center, and later the chapter donated art supplies to the Applied Learning Center. The chapter also donated items to the Golden Belt Humane Society and gave money to help shelter animals.