Preceptor Pi Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi met Feb. 7 at the home of Linda Jerke. Janice Walker was co-hostess. President Janis Link conducted the meeting.
Judy Krebaum gave the Beta Brief from the Beta Sigma Phi magazine the Torch, featuring Beta Sigma Phi’s Valentine tradition, which started in 1938 as the Valentine Girl Contest. To give the contest a jump-start, actress Jean Parker McDonald, affiliated with Beta Sigma Phi, consented to be the first Valentine Girl. The contest later was for Valentine Sweetheart with a Valentine Queen, Sweetheart and Empress being named, and the tradition continues.
Jeanne Schmitt presented the program on collecting postcards. The tradition of postcards began in the 20th century when people began using them to communicate short notes to friends and relatives – similar to communicating through email and social media on the Internet today, she said. Collecting postcards today is one of the largest collection hobbies in the world. Schmitt exhibited many of the postcards from her own collection.
The chapter had its annual Valentine Dinner Feb. 11, at the Classic Inn.
On Feb. 21 Preceptor Pi met at the home of Janice Walker. Rosie Luthi was co-hostess. President Janis Link conducted the meeting.
Preceding the meeting, the chapter crowned Janice Walker as Valentine Queen. Jeri Brozek, the chapter’s 2011 Valentine Queen conducted the crowning ceremony.
Chapter members had provided approximately 14 dozen Valentine cookies for the residents of Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center, reported Walker, the chapter’s service chair. The cookies were delivered by Linda Jerke and Rosie Luthi on Valentine’s Day. Members will donate personal hygiene items to the Girls’ Home for their March service project.
During the meeting, the chapter made plans to attend Barton Community College’s Spring Musical, “Lil Abner,” March 9.
Jeri Brozek’s husband, Duane, presented a program on his experiences as one of the cowboys with the 200-mile Kansas 150th Anniversary Cattle Drive last September. The drive started south of Caldwell, near the Oklahoma border on Labor Day weekend. Celebrations were being held in several Kansas towns along the old Ellsworth/Cox Cattle Trail. By the time the drive reached Ellinwood, the herd had grown to more than 400 head. The cattle drive ended at Ellsworth.
The next meeting of Preceptor Pi is set for 7 p.m. March 6 at the home of Rosie Luthi, who will also serve as co-hostess. Karen Reif will present the program.