Xi Delta Upsilon chapter of Beta Sigma Phi hosted the sorority’s Founders Day celebration April 25 at First Christian Church with a catered meal. Theme for the celebration was “April Showers Bring May Flowers.” Decorations included pastel parasols hanging from the ceiling, and colorful gardening tools as centerpieces on the tables.
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.
Lois Johnson of Preceptor Pi provided piano accompaniment for members in the singing of the National Anthem. Nancy Sundahl of Xi Delta Upsilon served as master of ceremonies.
Kelly Moeder of Kelly’s Garden Sense presented a program on planting perennials, displaying a wide assortment of perennial plants and giving her recommendations for each.
Chapters honored outstanding members. Preceptor Pi presented the Woman of the Year award to Rosie Luthi and named Susan Coulson as Sister of the Year. Kansas Laureate Kappa members gave the Woman of the Year honor to Ann Palmer. Xi Delta Upsilon honored all of its chapter members. Kansas Laureate Kappa presented a ceremony in memory Marilyn Miller, a longtime member of the chapter.
Vicki Haselhorst read the Beta Sigma Phi International official communication from President Laura Ross Wingfield announcing the 2018-19 theme, “A Quilt of Friendship.”
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 collected plastic bags for Almost Home, gave a monetary donation to Katie Zimmerman’s sixth-grade class for special needs children at Jefferson School, donated personal hygiene items to the Food Bank, and gave a monetary donation to the United Way project, Boxes of Love.
Preceptor Pi members continued donating to the Makinna Ann Hope Foundation and also donated to Prairie Godmothers this year. They provided fruit for the First United Methodist Church’s Fruit Fillers backpack project for local grade school children. They donated puzzles to the Early Childhood Education Center, gave diapers to Birthright and donated food to the Food Bank, including holiday hams for Thanksgiving.
The chapter sponsored five children in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library project, donated foods and warm socks for the Blessing Box on Hubbard Street, gave Christmas gifts to three veterans at the Kansas Soldiers’ Home at Fort Dodge, presented Christmas gifts to the girls living at the Girls’ Home (Barton County Youth Care Inc.) and donated items for United Way’s Boxes of Love for the Elderly.
Funds for most of Preceptor Pi’s service projects have been raised by the chapter’s Reception Sisters project in which members assist with receptions for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and other celebrations.
Xi Delta Upsilon gave blankets, hats and coats to students at Barton Community College and donated proceeds of the chapter’s Holiday Décor fundraising project equally to Kans for Kids and the Great Bend Humane Society. The chapter also decorated a Christmas tree for the Barton County Historical Society Christmas Open House.