Countdown to Baltimore Leadership Conference! Read This Post to Learn More!

The Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation is pleased to join the Fraternity at the 2007 Leadership Conferences where we will again host the Saturday night dinner. Last year, thanks to the generosity of our collegiate and alumnae sisters, the Foundation was able to raise over $30,000 to help fund quality leadership programming, scholarships and grants and support for the National Kidney Foundation and Kidney Foundation of Canada.We invite you and your chapter to join the Foundation Board of Directors and fellow collegian and alumnae sisters celebrate the efforts of our donors and learn about how your gifts are put to work. Here’s how!

Donate An Item From Your Chapter For The Foundation Auction

This year, we invite your chapter to help us make the Foundation dinner and auction even more successful by donating a chapter gift to be auctioned to the highest bidder. Great ideas from previous auctions include:

• Items used during ritual (i.e., candlesticks, vase, bible cover, gavel, ritual table cloth, etc.)
  
• A basket representing your home state or region (California Dreamin’, New York Big Apple, Fun in the Sun)
  
• Unique Phi Sigma Sigma items that your chapter makes (banner for recruitment, scrapbook cover, etc.)
  

Would you like more information or ideas about what to donate for the Foundation auction? If so, email us at foundation@phisigmasigma.org. With your help, the Foundation auction will continue to be a highlight of the conference! We look forward to all our sisters joining us in the bidding process too!

Participate in the Foundation Raffle

In addition to participating in the auction by both donating and bidding on items, sisters may also buy chances to win fabulous merchandise in the Foundation Raffle. Raffle tickets will be available Friday night and all day Saturday.

Give Heart to Hearts

One of the most treasured traditions from our international conclaves is “Heart to Hearts.” This year, we are bringing this wonderful tradition to the Leadership Conferences! The recipient of a Heart receives a card from you and includes your personal message. She also receives a double heart appliqué to wear on her nametag. This is a perfect opportunity to say “thank you” to chapter sisters and community volunteers.

Join the Rosebud Society

Rosebud Society membership provides a unique opportunity for collegians to begin their lifetime of giving through three easy and affordable donations to the Foundation.

Membership is obtained through three gifts over three years ($20, $25, and $30 respectively) totaling $75. When the first payment is received, the sister receives a lapel pin to signify membership into the Rosebud Society. Once her third payment is made, the sister receives her first lifetime rose giving level pin. We invite all Leadership Conference attendees to join the Rosebud Society. When you generously donate $20 at the conference, you will receive your rosebud pin on the spot and will be able to proudly display your support for the Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation.

Transplant Games Video Now Online!

Do you want a sneak peak at the 2006 Transplant Games video? If so, check out Kidney's website at http://www.kidney.org/news/tgames/index.cfm.

At the Leadership Conferences, the Archon from every chapter will receive a DVD of the Transplant Games along with additional information for chapter activities and recruitment. All sisters (alumnae and collegiate) who are attending one of the Leadership Conferences will have the chance to see the video at dinner!

Did you know...

Did you know that in the Foundation blog's first month of existence we had sisters from 9 different countries visit the site? Can you guess which ones?

Sisters have logged on to http://www.phisigmasigmafoundation.org/ from...

• United States
• Canada
• United Kingdom
• Portugal
• Chile
• Philippines
• Italy
• Netherlands
• Denmark

Remember to check back often as we are always posting new content and don't forget to send us the great service projects or philanthropy projects you or your chapter is involved in. We love hearing from our collegians and alumnae!

Great Service Project Idea!

Are you looking for a service project to do by yourself or with sisters? Xerox has developed the website www.letssaythanks.com that gives you an opportunity to select a card designed by a student, write a message of encouragement and then submit it to be printed and sent to the troops overseas by the good folks at Xerox. It's easy! Here's more information on the mission of "Let's Say Thanks":

The mission of Let's Say Thanks is to provide a way for individuals across the country to recognize U.S. troops stationed overseas.

By submitting a message through this site you have the opportunity to send a free personalized postcard greeting to deployed servicemen and women.

The postcards, depicting patriotic scenes and hometown images, were selected from a pool of entries from children across the country.

All you have to do is click on your favorite design and either select the message that best expresses your sentiment or draft a personal note.

Get started now at www.letssaythanks.com!

Phi Sigs Serve In New Orleans

Executive Director Michelle Snyder Ardern, Membership Managers Catherine Udell, Lisa Wallace and Nicole Westerfer attended the Association of Fraternity Advisors meeting in New Orleans in early December. They participated in AFA's Service Plunge with Habitat for Humanity during the Annual Meeting, working on houses in Musicians’ Village.

Located in the city’s Upper Ninth Ward, the Musicians’ Village project was conceived by Branford Marsalis and Harry Connick Jr. and will consist of homes constructed by Habitat in partnership with displaced New Orleans musicians and other qualifying homeowner families of modest means. Its centerpiece will be the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, dedicated to music education and learning opportunities for homeowners and others who will live nearby. The center is named for the patriarch of the Marsalis clan - a modern jazz pioneer and native New Orleanian. New Orleans Habitat purchased 8.1 vacant acres that eventually will house 75 single-family homes, six elder-friendly doubles, and the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music. The property will be considered the core of the Musicians’ Village.

Lisa Wallace commented,

“We were humbled by the work being done in New Orleans by Habitat. There is still so much to do. We had the opportunity to work with other fraternity and sorority staff members, Greek Advisors and other volunteers on a very worthwhile project.”

Leadership Conferences 2007

The Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation is pleased to join the Fraternity at the 2007 Leadership Conferences where we will again host the Saturday night dinner. Last year, thanks to the generosity of our collegiate and alumnae sisters, the Foundation was able to raise over $30,000 to help fund quality leadership programming, scholarships and grants and support for the National Kidney Foundation and Kidney Foundation of Canada.

We invite you and your chapter to join the Foundation Board of Directors and fellow collegian and alumnae sisters celebrate the efforts of our donors and learn about how your gifts are put to work. Here’s how!

Donate An Item From Your Chapter For The Foundation Auction
This year, we invite your chapter to help us make the Foundation dinner and auction even more successful by donating a chapter gift to be auctioned to the highest bidder. Great ideas from previous auctions include:

• Items used during ritual (i.e., candlesticks, vase, bible cover, gavel, ritual table cloth, etc.)
• A basket representing your home state or region (California Dreamin’, New York Big Apple, Fun in the Sun)
• Unique Phi Sigma Sigma items that your chapter makes (banner for recruitment, scrapbook cover, etc.)
  

Would you like more information or ideas about what to donate for the Foundation auction? If so, email us at foundation@phisigmasigma.org. With your help, the Foundation auction will continue to be a highlight of the conference! We look forward to all our sisters joining us in the bidding process too!

Participate in the Foundation Raffle
In addition to participating in the auction by both donating and bidding on items, sisters may also buy chances to win fabulous merchandise in the Foundation Raffle. Raffle tickets will be available Friday night and all day Saturday.

Give Heart to Hearts
One of the most treasured traditions from our international conclaves is “Heart to Hearts.” This year, we are bringing this wonderful tradition to the Leadership Conferences! The recipient of a Heart receives a card from you and includes your personal message. She also receives a double heart appliqué to wear on her nametag. This is a perfect opportunity to say “thank you” to chapter sisters and community volunteers.

Join the Rosebud Society
Rosebud Society membership provides a unique opportunity for collegians to begin their lifetime of giving through three easy and affordable donations to the Foundation.

Membership is obtained through three gifts over three years ($20, $25, and $30 respectively) totaling $75. When the first payment is received, the sister receives a lapel pin to signify membership into the Rosebud Society. Once her third payment is made, the sister receives her first lifetime rose giving level pin. We invite all Leadership Conference attendees to join the Rosebud Society. When you generously donate $20 at the conference, you will receive your rosebud pin on the spot and will be able to proudly display your support for the Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation.

Phi Sig Foundation Scholarship and Grant Applications Available Now!

The Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation is pleased to share the 2007 scholarship and grant application with our collegiate or alumnae sisters who continue to pursue their undergraduate or graduate education. Please visit our website at http://www.phisigmasigmafoundation.org/apply-scholarship.htm to download an application. Applications must be postmarked by APRIL 10, 2007.

Gamma Tau's Walk for Kids

Thank you to the Gamma Tau chapter at Northern Kentucky University who told us about their very successful major Fall service/philanthropy project. Allison, philanthropy chair emailed:

On November 4, 2006, the Gamma Tau chapter at Northern Kentucky University participated in first annual Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Cincinnati Walks for Kids. This event was held to raise funds for the Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Our chapter walked for a very special child named McKenzie. McKenzie is 8 months old and was a victim of physical abuse. She is now mentally handicapped for life due to the abuse. We walked in her honor to raise money for the Neurology department at Children’s Hospital. Together with community members, our chapter raised over $4000. Our chapter feels honored to have participated in an amazing event that goes towards the betterment of a child’s life.

In the Spring, Gamma Tau's major philanthropy event, a Rock-A-Thon, will benefit the Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation. Congratulations on a wonderful event!

Past Grand Archon Ruth Burg Visits International Headquarters

On Saturday, December 15th, Past Grand Archon Ruth Cooper Breslauer Burg visited our International Headquarters in Elkridge, Maryland. Ruth was Grand Archon from 1954 to 1956 and is a sister from our Kappa chapter at George Washington University. She graduated first in her class from the George Washington University law school and had a long and distinguised career as a lawyer and judge.

Past Grand Archon Judith Distler, joined by Beta Theta (University of Miami) alumna Valerie Shapiro, brought Ruth to Headquarters, where she received a tour from Executive Director Michelle Snyder, and also met with Kim Hildred, Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation President and Past Grand Archon and Rosemary Straub, the Foundation’s Director of Development. It was a wonderful day of sharing memories and discussing Phi Sig history.

During her visit to HQ, Ruth remarked that when she served as Grand Archon our Headquarters (then called Central Office) was located in her Washington, DC home. My how things have changed!

Congratulations Theta Eta (Rider University)!

Congratulations to our Theta Eta Chapter at Rider University for winning the following awards at the Greek Banquet:

• Highest Individual Female Cumulative GPA
• House Manager of the Year

Has your chapter done something outstanding? Leave us a comment to tell us about it. Your chapter's accomplishments could be the next feature on the Foundation blog!

Sisters Celebrate the Life of Past Grand Archon Jeanine Jacobs Goldberg

On October 29, the Foundation hosted an event at the Nu house on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania to honor the life and legacy of Past Grand Archon Jeanine Jacobs Goldberg.

Sandy Grossman (Grand Archon), Kim Hildred (Past Grand Archon and Foundation President), Louise Kier Ziretta (Past Grand Archon), Veachey Bloom (Past Grand Archon), Arlene Fickler (past Foundation President), Joan Eilbott (Jeanine's chapter sister at Nu), Sylvana Trabout (past Supreme Council officer), and Nancy Pfeffer (past Grand Council officer) each gave a moving tribute to Jeanine, the impact she had on them as individuals and her legacy to Phi Sigma Sigma.

It was especially appropriate that this memorial was held at the University of Pennsylvania which is Jeanine's alma mater. After she graduated from our Nu chapter, Jeanine went on to Harvard Law school where she graduated top in her class. Jeanine had a tremendous impact not only in ensuring the future and perpetuity of Phi Sigma Sigma during the 1970's, but also as a woman pioneer in the legal profession.

Do you have a wonderful memory that you'd like to share about Jeanine? Email us at foundation@phisigmasigma.org to share!

Founders' Day Service Events Elicit a Great Response from Alumnae and Collegiate Chapters!

Thank you to all of the alumnae and collegiate chapters who answered the Foundation's call to serve others as a way to honor our founding. Stories have poured in telling us about the great work our chapters did in November.

Samantha from our Zeta Zeta chapter at Quinnipiac University wrote to tell us about how her chapter not only honored our founders but also their sister Katie, who touched everyone she met through her brave battle with leukemia. Samantha wrote:

As you know our chapter here at Quinnipiac University lost a very special sister to leukemia last October. While Katie was in the hospital she received a "Hugs and Kisses" fleece blanket from the nurses for comfort. The nurses give out one blanket a week and it meant so much to Katie when she received the blanket one week. When our chapter heard about this and the fact that the hospital relies on donations to keep the blankets in stock we made in one of our missions to be sure there was always a blanket for the next child who came through. This year for Founders' Day we invited the Phi Sigma Sigma chapter from Central Connecticut State University and the new Colony at the University of New Haven to join us in making some blankets. The ladies from all three chapters got together last Saturday afternoon for an hour of pizza and socializing before we dove into making the blankets. We put together eight blankets during this time which we were very excited about. The blankets will be delivered to the hospital in the next week so that children coming into the oncology wing will have some comfort even as they are far from home during the holidays.

We also heard from Brittany, a sister from our Delta Psi chapter at the University of West Florida. Brittany wrote to tell us:

To celebrate our founders this year, a local alumnae chapter and our chapter got together and made dinner at the Ronald McDonald house. By doing this we brought a little ease to the parents that have been there taking care of their sick children during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Thank you to both Samantha and Brittany for your touching stories of service. It is especially wonderful that these chapters reached out to both local collegiate and alumnae chapters to strengthen both their service and their sisterhood.

Want to share what your chapter is doing? Post a comment now! Do you have pictures to share? Email the Foundation at foundation@phisigmasigma.org!

Sisters Everywhere Celebrate Founders' Day

The Foundation would like to recognize all of our sisters who served others as a tribute to our Founders' Day. We have heard from chapters and individuals from all across North America who have shared their selfless acts of giving with us. Here is just one example:

"To honor our founders I purchased a live Christmas tree for a young Marine wife (and her kids) who live at Camp Pendleton in San Diego who will be alone this Christmas while her husband is in Iraq fighting for our country. Hopefully this small gesture will brighten their holidays and give them something that they wouldn't be able to have otherwise."
-- Gina, Delta Gamma '86

Did you do something to honor the legacy of our founders? If so, tell us about it by emailing us at foundation@phisigmasigma.org or leave your story as a "comment" to this post. We look forward to hearing from you!

Alumnae Chapters Shine!

Phi Sigma Sigma alumnae chapters are helping to make a difference in communities all across the country. Here are just two examples of the amazing projects our alumnae are involved in.

Southern LA County Alumnae Chapter reported:

"The chapter participated in Sight Night this October with the CSU Dominguez Hills Institute for Cultural Diversity. We collected 109 eyeglasses which are being donated to the Lions Club for refurbishing and distribution."

Las Vegas Alumnae Chapter wrote to say:

"We recently participated in a great local cause for Make a Difference Day. "Goodie Two Shoes" works with the Boys & Girls Clubs and provided new shoes, socks, backpacks, school supplies and lunch to 1240 kids in one morning! Payless Shoes closes several stores and the kids get to pick any shoes they want! They also get 6 pairs of socks and the backpacks/supplies. We had two celebrities at my location - Miss Nevada (a Greek, but not a Phi Sig) and Kenny Anderson, a professional skateboarder. Very cool people!"

Has your chapter done something great to live our core value of "leadership through service?" If so, email the Foundation at foundation@phisigmasigma.org to tell us about it! Who knows, maybe you'll see your chapter highlighted in the Foundation's blog!

Celebrate Founders' Day by Serving Others

Nearly 100 years ago, ten women with extreme foresight came together in friendship and inclusiveness to create a new sorority - Phi Sigma Sigma. Each November, thousands of collegiate and alumnae sisters from across North America come together to honor our Founders on Founders' Day - November 26.

There is no better way to celebrate the founding of our sisterhood than to serve others and demonstrate our core value of "servant leadership." This year, in celebration of our 93rd year of sisterhood, the Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation invites you to serve others as a way to commemorate and remember the selfless giving of our Founders. During the month of November, join together with your Phi Sigma Sigma sisters to serve your community. You can increase the impact of your project by inviting other alumnae and collegiate chapters and sisters in your area, to join you in your philanthropic efforts.

If you are looking for ideas on what to do for Founders' Day, please email foundation@phisigmasigma.org. Don't forget to tell us about your success and send us your pictures !