great post amanda

another alumna and i thought the same and tweeted about these t-shirts and mentioned all axos should get one the last time the tee's were sold. and we each bought one

love that our sisters are all thinking altruisticly and remembering our national philanthropy too.

YITB, JSBH (theta lambda)

It should be in the green book. check with your vp-r&fa and/or president. your chapter should have (at least one copy each of) the green ceremonies book, the white book and the red ritual folder. 

have a great initiation

yiTB, jenn 

Great Enthusiasm Sierra!

What chapter are you?

Have you contacted your Recruitment Specialist and Jen Patterson at Headquarters? I would start there! They can connect you with other chapters and work with you like a recruitment advisor to bounce ideas, look at return rates, talk strategy, etc.

You can find their email addresses by logging in to the website and checking the database

Recruitment 

Courtney McKenna, Gamma Sigma

Region 1
Elise Christopher, Gamma Iota
Katharine MacPherson, Epsilon Tau
Jennifer Silva, Epsilon Psi
Holly Cowx, Gamma Iota

Region 2
Bonnie Biggs, Epsilon Chi
Shelley Catrino, Gamma Mu  
Jodi Middleton, Epsilon Theta
Liz Schafer, Beta Delta
Mallory Sylvester, Alpha Omega

Region 3
Emmalynn Brown, Alpha
Megan Dauenhauer, Theta Omega

Region 4
Cathy Boragno, Delta Sigma
Je'nell Griffin, Gamma Nu
Christina Norlien, Alpha Lambda
Kit Parker, Gamma Epsilon
Julie Marshall, Gamma Xi

Dear Sisters,

After moving to Boston, I promised to continue challenging myself and this year has brought upon a lot of change including starting a new job, and more recently becoming a chapter advisor of the Alpha Tau chapter of the University of New Hampshire.

I'm about to embark on the biggest challenge of my life: completing the Boston Marathon. But my personal quest, no matter how difficult it will be for me, pales in comparison to the challenge facing cancer patients. By participating in the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC), I'm supporting Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's goal to find better therapies and, ultimately, cures for cancer.

DFMC directs 100% of the funds it raises to the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research at Dana-Farber, which fosters scientific breakthroughs by advancing the work of gifted researchers in a variety of basic research disciplines. These funds enable scientists at the leading edge of discovery to achieve better cure rates and to enhance patients' quality of life.

I hope you will support my challenge by giving a gift to my run and, in doing so, help Dana-Farber reach the ultimate finish line:  a world without cancer.

Your kind support and words of encouragement will be the "wind beneath my wings." Thank you.

To donate online, please visit my page : 

http://www.rundfmc.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=484862&lis=0&kntae484862=3A3331CB87894CFD8F18417402869979

or 

-go to rundfmc.com 

-click "support a runner"

-type in my name

With great appreciation and many inspired miles to go!

Hi! I'm trying to find a copy of the dream cake story about the princess. I would really appreciate it if someone could post it or email it to me! LITB

I am looking to relocate to Orlando/Lakeland/Tampa area, but am finding it impossible to find job leads from afar. Anyone in that area have a good resource for the job search? Thanks!

Feel free to email me at erinscreen@hotmail.com

Hello ladies,

I'm looking for people to rent rooms in my La Mirada home. I live near Biola University, Whittier College and Southern California University of Health Sciences.

The tri-level, ranch-style home is 1630 square feet and sits on 1/3 of an acre. The house has three bedrooms and 2.5 baths and includes a well-appointed kitchen with a breakfast bar, a dining room,  living room,  family room and two patios. Pics and more info: www.lmroom4rent.weebly.com

itb,

Brooke Fessler

Epsilon Kappa (California State Fullerton) '97

I am a professor at a local University and have been invited to AXO initiation this weekend.  I have never attended as an alumnae and has been many years since  my own initiation. What is the dress for the Alumnae?  If anyone could message me I would really appreciate it.  kcravey@sbcglobal.net

Something really special is to incorporate the colors of the wedding into the singing also. For instance, if the sister's colors are navy and lime green, you could get lime green paper and print the words on the paper in navy. All the sisters singing get a copy and it is a sweet item for the bride to add to her scrapbook/album (and it will look great in photos)

Hey Sisters!

I'm selling the companion travel voucher that I received when I ordered my Alpha Chi Omega directory last year.  Travel must be completed by May 15, 2011 and the black out dates are March 26 - April 3, 2011.  Make an offer!  Let me know if anyone is interested!

Dana

You can order jerseys [and support Alpha Chi Omega sister/entrepreneurs] by shopping these Greek licensed vendors:

http://www.thegreekboutique.com/

http://www.facebook.com/sororityspirit

Hi there! my name is Murphey Harris from Theta Iota (Baylor)! I have an oppertunity to host a new television show called Paradise Hunter! it's a travel show about finding the "perfect paradise"! If selected, I'll get to travel to 12 countries in 12 months! Traveling has been my passion my whole life, but I've never gotten the oppertunity to even leave the country due to financial reasons. This would be such a huge deal to me!

 PLEASE help me out by voting for me! It takes 2 seconds and you don't have to give any personal info if you do not want to!

Here is the link:

http://www.paradisehunter.com/vote/Murpheyh.html

And if you'd like to join my FB group and invite your friends or other sisters, heres that link:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=159543354073014&ref=mf

I would appreciate it SO much if you could take the time to do this! Thanks so much! I love you all!

LITB,

Murphey

 Looking to share a 3BR/2BA condo for $650 a month, utilities included. Deposit $250. Lease length is negotiable. Move in available late April.
Preferably female, non-smoker, no illegal or recreational drugs. No pets please.
Condo is on the second floor. Washer/dryer in-condo. Open floor plan. Will have your own bedroom and bathroom. A private balcony with grill. Very safe neighborhood.

Ideal roommate is someone that works evening/night shift or is a hardworking college/grad student. Great location-2 miles from Metropolis Mall, just 15 minutes to Hendricks Regional and Clarian West hospitals, 10-15 minutes from airport, and 25 minutes to downtown. Roommate must be cleanly and pick up after their self; respectful of personal space, no drama; financially responsible and will pay rent the first of the month; must have own car. Two references (one personal, one employer) required, and proof of current employment.

Feel free to pass this on to non-Alpha Chi women that may need housing in the Indy area.

Contact rlalton@att.net or call 973-714-5361 if interested.

Hey Katie,

Is your chapter using mychapterroom.com?  It is a great communication tool and owned by an alumna.  It has a forum where administrators (presidents and vp communications) from all different AXO chapters can chat about ideas. 

Also, you ask your education advisor for ideas and also ask your president if she has searched the presidents' listserv for ideas.  The presidents' listserve through AXO Headquarters should be a good source of information too!

Here are some ideas I found:

• Each new member is given half a poem. Each take turns and read it out loud. When they finish their part their big sis finishes it. I know that I always picked out poems that showed how much I really cared for my new lil sis.
• For our reveal this year, each little received a flower. They then had to find the person with the matching flower- that person was their big. We did it out at a park, with a picnic lunch afterwards. The littles were just in a different pavilion when they received the flower, in view of the bigs- so it wasn't like they had to search all over the entire park.
• the new members were told to run downstairs and find a balloon with their name on it. Once we found our balloon, we popped it to reveal a slip of paper with a room number on it. All of us ran to our designated rooms and our Big Sisters were there waiting at the door!
• all of our bigs parked their car in a big parking lot and hid in them. Littles received their big's keys and had to match the key with the car
• One year our Reveal Night fell on Halloween, so the Big Sis' last gift was a Halloween costume. The Bigs wore corresponding costumes to Reveal. The costumes didn't match, but the two costumes formed a pair-- a salt and pepper shaker for instance, or for the one Little who got two Bigs (they were "twins" and wanted to keep the family united) two peas and a pod.
• We have our big/little reveal on Founder's Day and our Bigs wear socks but keep them covered during the dinner, then the Littles put on the socks and guess who their Big is!
• The Big carves a pumkin with all your soror stuff on it or paints if it is easier. Then cuts off the top and paints the littles name on it. You stand in the yard with all the bigs by their littles pumpkin and then line up all the tops for the littles. The little grabs her top and walks around to all the pumpkins to see if her top fits. When her top fits the pumpkin then she is standing next to her big!
  
• for smaller chapters - the big will bring a cutely decorated bowl of ice cream to the house and on the bottom is the name of the big. (it is usually a clear bowl with the name on a piece of paper and taped to the bottom-name side up, that way you can't just turn over the bowl and see the name) the girls have to eat to the bottom to see who their big is.
• The big sis buys matching pj's for her and her little. And then they have a PJ party and when the littles are alowed in the room they can find their big b/c of the matching clothes.
• We did the game where you get a famous person's name on your back, and you have to guess who it is using yes and no quesitions. Well, we used famous duos and couples, and once you found out who you were you had to find your match and that was your big!
• We did giant puzzle pieces...the big has one half, the little has the other. The littles have to find the sister whose piece fits theirs!

Do remember that scavenger hunts are not okay per FIPG.

Good Luck and Have fun!

YITB and WDA

quotes from http://sororitysisters.net/ 

Sorority Quotes for Big Sisters

• A Big Sister is one of the nicest things to have; a Lil Sister is one of the best things to be....!
• It is so much fun being your little sister! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!!!
• A big sis like you is one of the greatest things to have; I love being your Lil!
• To my Big....I want to be like you and do for others what you have done for
  me. Thanks you for being yourself and bringing happiness to my heart.
• To my big sister...you'll always have a piece of my heart!
• One day I hope to be somebody's Big Sister...My heart's desire, when I have the chance, is to to be as good a Big Sis to my Lil as you have been to me.
• To my Big Sister, "I love you, not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you, not only for what you have made of yourself, but what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out."      - Roy Croft
• My big sister is someone who can take the place of everyone else, but no one in the world can take her place.
• Big Sisters like you are the sunshine of life.
• My Big Sister and Me...friends forever!
• My Big Sister and Me...the perfect fit! My friend and sister forever!
• A Big Sister is one of the nicest things to have; a Little Sister is one of the best things to be....!
• To my Big Sis...You make each day a special day. You know just how to do it, by just being yourself. You are the best!!!
  ===
• "Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave
  footprints on your heart." - Eleanor Roosevelt
• "The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow
  separately without growing apart." - Elisabeth Foley
• Sorority sisterhood isn't a big thing, it's a million little things!

Sorority Quotes for Little Sisters

• A Little Sister is  the nicest thing to have; a Big Sister is  the best thing to be....!
• A little sis like you is  the greatest thing to have; I love being your big sis!
• My little sister is someone who can take the place of everyone else, but no one in the world can take her place.
• My Little Sister and Me...a perfect fit
• My Little Sister and Me...together forever!
• To my Little Sis...You make each day a special day. You know just how to do it, by just being yourself.  You are the best!!!
• To my Little Sister, "I love you, not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you.  I love you, not only for what you have made of yourself, but what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out."                    Roy Croft
• To my little sister...you'll always have a piece of my heart!
• Little Sisters like you are the sunshine of life.
• Sorority sisterhood isn't a big thing, it's a million little things!
• "Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints on your heart."- Eleanor Roosevelt
• "The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart." - Elisabeth Foley

Was Alpha Chi Omega "founded on Christian principles"? I wasn't aware that we were. My understanding is that the Fraternity was founded as a women's society with roots in the department of music. (The first constitution read: "The object of this fraternity is as follows: To attain the highest musical culture and to cultivate those principles that embody true womanhood.")

Anonymous said, that to say anything other than "thank you" when wished religious based good will would "diminish all religions." The argument that Anonymous makes is not only flawed, but offensive in its exclusive nature.

Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing, but using it to support an argument that is based on the notion that all other winter holidays and religions are diminutive to Christianity is sadly very un-christian-like.

I suggest that Anonymous follows her suggestion of “good manners dictate that you simply reply ‘thank you’ regardless of your beliefs” to include “happy holidays” and say ‘thank you.’

LITB

Two days ago a collegiate sister of Iota Phi at Qunnipiac University, Erin Sargent, posted a message to their forum with this title from the line of our Symphony and this article. http://bitsofwisdom.org/2009/10/21/interesting/perception/ 

I was inspired by her sharing the article and relating it to something so dear to us and I hope you are too. It is a beautiful reminder for all of us.

LITB- Jacki

go to AlphachiOmega.org

"Resource Center"

"Lyrics"

and it is there

At all the weddings I've attended, the groom sits in a chair on the dance floor, the bride sits in his lap, the AXOs surround them and sing.  It's really cute if you print the lyrics in a fun font (coordinating with the wedding colors) and hand those out to the sisters.  It is a good prompt for them on the wording and it is great for a scrapbook!

Check with our Chapter at Carthage College - great singers!  to see if they can give you a copy of them singing the song!

I saw this blog post on the Theta site and thought it would be a nice post for Alpha Chis also:

http://www.kappaalphatheta.org/alumnae/community/alumnae_blog.cfm

Tanya & I, just before taking our photos to submit for Rush (now called Recruitment) at Arizona State University.

On Saturday, August 1, my best friend since 3rd grade, had a surprise 40th Birthday Party. Her name is Tanya Murray, she’s an Alpha Chi Omega, and she’s one of the strongest, most sincere people I know. We grew up in Arizona, both went to Arizona State and both pledged different Houses. Funny how that happens, but one of the best things about our friendship has always been the strength it gives us to go our own ways, knowing that we’ll always be there for one another. And, maybe that’s the common thread that keeps best friends together regardless of time or the distance between them.

Tanya lives in Las Vegas, NV, and is an über agent in the luxury real estate market. I live in moreYorktown, New York, and am an über jack-of-all trades. So, the only chink that the distance has put in the armor lately, is that I was unable to fly out for her surprise party, but luckily for me, her family has always been as wonderful as she is, and they went out of their way to find a way to include me anyways. Tanya’s mom and little sister, Fafie Jones Moore and Marcy Rosenbluth Hernandez, are both Beta Mu Thetas from the University of Nevada, Reno. Last month Fafie e-mailed me asking if I could write something special about Tanya and look for pictures for a “This is Your Life” type of DVD the family was putting together. Believe it or not, I actually had writer’s block. For me, when something is that close to my heart writer’s block is an ever-present threat, but after a week of mulling over how to put a lifetime of memories into a note, I think I managed to put together a sincere and succinct offering of prose, and I moved on to the photographic journey down memory lane.

In addition to finding some photos for the DVD, I was inspired by Fafie and decided to make Tanya a small BFF photo album ~ Tanya and me ~ through the ages. After plucking pictures of us from frames and photo albums around the house, I went to the basement and hauled up my big bin of loose photos. Talk about a trip down memory lane. Just that experience of looking at our life through pictures made me feel close to Tanya, and even though I couldn’t be at the surprise party, I felt a connection with the event just the same.

In addition to my sentimental Towie-Lisa photo album (Towie is a nickname – long story), what else could I give Tanya for her birthday? I mean, the big 4-0 is one of the milestone b-days ~ a gift card to her favorite boutique or an endless supply of ice coffees just didn’t hit the note I was looking for. So, I exhaled and thought inward. What would be an important gift to me at this stage of my life that holds a special place in my heart while at the same time serves as a special tie with Tanya? Then it came to me ~ the Foundation.

I went online to the Alpha Chi Omega web site, and sure enough the Alpha Chi symbol of a lyre caught my attention with the words next to it: “Alpha Chi Omega: Real. Strong. Women.” Underneath, there was a link to the Foundation. I thought for a minute about it ~ would a donation to the Alpha Chi Foundation be as special to Tanya as a donation to the Theta Foundation would be for me? After thinking about out time together in college ~ rush and how the choosing of different houses gave us even more to share and talk about it, I thought it was the right and natural choice. As I said earlier, Tanya’s mom and sister are Thetas, but what I didn’t mention is that Tanya’s maternal grandma was an Alpha Chi with strong ties to her sorority. It was a way to let Tanya know how special our Panhellenic sisterhood is and how it will always be another strong connector between the two of us.

So, knowing Tanya and her family and friends, I’m sure that Saturday night’s surprise party was a festival for the ages. I’m so sorry I couldn’t attend, but at the same time I’m so thankful for the sentimental journey it inspired me to take. Happy Birthday, Tanya!