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Alphamusings Newsletter of Alpha Mu State Montana |
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| Vol. 59, No. 2 | January 2006 |
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Leadership Development Conference - Mark your Calendar President Charmaine Mansheim and Chairman of the Leadership Development Committee, Virginia Mart have announced that the 2006 Leadership Development Conference will be held at the Yogo Inn at Lewistown, on June 19 and 20, 2006. International guest for the event will be Immediate Past International President Jean Gray. Chapters are urged to encourage their officers to participate in these sessions which will provide Society information which will be valuable to all members. A special session with Mrs. Gray and State Membership Chairman Lorran Depner will be devoted to membership and it will provide an opportunity for questions and answers. The International Guest will provide information on what is happening at International Headquarters and will provide a preview of proposed actions for the International Convention in San Diego in July. Recipients of state scholarships, recruitment awards, and the Seminar in Purposeful Living will be recognized as well. Sessions are being planned for chapter committee chairmen with their state chairmen as well as for chapters from a particular area to network. More information will be coming in the March issue of Alphamusings. submitted by Janice Nerem (Sigma)
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$5000 International Scholarship Available Attention graduate students who would like to have an extra $5,000! The International Scholarships Committee wants your application by February 1, 2006. To qualify, applicants must: Be accepted and enrolled in a graduate program. Be an active member of the Society for at least three years. Have completed a master's degree or equivalent. Have not received an international scholarship previously. Committee Chairman Beth Ann Richey, New Jersey, and Julia Burke, Wyoming, Northwest Region Committee member, point out: ôWe have 28 scholarships available, so I know outstanding Northwest members will have an opportunity to be chosen for several of these. We had two scholarship winners from the Northwest Region in 2005-2006. We would like to see this number increase this year. The 2006-2007 Scholarship Application form is downloadable from the Society website www.deltakappagamma.org at Downloads, Society Forms, scroll down to Forms with deadlines. It is available in both an interactive PDF file and MSWord file. Direct questions to Corlea Plowman, Business Services Administrator Business Services Administrator, 1-888-762-4685 Ext. 115 4685. from Julia Burke, NW Region Committee member |
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US Forum and National Legislative Seminar - March 19 - 22, 2006 The National Legislative Seminar for Key Women Educators is March 19-22, 2006. The U.S. Forum of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International sponsors this event every two years. The deadline to register is February 15, 2006. If you register by February 7, 2006, it is only $135 after that it will be $180. It will be held at the Doubletree Hotel Crystal City, Arlington, VA. If you are interested, you can contact Geri Benshoof, Alaska, 907-488- 6978, benshf@polarnet.com. She is the NW Regional representative. |
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THE INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY FUND NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT NOW! The International Emergency Fund has sent out over $167,000.00 in checks to victims of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. We are still receiving requests and the Fund is depleted. We need help - from state organizations, chapters and individuals We are also still accepting contributions towards dues for members in chapters torn apart by the disasters. Specify Emergency Fund/Dues if this is the intent of your contribution. A gift to the Fund in any amount is appreciated. You may contact the International Headquarters office to donate by credit card by dialing 1-888-762-4685, extension 0. Checks should be made out to The Delta Kappa Gamma Emergency Fund and sent to International, c/o Mary Boland, Accounts Receivable, PO Box 1589, Austin, TX 78767-1589. A form is available in the September/October 2005 issue of ??G NEWS. Please include your state organization and chapter information with your contribution.
The Emergency Fund, created in 1948, is maintained by voluntary contributions. The Fund is used to assist members who sustain major losses from floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes or other catastrophic disasters. Currently, these gifts are U.S. $500 to members recommended by chapter and state organization presidents. Recipients of Emergency Fund gifts are sincerely grateful. Some of the notes sent say: "After losing almost everything, it was such a wonderful surprise to receive this check in the mail. This makes me so proud to belong to this wonderful Society." - Texas "Though Hurricane Katrina ravaged our homes and ripped our household goods from underneath us, she has also taught us about the love and compassion of friends and strangers. God bless you for your generosity." - Mississippi from Sandra Smith Bull, International Executive Coordinator Joining Hands Across Montana I hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas and enjoyed your families. I wish the best for you in 2006!!! Good things are coming to Alpha Mu State in 2006. Our Leadership Seminar under the leadership of Virginia Mart, Jan Nerem and Rita Fish, has been planned. I am excited! They put a lot of thought into planning this. I was amazed at the ideas they shared. It will be in June and it has been planned to fit everyone. (Read Jan Nerem's article on page 1.) Jean Gray, our Past International President, will be our honored guest. Several of you have met her. What a delightful anddedicated lady she is - we have been trying to get her to Montana for quite some time. Before this Leadership Seminar can happen, we need to have an election of new officers in our chapters. You need to encourage each other to step up and become more involved. Everyone is there to help and encourage you. (I could not do this job without your help and encouragement). Then when you have elected these officers - encourage them to come to Lewistown in June and have fun and learn more about our Society. We will, also, have many of our members traveling to San Diego the end of July to take part in the International Convention and the Seminar for Purposeful Living. Please watch The Delta Kappa Gamma newsletters for information. SOS - Our International Emergency Fund is out of money - so if your chapter is wanting to make a contribution- send it to the fund. Thanks! (See the article on page 1.) Chapter Presidents, make sure you and your program, membership, necrology, finance, scholarship, and world fellowship chairmen get their annual report forms filled in and sent to the Alpha Mu State chairman and the State President Charmaine Mansheim. They are due February 1, 2006. Thanks! Does anyone want to do a workshop at International Convention? Let me know - I have a form - it is due February 25, 2006. (They may be available on the web site.) Does anyone want to have a display of a project, a program or something about an Alpha Mu State member, at International Convention ? Let me know soon, so I can reserve a space for you. Thank you to Alpha Alpha, Alpha Mu, Gamma and Tau Chapters for a delightful meeting. It was a great meeting, a great brunch and they even let me win two prizes!!! This was my first visit and they made me feel very welcome and very special. I close on this note - my secret is out! Yes, my name is Sherry, but when someone calls me Charmaine, I know it is a Delta Kappa Gamma sister and feel very honored. Keep those phone calls and e-mails coming. We are Joining Hands Across Montana! April 30, 2005 - Madalen Sugrue (Omicron) presenting Hollie Hoover (Omicron) her 50 year membership award at State Convention |
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February 1, 2006: Chapter Finance Committee reports due to Dora Howard. February 1, 2006: ALL Chapter Committee reports are due to the State Committee Chairman February 1, 2006: Applications due for the International $5,000 Scholarships February 7, 2006: Registration due for National Legislative Seminar February 15, 2006: Applications for Alpha Mu State Scholarships due February 23, 2006: Articles due for next issue of Alphamusings March 19 - 22, 2006: National Legislative Seminar April 4, 2006: Progress report due for Mini-grants June 19 - 20, 2006: Leadership Seminar, in Lewistown July 18-22, 2006: International Convention, San Diego Marriott, San Diego, CA July 16-21, 2007: Northwest Regional Conference Vancouver, B.C., Canada 2008 International Convention - Chicago, Illinois 2009 Northwest Regional Conference - Oregon |
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by Sharon Britton My life has always been an adventure and from the day I first met the spirit of Annie Webb Blanton, founder of our elite and precocious kinship, The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, that adventure has taken on new life, purpose and it renews and recharges with each Delta Kappa Gamma event, experience and encounter....So when she (Annie) whispered in my ear, here's your chance to broaden your horizons, be included internationally in professional affairs and personal growth and services in communications, in uniting with women educators of the world in a genuine spiritual fellowship..etc...Etc...etc. I gasped, asked and then prepared...as a mom, a teacher, a gramma, a woman and as one of the chosen few of Delta Kappa Gamma, I took the bait, called two of my adventuresome thirteen year old grandchildren (cousins) {an opportunity is always so much more valuable, memorable and satisfying when shared with other enthusiastic co-horts} made the plans, got the reservations for flights, sent in the $ and wondered at my bravado. There were a couple other American DKGers going, but the privacy act prevented Headquarters from telling me who, and how to contact them. YIKES! The first inkling that Murphy was going to make the voyage with us, was that the Iceland tour that Delta Kappa Gamma had planned for a pre-conference experience had been cancelled, since it seems that I was the only one in the World, out of all those showing interest, who had actually committed financially, and the plane tickets were locked in...so with a HELP! HELP! HELP! Via the internet to the Icelandic members who had worked so hard on the itinerary, lodging secured and our own very precious Sigridur Jonsdottir of the Travel and Study Committee who lives in Reykajavik, Iceland, and her gracious and genteel husband, took us under their wing. They picked us up at the airport that was some distance from town, took us to our lodging, had us to dinner, squired us to several events and immersed us in their culture and traditions and even let us use their phone to call home. So there, Murphy! Well, Murphy didn't give up, or maybe he was collaborating with Annie just to test my metal and see if I was up to this. We missed our flight in Stockholm, couldn't get a refund or reschedule except by computer, where am I going to get a computer in Sweden??? I didn't know. Annie whispered, "take the night ferry to Turku, there are other sisters from Scandanavia doing that". Really! So we did, now that's another whole story, but anyway, Ha Ha Murphy...again. The whole experience of the night ferry was very educational, socially, entertainment wise, and in worldly aplomb lessons. The kids met a Finnish Soccer team their age and had a blast. I want to tell you, when we got off the boat in Turku, I cried out with delight and relief as I ran toward the ladies with the signs that said DELTA KAPPA GAMMA, Safe haven! Thanks, Annie. For the whole week we were wrapped in the arms of the Society under the motherly, teacherly care and concern of the Finland State Organization President Eija Liisa Sokka-Meaney. She herded us, guided us, protected us and advised us with theother able members. The sub theme of the conference was, "Forests-Finnish Roots and Identity" and there were several sessions and workshops that gave us an opportunity to learn what the forests mean to the Finns, the Finnish economy and the Finnish way of life, all of which is closely tied to the same concerns, political and business schemes and technology related advancement and marketing as the U.S.A. We toured the many educational facilities where Swedish and Finnish have separate academies and students are very serious about their studies. Many of the institutions were funded by Finns that had struck it rich in American gold fields, so that made me feel proud and belonging. We attended a workshop on Dolling and created a native doll from material and knotting string that is traditional and very native. We listened as the Scandinavians talked of their efforts to "Leave no child behind," and of the success of the Finns in increasing student reading skills by intense phonetic background instruction (the Finns have a difficult and almost impossible language for foreigners to learn but still phonics works there also) Part of the success, as we know too, was the smaller class size for the project and the intense focus on the method. We listened to Leena Peltonen-Palotie, M.D., Ph.D Professor of Molecular Medicine from the Department of Medical Genetics as she put into layman understandable terms her studies and efforts collaborating with a team of doctors in the USA to understand disease associated DNA variants and the purity of the Finnish bloodlines has provided a very good base for generations of pure information to search disease genes for rare and common similarities and the ability to predict and prevent future medical problems for individuals. Very exciting. We presented with lives, portraits and work of famous women artists of Europe that were chosen by members of the Finnish Society to present for our enlightenment and enjoyment. There were so many highlights and wonderful experiences along with boat trips through the Archipelago, museum tours, visiting the President's summer home (She is a woman and is well loved for her humane and human qualities...Tarja Halonen, President of the Republic of Finland.) She met with Putin while we were there and it was an exhilarating experience as the Secret Service was everywhere, even diving under and around the ship where they had their luncheon...and we were right there, close by. Yikes! The Finns are patriotic and loyal and every young person gives two years to the military service of their country, so there were a lot of young people proudly wearing their camouflage and other uniforms where ever we went. We listened to fine music, shopped, learned about Euros, credit cards and that international phone cards are not international. I was thrilled to see my wonderful friend, Dr. Trijny Schmitz du Moulin-Dijkema, from the Netherlands, our dear International President Jacklynn Cuppy, my friend Sheryll Puffett who did a workshop on quilting called, "When Life Gives You Scraps, Make Quilts," and to meet dear new friends from the USA, Germany and Norway, all of whom bonded together at various times to help me thwart the efforts of Murphy...Oh, there is so much more to tell. I think we had an invaluable experience that can never be erased from our hearts and minds and that everyone should bite the bullet and do as Annie says, "Grow personally, professionally and bond in uniting with women educators in a genuine spiritual fellowship". Thanks for letting me share a small piece of the GRAND LIFE STUDY that in which participated. See you in San Diego this summer and next overseas experience will be in JOLLY OLD ENGLAND.. Annie says, "Do it! You'll never be sorry..!" Love from Sharon Britton (Omega) |
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The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International has a strategic plan for renewal based on three goals: To broaden the membership base. To retain members. To encourage active membership. The healthy chapter indicators play right into these goals. So, how and when do we implement these strategies for the maximum effectiveness? Perhaps chapters can develop a monthly time-line outlining possible activities encouraging member sharing and participation. For example: January - Make personal contacts. Discuss items of interest from Society newsletters and other publications. February - Encourage members to register for district training sessions, state conventions, etc. Invite someone to be a travel partner. March - Write a letter to the mentee asking "How are things going?" Apply for a summer seminar or workshop. April - Send a "thinking of you" note; ask an "expert" in some field for assistance. May - Touch base; mention up-coming opportunities and deadlines. June - Plan a personal visit with the mentee or time together at a summer or fall state planning meeting. July- Make a telephone visit. Attend a regional conference or International Convention. Take a friend! Set up a chapter "buddy system". August - Send notes to those returning to the classroom; provide a care-package of goodies, small supplies, hints, etc. Stay in contact with your buddy. Encourage your chapter officers. September - Encourage attendance at chapter meetings, invite prospective members to a chapter meeting; talk with individual members about the possibility of accepting various chapter positions. October - Send a small gift with encouragement to take a chapter position; call members who have missed a meeting. Recommend someone for membership; then take that person under mentorship. November - Talk with the mentee about deadlines for accepting an invitation to membership, being initiated, paying dues. Encourage others to apply for the Golden Gift Leadership Management Seminar or Stipend. December - Remind one another of scholarship deadlines. Encourage members to apply. Send holiday notes! Remember these are only ideas and can be implemented any time of the year and most can be done many times during the year! The key is "communication" and "caring". submitted by 2nd Vice President Lorran Depner (Alpha Gamma) |
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Women educators, single or married, actively working or retired, with family, school and community responsibilities, often find the ending of an old year and the beginning of a new year to be a difficult time. Somehow, the need to tie all of the loose ends together before another year begins sets forth the formidable task of getting "caught up" in place. Along with getting into the "caught up mode", many also feel that a "to do list" of resolutions will make the year better. Walk daily, eat healthier, volunteer more, be ever present for your family and friends does this sound familiar? This is the question I put before you, "Why do you tend to handle yourselves so harshly?" Perfection is not expected!! Try to strive this year of 2006 to follow through on your responsibilities, accept yourself wherever you are, doing the things you do best, and try to live each day in a way that is gentle and kind to yourself. I challenge you to give yourself a quiet thirty minutes to refresh your mind and spirit every twenty-four hours. Helene Johnson in Meditations For Women Who Do Too Much by Anne Wilson Schaef, says, "Would you sell the colors of your sunset and the fragrance of your flowers and the passionate wonder of your forest for a creed that will not let you dance?" Maybe the next challenge should be to try at least thirty minutes of dancing every twenty-four hours! If you find dancing on your feet too hard, try dancing in your mind. Be sure to encourage your chapter members to dance with creative steps and enjoy the fellowship of their sisters with wonderful programs and meaningful projects. Have a Happy and Healthy 2006! |
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If you have not mailed two copies of your chapter yearbook and a list of your committee chairman with their addresses and phone numbers, please do this as soon as possible. There is a tan envelope with my address in your packet from the State Board meeting. Also, there is a lavender envelope with my address that is for your Program Committee-Chapter report due by February 1, 2006. Your report form will be given to you by your President. I am looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you for all your hard work making programs fun and enjoyable for all of your members. If you have any questions, please call me at (406-582-1675). My address is: Lloyd-Ann McMahan, 8642 East Panorama Drive, Bozeman, MT 59715-9341. submitted by Lloyd-Ann McMahan (Mu) |
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Golden Legacy Committee Report: MINI GRANTS: Three applications were received for the Alpha Mu State Golden Legacy Fund mini grants. The chapters applying are Alpha, Kappa and Upsilon. All three requests are aimed at helping children in the chapters geographic area. Committee members: Jane Beauclair (Alpha Eta) and B.J. Olson (Alpha Mu State) I am now on line, e-mail me at annagberge@yahoo.com. submitted by Chairman Anna Berge (Alpha Zeta) |
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Thank you, Chapter Treasurers, for that annual task of collecting and reporting of dues. Chapter Finance Committee reports are due by February 1, 2006, and are sent to me (Dora Howard), not to the State Treasurer! These are for the years 2004-2006, not for the previous biennium as printed on the forms. This was evidently an error. My own committee report is due by March 1st and I look forward to receiving yours before that date. Thank you for your help and Happy New Year. submitted by Chairman Dora Howard (Alpha) |
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Iota is off to a busy and exciting year! Iota member, Colleen Overcast, was honored for 24 years of service to the Blaine I Ambulance. Iota sent two large suitcases of school supplies donated by their members to the Renchinlhumbe School Ger Camp in Mongolia. We went through the Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation in Bozeman. If other chapters are interested in this project, you can contact the Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation at 800-287-0125 boojum@boojum.com 406-587-0125 In September, Will Rawn from Montana State University-Northern spoke to us about their education department. In October, Judy Wolfe of Havre, a 2000 Milken Winner in the Fulbright Program, spoke about her trip to Uzbekistan and her return trip in 2002 to be a presenter on figurative language at a conference of 500 English teachers of Central Asia. In October, we initiated Eva English, Librarian at Fort Belknap College. We are excited to have Eva as a new member. Eva's mom, Joyce English, and friend, Anna Berge, of Hinsdale were our guests. In November, Debbie Kirby gave a very informative talk on Havre's Alternative School. This school year we are again helping with concessions at the Chinook school. The money we earn is used to help finance the Missoula Children's Theatre. Ths year in October, we helped sponsor the play, The Frog Prince. Our chairperson is Colleen Overcast who does a great job and we give her many thanks! We invited the Epsilon members to join us and we are happy to have Joyce Kops and Margaret Hayes transfer their membership to Iota. At our November meeting they presented Iota with many wonderful Delta Kappa Gamma materials from the Epsilon Chapter. We were thrilled to receive these and say, Thank You, Epsilon! submitted by Sandra McNeill (Iota) April 30, 2005: Judy Rud was initiated at State Convention. Her sponsor was Shirley Thomas (Alpha Chapter) October 29, 2005: Paulette Cronk, Iota President, welcomes Eva English as a new member in Iota Chapter. |
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Past State President, Joyce Fiechtner, Tau Chapter, had a stroke and is now in the Evergreen Laurel Health and Rehabilitation Center, 820 3rd Ave, Laurel, MT 59044. She would love to receive cards from the members. Her home address is Box 963, Laurel MT 59044. This might be one of the best ways to send a card. She, as well as the family, needs all our prayers. submitted by Virginia Mart (Tau) |
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"A Moment to Remember...A lifetime to Honor" Charlotte F. McKeown, Rho September 1, 2005 Marian R. Johnson, Omicron September 16, 2005 Grace E. Madden, Alpha November 15, 2005 Carol Louise Gernaat, Alpha Zeta December 19, 2005 MARIAN R. JOHNSON Marian was a member of Omicron Chapter for 32 years. She served on many chapter committees, the last being on the World Fellowships Committee. Marian took a special interest and concern for new members. She assisted in their being included in all aspects of chapter committee participation. Marian received her early education in Deer Lodge and graduated from high school in Lamoni, Iowa. She returned to Montana and received her teaching degree from Montana Normal School in Dillon. She then taught rural schools at Finn, near Avon, and at Whitewater. She quit teaching to raise her family and resumed teaching in 1960. She retired from the Deer Lodge Elementary School District in 1982. Her favorite grade in teaching was third grade and she was known as the teacher with the forever biggest smile in the school!!. CAROL LOUISE GERNAAT Carol Louise Gernaat, age 61, died Monday, December 19, 2005, in Conrad, Montana. Carol was a charter member of Alpha Zeta Chapter of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International and served as their treasurer for 25 years. She was very active in all of Alpha Zeta's activities and projects. Carol was initiated into Kappa Chapter in 1978 and became an Alpha Zeta member when the chapter was formed in 1980. Carol was born December 25, 1943, in Conrad to John and Louise Gernaat. Being born on Christmas Day she was truly a "Christmas Carol". She grew up on the family farm west of Conrad, was educated at Brownell Rural School, graduated from Conrad High School and then earned her teaching degree at Northern Montana College. Carol taught 7 - 12 mathematics in Hingham and Malta. She retired in 1993. Following her teaching career she became a tax preparer for H & R Block. Carol was a member of The Greater Lutheran Parish in Malta and treasurer of the PEO Sisterhood. She belonged to the Northeast Montana Retired Educators and was a member of the American Contract Bridge League. She enjoyed traveling, visiting family, playing cards and golf. Carol is survived by two brothers and two sisters as well as numerous nieces and nephews. |
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WHAT SHALL I DO WITH MY KEY PIN? This form will help you and your family know what to do. TO MY FAMILY AND/OR FRIENDS: This is a picture of my Delta Kappa Gamma membership key pin: I have worn it with pride since my initiation. When I can no longer wear it please return it to: my chapter________________or Alpha Mu State, Montana. To get the name and address of my chapter's current president, please contact the staff at: The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, Box 1589, Austin, TX 78767 www.deltakappagamma.org
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(USPS 014-760) PUBLICATION OF THE ALPHA MU STATE, MONTANA ORGANIZATION The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Vol. 59, No.2, January 2006 Periodicals - Postage paid at Hinsdale MT 59241 Published four times yearly, October, January, March, and May Annual state membership dues include subscription to Alphamusings Joyce English, Editor, PO Box 216, Hinsdale MT 59241 joyceenglish@yahoo.com |
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The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International promotes professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education. The members of the Alpha Mu State of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International believe that empowered united women educators of Montana will impact quality education for all citizens |
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Communicate with International Headquarters: 888 / 762-4685 (toll-free in Canada, U.S.) web site address: E-mail: Communications Program/Membership |
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Your State Editor would like to remind members to be sure to send address corrections to International! If your newsletter came with some corrections on the label, or if there is some of my typing on the label, International does not have your correct address. It requires several hours for me to make corrections on the address labels and I would appreciate your help by contacting International and making the necessary corrections! Thank you! Joyce English, State Editor
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