September Meeting Update

Six alumnae and two collegians met for our first meeting of the 2012-13 year on September 10, 2012.  We enjoyed dessert at Brenda Griebahn's and the business meeting that followed was very well received.  Elsie Foerstner presented the Treasurer's Report:  we had 17 dues paying members last year and our current balance is $654.98.  It was moved and approved to keep our dues at $25 for this year.  Please send your dues to:  Elsie Foerstner, 8 Glendale Terrace, Iowa City, IA 52245.
     Jaclyn Gelman, Sigma president, and Abby Britain, Sigma vice president of Ritual and Fraternity Appreciation gave a glowing account of Sigma's fall recruitment.  The Chapter has over 40 New Members and over 130 in total membership.  Well done, Sigma!
     Those members who attended the 2012 National Convention gave a great report on the state of the Fraternity.  Brenda Griebahn presented the For Now Forever Campaign for the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation, a capital campaign to raise $7 million dollars for membership services, including fabulous new programs being used to train the young women of the collegiate chapters to become the Real. Strong. Women of Alpha Chi Omega.  After discussion, Karen Daubenberger moved to set our alumnae chapter pledge to the Foundation at $500 over the next two years; Sharon Kay Stang second; unanimously passed.
      The program events for the year were discussed and these are the great events we have planned for the coming year:
October 8, 2012:  Founders Day Ice Cream Social sponsored by the House Corporation Board at the Chapter House.  Be sure to attend the Annual Meeting of the House Corporation following the social event with the collegiate chapter.  The ice cream sundae bar will begin at 6:30 and the meeting will follow at 7:30pm.
December 2, 2012:  Holiday Brunch at Cedar Ridge Winery, 1441 Marak Rd NW, Swisher.  12 Noon.  $15.00 per person, includes food plus mimosas.  We are inviting the alumnae from the Cedar Rapids area, and we may extend the invitation to spouses as well.  Look for final details a bit later!  Marsha Grady is our host/organizer.
February 2013:  We are planning an arts event in honor of MacDowell Month.  Hopefully we can attend an AXO collegiate recital or performance, followed by a social hour at a local coffee shop.
March 1, 2013:  In honor of Hera Day, we will meet for lunch at the Blackstone Restaurant at the corner of Scott Blvd and Rochester at 11:30am.  Anne Dierking will be our host/organizer.
Spring Alumnae Dinner at Sigma: Date TBD.  Plan on a fun night with "Hubby HouseBoys" at Sigma Chapter!  Meet the girls of Sigma around the table and relive those college dinners!
May 5, 2013:  Hall of Commitment Senior Brunch, 1pm at the Chapter House.  Brenda Griebahn will be the host/organizer for this annual ceremony for the 2013 graduating seniors of Sigma.
Hope to see you all at the Founder's  Day Social October 8, 2012 at 7:30pm for the Annual House Corporation Meeting!

House Corporation Board Update

SIGMA HOUSE CORPORATION NEWS

Fall is coming!!  Sigma Chapter is preparing for Recruitment, the chapter house is full and soon we will have a great group of new members.  Corporation members have spent the summer watering, managing the cleaning crew, window washers, carpet cleaners, inspectors  and making sure that everything is cleaned, screwed, glued and caulked as necessary.   A big THANKS to Sharon Kay and Al Stang and Jane Harbit for helping me accomplish these things. 

Alpha Omega National House Corporation has instituted a three level certification program for House Corporations to help insure that chapter housing is kept up to the expected standards.  We have achieved the lowest level for this year.  Our building passed at every level, we just need to add a few things to our management plan so that we can “Go for the Gold”  or maybe just Silver by 2014. 

As seems to be the norm for the past few years, we are actively recruiting personnel for the board.  Please give me a call if you would like details.   319-351-2727

Annual Meeting beginning  at 7:30 PM  October 8, 2012 at the Chapter House

See you there!! 

Loyally,  Karen Daubenberger

Fall Get-It-Together Meeting September 10, 2012

It's that time of year--time to get back into a routine with school, enjoy the changing colors and get re-connected with Alpha Chi Omega!  We will be having our first meeting of the year on Monday, September 10, 2012 at 6:30pm at Brenda Griebahn's home at 3590 Utah Ave NE, Iowa City.  We will be finalizing our calendar for the year and dusting off our lyres to let them sing for the coming year.  Dessert will be served to entice you to join us and there will be plenty of sisterhood to fill you up.  Looking forward to seeing you all there!

A Weekend at Mt. Olympus:AXO Convention in St Louis

Real.  Strong.  Women. 

The National Chapter Meeting

If you ever wondered why our Fraternity has that slogan, you would understand after attending a National Convention.  I had the pleasure of being at the 2012 Convention in St. Louis, Missouri this summer with almost 1000 women who know that Alpha Chi Omega is alive and well and thriving in America.  What adjectives can I use to describe this 4 day adventure?  Amazing.  Inspiring.  Challenging.  Stirring.  Triumphant.  Awakening.  The theme for this year's Convention "Meet Me at the Arch" was a fitting title as we watched the

Sharon Kay Stang and Sarah Griebahn
 at the National Chapter Meeting

soaring structure of the Jefferson Expansion Memorial from our hotel gleaming in the sunshine by day and standing as a beacon shining out in the night sky.  Fitting because the Arch was built using the strongest structural design know to man and the women at this meeting are some of the

Melissa d'Arabian, Alpha Chi Omega
Star on The Food Network

strongest women I have ever met.  Our own Marsha King Grady, National President, inspired us with her vision of what Alpha Chi Omega can be to future generations.  Melissa d' Arabian, an Alpha Chi Omega who now stars on The Food Network on her own show "Ten Dollar Dinners" had us laughing and crying with her testimony of the power of sisterhood in her life.  And all the women who are the members of the new National Council, the Foundation and the National Housing Corporation were able to share with us how when we all work together toward a common goal we can be a powerful force for positive change in the lives of women across the nation.  Changing lives, changing the conversation about what being a member of a sorority means in America today.

The Sigma Reunion at the Reunion Dinner

Oh, did I mention the fun?  Women of all ages, cheering, singing, and learning together.  Not only did we discuss the business of the Fraternity, but there were great opportunities for learning new ways to be involved in Alpha Chi Omega, as well as new things to help individual members grow.  Protecting yourself on the Internet, "The Happiness Project", and discovering the frog within, were just some of the sessions that were available for members to attend and find new Heights to reach for.  We all came away with great new ideas and the revival of ideals that we want to share with our alumnae chapter and a recommitment to engaging with our beloved collegians at Sigma.  We were all proud of our Sigma President, Jacklyn Gelman, as she received the honor of wearing the Centennial sash for the Chapter, and we were so excited to see Molly Schuneman, Sigma, serving as a page at the Convention.

All dressed up for the Formal Banquet
Molly Schuneman, Karen Daubenberger, Brenda Griebahn
Jacklyn Gelman, Sarah Griebahn, Sharon Kay Stang

If you have never attended a Convention before, I want to encourage you to try it--you're going to love it!  The convention is open to all Alpha Chi Omega women, and is held every other year in various locations around the country, so there may be one close to you in the future.  The 2014 convention will be held in July 2014 in Palm Desert, California.  I can't wait to see you there!

Spring 2012



A great send-off for the soon-to-be alumnae

Hall of Commitment Brunch at Sigma

Whew!  Where has the time gone! Spring has come and gone and summer is rolling by quickly.     After a long winter's nap and a lot of time in warmer places, our chapter welcomed 14 collegians into the Hall of Commitment at a brunch held at the Sigma Chapter house on April 29, 2012.  A lovely buffet was provided for the soon-to-be alumnae by the members of our chapter and the Hall of Commitment ceremony was performed with the help of all attending.  Alumnae in attendance included Dee Thayer, Karen Daubenberger, Sharon Kay Stang, Jane Harbit, Brenda Griebahn, Anne Dierking, Tami Lyvers, and Marsha Grady.



The Sigma Seniors

Seniors attending the ceremony were Megan Anderson, Traci Bauer, Sam Debernardis, Daniell Faubert, Kelsey Fillman, Kathryn Gernes, Katie Kluge, Kimberly Laws, Dina Mandell, Morgan Mills, Andi Ricciardi, Lauren Scaletta, and Samantha Westerhof.

We also held a brief business meeting to discuss plans for the next year, our delegation attending Convention in St. Louis and some program ideas for the 2012-2013 year.

Happy New Year from Alpha Chi!

Merry Christmas from Alpha Chi Omega!

Welcome to 2012!  We hope you all have the best year ever and that you experience sisterhood in 2012!  Our alumnae chapter is excited about the upcoming year and all it promises.  We closed out 2011 with a wonderful afternoon Christmas party at the Brick Arch Winery in West Branch.  Fourteen alumnae gathered together and we spent a very enjoyable time, snacking on great appetizers that everyone shared, wine from a splendid winery and learning a new craft!  Brenda Griebahn taught everyone how to fold origami cranes--it was great fun and we had a lot of laughs while we were learning the ancient Japanese art of paper folding.
     We're looking forward to our spring events:  Fine Arts Event in February for McDowell Month,  an alumnae supper at the chapter house, Hall of Commitment with our graduating collegiate members.  Look for more details as event dates draw near.  And be sure to consider attending Convention in 2012!  It will be just down the road from us in St. Louis , MO on July 13-16, 2012.  We can show support for our province and sisters in the St. Louis alumnae chapter as they host this event.  Hope to see you all in 2012!