February 2010 Volume 19, Issue 5 Editor: Jerrie Dooley THE DELTAKAPPA GAMMA SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL BETA ZETA BUZZ Meeting:Monday, February 284:00 p.m. - Social4:20 p.m.- MeetingFbg. Elementary LibraryHostesses:Andrea Hudson-LeadJoanne DavisCarolyn OttoPatsy HejlTisha ClementsLinda GrotzJanet RabkeGlendene UnderwoodProgram:What’s So Special About SpecialOlympics?-presented by Tabitha Reeh, FISDSpecial Education Dept. Purpose 3: To advancethe professional interestand position of womeneducatorsPurpose 6: To stimulatethe personal andprofessional growth ofmembers and toencourage theirparticipation inappropriate programs ofaction. Service:Bring items forthe Boys and Girls ClubMusic:“DeltaKappaGamma Song”Beta Zeta website:www.betazeta.weebly.comState website:www.alphastatetexas.orgInternational website:www.deltakappagamma.orgFREDERICKSBURG, TEXASSpread the Word to End the R-WordThis month, our Beta Zeta program is about the Special Olympics. Volunteering to help with the Special Olympics is about transforming lives, including our own. It‟s about giving and teamwork. It's about making our community and our world a more welcoming and accepting place. Even though the Olympics will not be held in Gillespie County this year, please consider joining a group of excited Beta Zeta members on a road trip to help in a neighboring county this spring! VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES include scorekeepers, stagers, athlete escorts, souvenirs, athlete meals, equipment, set-up, breakdown, Opening Ceremonies, Victory Dance, awards, measurers, bib runners, linespersons, court monitors, ball shaggers, water brigade, floaters, volunteer check-in, medical support, and more. ”Spread the Word to En d the R-Word” is an effort to raise our consciousness about the hurtful effects of the word “retard(ed)” and to encourage people to pledge to stop using the R-word. The campaign, created by youth, tries to engage everyone to pledge his or her support at www.r-word.org. We want to promote the positive contributions people with intellectual disabilities make to communities. Most people don‟t think of this word as the language of hate, but that‟s exactly what it feels like to millions of people with intellectual disabilities, their families and friends. Imagine a world where everyone matters and everyone is accepted, respected, and valued. Please oin us in this work! Tammy Vitek, President MISSION STATEMENT The Delta Kappa GammaSociety Internationalpromotes professionaland personal growth ofwomen educators andexcellence in education.VISION STATEMENT Leading womeneducators impactingeducation worldwide. DATES TO REMEMBER: Deadline for Applying for Texas State Organization Scholarships March 1, 2010 Applications at www.alphastatetexas.orgJune 23-25, 2011 – Texas State DKG Convention McAllen, TexasJune 29-July 2, 2011 –SW Regional Conference Denver, ColoradoNews Flash What’s the great news that Beta Zetas are buzzing about lately? See Page 2!President’s MessageMark Your Calendar Join us for an excellent program and meeting at FES, Monday, Feb. 28, 4:00. Bring items for the Boys and Girls Club and dollars for the scholarship drawing. Reserve your place for the Founders’ Day Banquet (March 28 th at the Presbyterian Church Hall). You can pay for this event at the meeting or by mail to Tisha. An email will be sent later in the week with cost and details.
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Hostesses: Andrea Hudson-Lead Joanne Davis Carolyn Otto Patsy Hejl Tisha Clements Linda Grotz
Janet Rabke Glendene Underwood
Program: What’s So
Special About Special Olympics?
-presented by Tabitha Reeh, FISD Special Education Dept.
Purpose 3: To advance
the professional interest and position of women
educators
Purpose 6: To stimulate
the personal and professional growth of members and to
encourage their
participation in appropriate programs of action.
Service: Bring items for
the Boys and Girls Club
Music: “Delta Kappa
Gamma Song”
Beta Zeta website: www.betazeta.weebly.com
State website: www.alphastatetexas.org
International website: www.deltakappagamma.or g
FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS
Spread the Word to End the R-Word
This month, our Beta Zeta program is about the SpecialOlympics. Volunteering to help with the Special Olympicsis about transforming lives, including our own. It‟s aboutgiving and teamwork. It's about making our community andour world a more welcoming and accepting place. Eventhough the Olympics will not be held in Gillespie Countythis year, please consider joining a group of excited Beta
Zeta members on a road trip to help in a neighboringcounty this spring!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES include scorekeepers,stagers, athlete escorts, souvenirs, athlete meals,equipment, set-up, breakdown, Opening Ceremonies,Victory Dance, awards, measurers, bib runners,linespersons, court monitors, ball shaggers, water brigade,floaters, volunteer check-in, medical support, and more.
”Spread the Word to End the R-Word” is an effort to raiseour consciousness about the hurtful effects of the word
“retard(ed)” and to encourage people to pledge to stopusing the R-word. The campaign, created by youth, triesto engage everyone to pledge his or her support atwww.r-word.org. We want to promote the positivecontributions people with intellectual disabilities maketo communities. Most people don‟t think of this wordas the language of hate, but that‟s exactly what itfeels like to millions of people with intellectualdisabilities, their families and friends. Imagine a world where everyone matters and
everyone is accepted, respected, and valued. Pleaseoin us in this work! Tammy Vitek, President
MISSION STATEMENT
The Delta Kappa Gam
Society Internati
promotes professiand personal growth
women educators
excellence in educatioVISION STATEM
Leading woeducators impaceducation worldwide.
DATES TO REMEMBE
Deadline for ApplyingTexas State Organiza
ScholarshipsMarch 1, 2010
Applications atwww.alphastatetexas.
June 23-25, 2011 – TeState DKG Conventi
McAllen, Texas
June 29-July 2, 2011SW Regional Conference
Colorado
News FlashWhat’s the gre
news that BetZetas are buzzi
about lately?See Page 2!
President’s Message
Mark Your CalendarJoin us for an excellent program and meeting at FES,Monday, Feb. 28, 4:00. Bring items for the Boys andGirls Club and dollars for the scholarship drawing.Reserve your place for the Founders’ Day Banquet(March 28
that the Presbyterian Church Hall). You can
pay for this event at the meeting or by mail to Tisha. Anemail will be sent later in the week with cost and details.
Have you beenthinking of someone whowould be a great addition toBeta Zeta? Invite them to ournext meeting!
We would like to addmore members from middleand high school, privateschools as well as teacherswith 5 years experience orless. Besides classroomteachers, other areas caninclude teaching assistants,college and LVN/RNinstructors, in fact, anyone whoworks in or has retired from theeducation field.
Approved at the lastinternational convention, thereis no minimum number ofyears teaching required norlimit on how long since aperson retired. Forms areavailable from Janet Hext ifyou have a new member tonominate. Members will voteon prospective new members
at the April meeting.
CHAPTER OFFICERSPresident-Tammy Vitek First Vice President –KareLoeffler Second Vice President -Andrea Hudson Treasurer-Tisha Clements Recording Secretary-AmO’Neil Corresponding Secretary-
Janet Hext Parliamentarian-Jerrie Dooley
What a delightful surprise announcement at the January meeting! Our ownJoanne Davis, who has worked tirelessly for over 30 years in Delta Kappa Gammaat every level, is the nominee for president of the DKG Texas State Organization.She will officially take office after approval at the State Convention in June.
Carolyn Otto and Catherine Davis (who came in to Beta Zeta as theimmediate past state president in 2008) could hardly contain their excitement untiltime for the Brag Box to share this exciting news. Many congratulations wereshared with Joanne after the meeting adjourned and, no doubt, continue to pour into Joanne‟s email and phone.
The path to state president is a long one with much work and commitmentalong the way. Joanne was initiated into Delta Kappa Gamma in 1978 inBeaumont. Little did she know what a huge part of her life this organization wouldbe. She served her chapter in many capacities including president. She served as
the chairman of a past state convention in Beaumont. At the state level, sheserved on many committees and as parliamentarian. Most recently, Joanne hasserved as State Editor/Photographer, a busy position in which she writes andpublishes the Lone Star News 4 times a year. At the international level, she isserving as the chairman of the Communications Committee.
This honor is certainly well deserved. Beta Zeta pledges to supportJoanne in any way we can to have a successful biennium. The first way we cansupport her is to take a big delegation to the state convention in June. Joanne willbe sworn in at the Founders/ Presidents‟ Banquet on Saturday, June 25
thin
McAllen. A story on plans for the convention is in this newsletter.Congratulations again, Joanne, from all your Beta Zeta sisters!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
FebruaryTammy Vitek – 3 Helen Weiss – 4
Catherine Davis – 17 Vondell Jordan-25
March
Andrea Hudson - 23
Beta Zeta Supports Education Students
Recognizing the need for great new teachers, seven members aresponsoring education students for the State Organization Aspiring EducatorAwards by writing letters of recommendation for them. These competitivescholarships are available to non-members who are studying to becometeachers.
Last year 5 of the 10 awards statewide were given to studentssponsored by Beta Zeta members. This year 7 members are sponsoringstudents for these awards. Thanks go to Janet Hext, Sherry Hanna, JoanneDavis, Jerrie Dooley, Karen Loeffler, Olga Peacock, and Andrea Hudson forhelping these women compete for scholarship money to pursue their dreams.
Beta Zeta also awards a $500 grant-in-aid to someone doing herstudent teaching during the next calendar year. If you know of a future
student teacher, contact Janet Hext to recommend her.
education? State: The Texas State DeltaKappa Gamma organization hasalmost 2 million dollars in thescholarship fund just waiting forapplications. Deadline is March1. Information is accessibleat: http://www.alphastatetexas.org/scholarships.html. Applications require a letter ofrecommendation from yourchapter president.Beta Zeta: Get a $100
McAllen‟s slogan is right on the money for Beta Zetamembers this year on June 23-25 for the state convention. Here arethe top 10 reasons to join your DKG sisters at convention in 2011.
10. Road trip! It‟s a vacation with great friends to share the journey. 9. McAllen, the Texas Tropics. It‟s like no other part of Texas in itsbeautiful flora and climate. 8. Culture- experience the blending of the Mexican culture withmodern America. A special “Cultural Street Fair” is planned. 7. Camaraderie-get to know your Beta Zeta sisters as you‟ve never known them before and meet new sisters from across the state. 6. Luxury accommodationsWe‟ll be staying at the Embassy Suites(but with special rates) and attending at the beautiful McAllenConvention Center. 5. Fooddid someone say “Mexican Food”? Yum, they have thebest there is in the Rio Grande Valley. 4. LearningSomething new, something interesting from societybusiness to a new hobby to continuing education credits. 3. RecognitionBeta Zeta is recognized for our work onmembership, yearbook, newsletter, programs, etc. Will we add
another Pace Award for Chapter Excellence this year? 2. HonorWe get to support President Tammy as she walks acrossthe stage in her finest formal attire to be recognized as a chapterpresident. The recognition will be sweeter if Tammy knows we arethere for her. 1. History- The first state president from Beta Zeta will take the oathof office. Let‟s be there to supportown Joanne as she is sworn in asstate president. OK, there are really 11 top reasons to go to the convention, so here isthe bonus reason:
Growing older--ithappens to the best of us.Members learned about agingwith grace and caring for loved
ones at the January meeting.Patrice Doerries withthe HC Sr. CARES, a part ofHC Crisis Council gaveinformation on resources foranyone in the Hill Country whoneeds assistance withadapting and coping with theeffects of growing older orcaring for an older loved one.If you or someone you knowneeds assistance, call 830-
257-7088, extension 28.In keeping with thetopic, we sang the old Beatlestune “When I‟m 64” to end themeeting.
Our favorite Beta Zeta lady, HelenWeiss, celebrated her birthday at the Januarymeeting. Looking quite smart in her lovely bluesuit, Helen always brings smiles to our faceswhen she attends the meetings.
Helen boasts a Beta Zeta record formembership in Delta Kappa Gamma63 yearsand counting! She and Tammy, shown heresharing a birthday hug, share a specialconnection as she was Tammy‟s educationprofessor at Texas Lutheran University.
Many happy returns, Helen!
What’s So Special about Special Olympics? Our February meeting will acquaint us with the
Special Olympics program and a new opportunity forvolunteer service and support. Tabitha Reeh, a specialeducation teacher in the FISD, will bring the program.
Special Olympics is a program started in 1968. Itgrew out of a summer day camp held by Eunice KennedyShriver in her back yard for children and adults withintellectual disabilities, including her daughter. The Texasprogram‟s Mission Statement gives a clear picture of their goal:
The mission of Special Olympics Texas is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a
variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage,experience joy and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
Locally, our citizens with intellectual disabilities enjoyvery active participation in this wonderful program. Theyhave trained and competed in local events, as well as state,national, and even international competitions.
Ms. Reeh will give us news of their next competitionto be held in Marble Falls on Friday, April 8. Volunteers arealways welcome. You must register online at www.sotx.org, then email:
The Special Olympics athletes do not have to payanything to train, compete, and travel, so donations are alsowelcome.
Special people in our community need a helpinghand to keep this program going. Come to the Februarymeeting and learn how you can help.
Thank you forcontinuing to help
Boys and GirlsClub. In Januawe donated 37books, 4 boxes ocrayons, 4activity books, 3packs coloredpencils, and 6games. We alscontributed $20.Everything wasgreatlyappreciated.
Your contributions to the newsletter are always appreciated! Anyone readany good books lately? Please share it by sending a brief review. Goodnews on a fellow member? Send that too. An idea for a story? I can use it!Help me make the Beta Zeta Buzz the best! Email your contributions to meat [email protected] or call 997-7345 at least 2 weeks before the
Opening:The Beta Zeta Chapter meeting was opened by a welcome from Mrs. Tammy Vitek, Chapter President.She thanked hostesses: Dolores Klussmann, Helen Usener, Sherry Hanna, Joyce Smith, Elena Howard,Margaret Bierschwale, Donna Itz, Vondell Jordan, and Emily Bierschwale. Amy O‟Neil was recording
secretary. Program:Karen Loeffler introduced Speaker, Patrice Doerries of Hill Country Senior CARES. Her program, Agingwith Grace, taught us that 75% of caregivers develop depression or a chronic illness. Caregivers need tolook for support groups and respite. The biggest problem in Gillespie County is „self -neglect‟- elderly whodon‟t take care of themselves and have usually lost a spouse. Aging requires planning, communication,enjoyment, staying engaged, letting go, accepting and a toolbox to pull from (like how to eat healthy, how tostay active). For more information, Mrs. Doerries can be contacted at (830)257-7088 ext. 28. Business Meeting:The minutes from November 22, 2010 were approved after correcting that Personal Growth and ServiceCommittee thanked us for donations to Boys and Girls Club (deleted absent member, Jo Dodd‟s name).
Treasurer‟s report was filed for audit as printed. Scholarship/Grant-in-Aid Chairperson, Janet Hext, andJerrie Dooley will encourage local college students to apply for $500 scholarships. There were 35 members in attendance. Several members were scheduled to attend the DKG Capitol Rallyon February. 3
rd. Archives- Catherine Davis handed Chapter Charter to Helen Usener who was giving it to
Evelyn Weinheimer on Thursday, Jan. 27th.
New Business:Several Chapter members are striving to attend the Alpha State Convention in McAllen, June 23-25, 2011,
including Jerrie Dooley, Tammy Vitek, Andrea Hudson, Catherine Davis, Joanne Davis, Carolyn Otto, andAmy O‟Neil. Others were encouraged to attend especially since our own Chapter member, Joanne Davis,has been nominated for State President! Forms for Southwest Regional Conference of the Delta Kappa
Gamma Society International will be held June 29-July 2, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. Look for registrationforms in March/April DKG NEWS and on the Society Website. In other business, Jerrie Dooley made a motion to purchase Vol. III of our Society Heritage with JoanneDavis seconding motion. Vote passed unanimously. Announcements:Lucille Rochs was featured in an article published in the San Antonio Express News. Jerrie Dooley iscreating outstanding newsletters. We sang Happy Birthday to Helen Weiss. SeeLone Star News fordiscount code for Tom‟s Shoes (every pair bought provides a new pair for a child in a third world country). Meeting was closed with a song led by Lindy Haley (by the Beatles- “When I‟m 64”). Next monthly meeting: Monday, Feb. 28, 2011 at Fredericksburg Elementary School Library with 4PMbeing the Social Time and the meeting will begin at 4:20. Program-“What’s So “Special” about Special Olympics?” Beta Zeta website: http://www. betazeta.weebly.com/ Respectfully submitted, Amy O‟Neil, Secretary