Beta Sigma Phi

1 Beta Sigma Phi8/20102 August 2010 The TorchTORCH - Laurey LummusGraphic Designer - Eric BurgessAssistant Editor - Betsy ThomasBETA Sigma PHI INTERNATIONALA ddress: 1800 West 91st Place Kansas City MO 64114-0500 Phone: 816-444-6800 (8:30 am - 5:00 pm CST M-F)Fax: 816-333-6206 Insurance Only: 800-235-2806 Long Term Care Insurance: 888-290-7207 Gifts Only: 800-821-3989 DIVISION CHAIRMENV iola Dorrian - Canada, GA, Greece, HI, IL, IN, MN, NM, Norway, Scotland, WA, WY, & RussiaVivian Iddings - AK, AZ, CT, DC, DE, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MS, MT, NH, NJ, NV, NY, PA, Puerto Rico, Germany, RI, VA, VT, & WVLaura Ross Wingfield - On-Line Chapters & ConventionsCynthia Meadows - AL, AR, CO, NC, TN, OH, OK, SC, TX, Belgium, & ZimbabweCindy Vance - Austria, Australia, CA, England, Finland, FL, ID, IA, LA, Mexico, NE, ND, OR, Saudi Arabia, SD, UT, & WIE-MAIL ADDRESSEST orch Department Department - Department Page - Journal - Sigma Phi is an international women s friendship network.

2 It also provides educational programs to its members and opportunities for service to others. We are women of all ages, interests, and educational and economic backgrounds, and are the largest organization of our kind in the world. For Beta Sigma Phi membership information call:1-888-BETA-2B1(238-2221)August 2010 Volume 128 - Issue 5 Dear Sisters,Some of you may be reading this in the new printed Torch. I am, I put my subscription in early. We thought 5,000 would be easy to get, we were wrong, we had only 2,700 subscriptions so the printed Torch will only be 7 issues but the paper is nicer because we can use unused paper from other periodicals. We will continue to take subscrip-tions so you can still get it but we were sorry that the interest we thought was there, wasn you re like my chapter, some of us have been preparing for Beginning Day for awhile now.

3 I m doing our yearbooks so they have to be ready for Beginning Day. I ve sent out the page forms to fill in and the meeting sign up sheet and we are deciding where to have our Beginning Day brunch. We are all starting to look forward to getting back together and finding out what s been happening with , we ve sent out the President s packets to Ritual and Exemplar chapters, higher degrees can request them, but be honest, you all know what you are doing without the Presi-dent s packet, you do of course get the Vice President packet and Recording Secretary packet. Most things are also down-loadable on our website. If you haven t used that yet, check it out. The art has been up since right after Founder s Day, it s under Artwork, you need to have your member number and email address that we have on file to use both.

4 Please let us know if there are other things you want , we re gearing up to get started except for Career chapters who meet all year long and we are all looking forward to the new beginning for us. New officers getting ready, after over 30 years I ve finally taken Recording Secretary, I hope I do all right, but at least I can just bring stuff in with me. We are working on an electronic record keeping system that will eventually allow you to email minutes but not yet, , let s all look forward to getting together, our fresh start and the renewal of our friendships. With kids, summers are hard to get together, so we can t wait to resume Our time. Enjoy Beginning Day and let s get started on the new year and new challenges.

5 LauraTHE TORCH OF BETA Sigma PHI (ISSN 0888-8930). Official Publication of Beta Sigma Phi, 1800 West 91st Place, Kansas City, Missouri 64114-0500. Periodical postage paid at Kansas City. Canada Post Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #1548255. Published 7 times a year by Beta Sigma Phi International. Member subscription price $ per year. Non-member sub-scription price $ per year. Individual copies $ Printed in POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Torch of Beta Sigma Phi, PO Box 8500, Kansas City MO 2010 The Torch 3 ContentsIn This Letter from Laura4 Conventions/New Chapters/Friendly Ventures5 Helen Pepper6 Rushing8 2010 Poetry Contest Winners10 2010 Photo Contest Winners12 Beginning Day14 Chatter31 Contest Entry Form32 Book Drawing WinnerSpecial SectionOur 2010-2011 Beta Sigma Phi Gift SelectionsOn the Cover.

6 Karen Smith of Tennessee Delta Master, Nashville took this prize-winning photo, placing her first place in our photo August 2010 The TorchIndiana (Lafayette) October 22-24 Michigan (Grand Rapids) October 8-10 Minnesota (Burnsville) October 1-3 Missouri (Lake Ozark) October 1-3 New Mexico (Hobbs) September 24-26 New York (Jamestown) September 24-26 Oklahoma (Enid) July 30-August 1 Oregon (Salem) July 16-18 Queensland (Brisbane) October 15-17 Texas (Palestine) East area TX September 17-19 Virginia (Greater Northern County) October 15-17 Washington (Spokane) Concave October 1-2 West Virginia (Weirton) October 15-17 Wisconsin (Oshkosh) October 15-17 Conventions2010 New FriendlyVenture ChaptersArizona Delta Omicron, Lake Havasu City By: Linda Rieth and Lake Havasu, Arizona City City CouncilMichigan Eta Zeta, Muskegon By: Mary Osburn and Susan OsburnNebraska Beta Mu, Nebraska City By: Linda Willson and Beta GammaTexas Beta Omega, Canyon By.

7 Jean Stuntz and Xi Alpha Beta GammaWelcome TheseNew ChaptersArizona Alpha Phi Master, Sierra VistaBritish Columbia Laureate Delta Epsilon, ComoxFlorida Gamma Delta Master, JacksonvilleFlorida Gamma Gamma Master, TampaFlorida Laureate Zeta Chi, Winter HavenIllinois Beta Eta Master, AltonMaryland Preceptor Alpha Iota, CumberlandMichigan Laureate Gamma Nu, Grand RapidsMissouri Preceptor Theta Theta, PoloNewfoundland Epsilon Master, Grand FallsNorth Carolina Upsilon Master, HickoryOhio Beta Omega Master, AllianceOntario Gamma Psi Master, WindsorOregon Alpha Lambda Master, Oregon CityPennsylvania Beta Iota Master, BethlehemWest Virginia Alpha Theta Master, ClendeninWelcome These New, Friendly Venture ChaptersNew Paths to FriendshipNew Paths to Friendship 2010-20112010-2011 August 2010 The Torch 5 Helen Klover Pepper, Beta Sigma Phi s first member, who was a vital member of our sisterhood for more than 78 years, died peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones on June 27, 2010.

8 As most of our members know, Helen was the first person Mr. Ross encountered in Abilene, where he had stopped to inform the town s womenfolk about his ground-breaking idea. This reporter was fortunate enough to meet with Helen, along with other members of the first chapter, in 2005. As the chapter spent the day reminiscing about the beginning of sorority, Helen s call of events was in-spiring, and she was very convincing when she said it felt like just yesterday when Walter W. Ross, then a young book salesman, entered the Mayflower Hotel in Abilene. Helen said what she liked most about Mr Ross was his confidence and she remembered being impressed by his good ideas. He also had the mark of a true gentleman, she enjoyed Beta Sigma Phi wholeheartedly, and at-tended many conventions and rambles with her sisters.

9 But perhaps what she enjoyed the most were the cultural programs, which took the place of college for many of the Depression- era mem-bers. We liked the idea, since we knew we were not going to college, she said. We worked very hard on the programs. In the beginning they were mostly book reviews. At the Abilene Founder s Day in 2009, a large display case depicting the history of Beta Sigma Phi found a worthy place in Abilene s historical museum. Helen was honored at the celebration, and was asked to speak. She spoke softly, her voice now fragile with age, about how she loved all her many years in sorority. She spoke of the friendships she had made and how she appreciated the fact that she had been able to represent the Sigma Phi could have never wished for anyone more perfect to serve as our first member.

10 Those of us that knew her are fortu-nate. She will forever be remembered as a kind, quiet woman, who through her faith in an idea became the torch bearer for our wonder-ful PepperAugust 29, 1912 June 19, 2010 Kansas Alpha, Abilene member Helen Pepper (second from left) on her way to an exciting Beta Sigma Phi ramble with her August 2010 The TorchThere is not a magic pill, a magic potion or a magic wand that will give new life or enthu-siasm to a chapter. Nor is there a special reci-pe to follow. Just take the first basic step, increase your membership strength. This step is always a good choice to explore. Adding new pledges brings an instant breath of fresh air to the chapter. Their new friend-ship, enjoyment and enthusiasm is always contagious.