Alpha Chi Semiformal!

We had an amazing time at our Spring Semi-formal that took place last Wednesday, March 21st! It was held at Florida State's Stadium University Center, so we had a beautiful view of the entire city. It was a circus-themed event decked with a popcorn machine, photo-booth, cotton candy & balloon decorations.

Here are some pictures of our wonderful night =)
 

Parents Weekend 2012

Save the Date for the 2012 Alpha Chi Omegas Parent’s Weekend! The sisters of Alpha Chi Omega are pleased to announce the event will take place October 26^th-28^th.

Please note our Alpha Chi weekend is a different date from FSU Parents' Weekend. The FSU event is the same weekend as FAMU Homecoming; hence, Tallahassee will be extremely busy, and it will be much harder for our parents to find hotel rooms and get around town. We chose our weekend to make it easier and less stressful for our parents and family to enjoy campus and Tallahassee when they visit!

We suggest you go ahead and book a hotel if you are planning on attending, due to the popularity of FSU football! GO NOLES! Keep checking the blog for more updates!

Sisterhood Retreat 2012

We all had an amazing weekend white water rafting in Tennessee! So much love :)

First Annual Post Initiation Sleepover!!!

After initiating three new beautiful ladies (Hilary Wedden, Katie Grout, & Savannah Burdette) into the Beta Eta chapter, we began our first annual post initiation sleepover! Thanks to all the ladies that made it out :) We're having such a fun night!
LITB & congrats!

National Ritual Celebration Week!

This week, we the collegians will join the thousands of Alpha Chi Omega alumnae scattered across the US, and beyond as we leave Tallahassee for Spring break..

But we'd like to encourage you to celebrate

National Ritual Celebration Week!

Alpha Chi Omega is very pleased to announce that we will be participating in the second annual National Ritual Celebration Week, March 4-10. Collegians and alumnae are encouraged to take time each day that week—either by participating in collegiate or alumnae chapter activities or personally—to reflect on the meaning of our Ritual and how living our Ritual improves your life and your chapter.

To get you excited for the week and in honor of our seven founders, here are seven suggestions for celebrating our Ritual to get you and your chapter started planning:

1. Organize a Service Day activity. This can be with your chapter, a group of sisters, your family or friends. If you don’t have time to volunteer this week, reflect on the opportunities you have to give in the upcoming year.
2. Reflect on the meaning of the The Symphony of Alpha Chi Omega. Re-read The Symphony at least once during the week. How does it relate to where you are in life right now? What is your favorite part of it? Why? Also, put a framed photo on your desk at work or home and share The Symphony with others.
3. Connect with a sister you haven’t spoken to for awhile. Go to lunch. Have a phone date. Send a card. Write a text. Make time one day this week to reach out to and tell her why you’re glad she’s your sister. If there is a sister that you have lost touch with over the past couple of years, please feel free to contact headquarters to see how we can help the two of you reconnect.
4. Participate in National Panhellenic Conference’s International Badge Day on March 5. Wearing your badge to work, on campus, to your community gatherings not only honors Alpha Chi Omega, but gives you a chance to connect with other sorority women in your area and celebrate the history of women’s fraternities. The VP Ritual and Fraternity Appreciation handbook has great tips for appropriate badge attire.
5. Change your Facebook profile picture, timeline cover photo or recent photos to the Ritual Celebration Week logo. Also, post your Ritual reflections and other Alpha Chi Omega stories and thoughts as your status updates and on the Alpha Chi Omega Facebook page. In addition, tweet your Ritual reflections during the week. Use #AXORitualWeek at the end of your tweet and follow that hashtag throughout the week to see what sisters are saying on Twitter.
6. Reflect on how you personify Alpha Chi Omega’s values of Wisdom, Devotion and Achievement. Consider a conversation about one of these ideals with a non-Alpha Chi and tell him or her why you value your Alpha Chi Omega experience so much. Also, the Ritual Best Practices (available in the resource section) has Ritual discussion questions on Wisdom, Devotion and Achievement. Talk about your answers with your chapter and sisters.
7. Perform the Rededication of the Bond Ceremony (in the green Ceremonies binder) at your chapter meeting. Collegians: Invite area alumnae to your chapter meeting that week and perform the ceremony for both collegians and alumnae. Alumnae: If you don’t live near a collegiate chapter or don’t have an alumnae club, take time one day to reflect on your Initiation ceremony. Are you living the life you pledged to live that day? If so, how else could you show that every day? If not, there is no time like the present to start!

This year Alpha Chi Omega will be hosting guest bloggers each day to share their Ritual stories with our members. Please visit our website (alphachiomega.org) each day during the week to learn about and celebrate our Ritual, sisters and history. Alpha Chi Omega will also share daily Ritual thoughts on Facebook and Twitter.

Thank you, Alpha Chi Omega Headquarters, for these great thoughts, excerpted from the February Flyre, the monthly collegiate officer newsletter.

Attn: Local Alumnae

Stubbs Educational Foundation Mardi Gras Gala

Last year members of ETE, the Tallahassee Alumane chapter attended the Stubbs Mardi Gras ball. Thus both supporting a local alumnae, and celebrating the arts (yay for McDowell month).. It is that time of year again... if you are interested in attending let us know.. so far Amy Z, her hubs Chris, Jenny Sue, her hubs Marc, Britain and her finance Chris are all planning on attending.. we'd love to have you join us.. 

The Stubbs' Educational Foundation's is a non-profit created by Martha and Ron Stubbs to provide music scholarships for K-12th grade students in North Florida and South Georgia. To date, the foundation has awarded approximately 555 scholarships valued at $441,027.58 and has established 26 endowments.  At least 70% of the scholarships go to financially need-based students and the remaining to merit recipients.  The Variety Extravaganza Mardi Gras Ball is just one way the foundation raises money to fund music scholarships.  The evening features dinner, live music, dancing, and silent auction.  This year’s Mardi Gras Ball is on February 18 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m at the Tallahassee Antique Car Museum.  Current foundation president Chuck Stubbs welcomes all interested in the Mardi Gras Ball or the foundation to contact (850) 893-8782.

International Badge Day..

Monday, March 5, 2012

Wherever sorority women are throughout the world.

International Badge Day was established in 1997 by the National Panhellenic Conference to set aside a day for women throughout the world to wear their sorority badges or Greek letters in a celebration of sisterhood. This year’s theme is: “Wear Your Letters on Your Heart.” Thanks to Abby Cowart of Spring Hill College for designing the logo and coming up with the theme. Join us in celebrating by wearing your badge and inviting all sorority women you know to do the same!

Junior League Whale of a Sale

Whale of a Sale

February 9-11, 2012

Tallahassee Mall - Former Goody's Location
Thursday, Feb. 9 - Preview Party
Friday, Feb. 10 - Early Bird Shopping
Saturday, Feb. 11 - Shopping Extravaganza

Purchase Tickets to Preview Party
Thursday, Feb. 9, 6-9 p.m.
Don't miss our Tally Land-themed food, auction and music from local sensation Tobacco Road, all while supporting the Tallahassee Community!(Tickets are $35 individual/$60 couple before Thursday, Feb. 9. The online price includes credit card fee and shipping.)


The Junior League of  Tallahassee, Whale of a Sale is coming up.. 
below is a message from provisional member, & Beta Eta Alumna Cheyenne Overby

hello fellow Alpha Chi Omega Alums!

As some of you may know, the Junior League of Tallahassee is having it's annual Whale of a Sale February 9th - 11th. As provisional members, we are responsible for gathering merchandise to contribute for the sale. As a grad student in Tallahassee, this is proving to be a little difficult for me. Whale of a Sale excepts gently used items ranging from kitchen appliances to sporting goods to baby items and pretty much everything in between. If you have anything you may be interested in donating, please let me know and I'd be happy to pick it up from you this coming weekend. Hope everyone is enjoying this gorgeous early February weather we are enjoying!

Loyally,
Cheyenne Overby, BH '06
ceo06@my.fsu.edu

We are very excited to share with you that we have been featured in the January edition of the Panhellenic Post! The Panhellenic Post is a newsletter which has been revitalized by the 2012 Panhellenic Executive Council to serve as a source of information for the Florida State University Panhellenic Community. 

Please click this link in order to see our feature on page 2 : Panhellenic Post

Ritual & Resoutions

With the end of January, winter is truly here and those New Year’s resolutions may have already faded in our memories.  Recently I participated in a webinar which reviewed the meaning of our ritual and how to make it relevant to us in real life.  This made me refresh my goal of good health in the New Year.

As Alpha Chi Omegas, we commit to strive for our personal best.  This can well include a commitment to take time for ourselves and our personal well-being. This commitment is often overlooked in our hurried lives as we balance work and family obligations.  Some of us find ourselves caring for aging parents and giving support to our children and or grandchildren. 

So first and foremost schedule that time to exercise, rejuvenate, and relax.  There is no doubt that regular moderate exercise promotes good health, particularly as we age.   This is not a frivolous enjoyment which requires an excuse when we say we are BUSY. 

Secondly, schedule those routine recommended exams.  We all have our “sister” stories regarding breast cancer and mammograms.  I have at least three Alpha Chi sisters who are survivors because of a routine mammogram.  I scheduled my first at 40 when an Alpha Chi sister was diagnosed and shared her story.  Likewise, I had my first colonoscopy after I shared a good friend’s successful but difficult struggle with colon cancer.

Finally, eat well!  Ok we all want dessert at that girlfriend lunch, so do it.  But on a daily basis, try not to eat on the run or at the drive-through window.  Remember your fruit and veggies just like mom told you, and don’t skip breakfast.  Take care of your bone health by listening to your doctors suggestions for diet and strengthening (See exercise above.) 

Connecting the ritual to healthy habits may seem a reach beyond the “heights” of Mt. Olympus, but nothing is more vital to achievement than feeling well.   Treat yourself like a goddess and you will keep Hera smiling while you serve as a model for your sisters.

LITB & BH hugs,
Patty

Patty Garrard

Beta Eta is involved with an organization on campus called Greeks Going Green. This group is dedicated to promoting sustainable habits among the Greek community on campus. 

At the first meeting last week, the council praised our chapter for our incredible "Green" practices already! They are referring to our great recycling program started by collegian Stacia Dudley and our switch to recyclable products that we use for our coffee cups and lids. There is always room for improvement but the Alpha Chi Beta Eta chapter is dedicated to staying Green!

This week we are doing our part by promoting the organization. This banner was made by our banner chair, Rachel Levin. We are all doing our part to try to make FSU a greener community!

For more information on sustainable practices at FSU you can visit: http://www.facilities.fsu.edu/sustainability/

Brother of Hermes in the Royal Order of the Red Carnation

Congratulations to the new Brother of Hermes in the Royal Order of the Red Carnation

 from left to right, Marc Harris, Christopher Riley, Ben Gauntlett, and Christian Nacke on joining those Gentlemen that have gone before them (the book has signatures back to the early 70's) and participating in the Brother of Hermes Ceremony.

And thank you to each of the gentleman for all that they do for the Beta Eta Chapter of Alpha Chi Omega

Beta Eta's in the local paper!

It is always fun to see sisters in the news. Click here to see the article featuring the Beta Eta sisters in local newspaper!

From left, Diana Davenport, Nicole Chimura and Lindsey Davidson collect money on Sunday as sorority and fraternity members from FSU gather donations for Dance Marathon, a student-run philanthropy for the Children's Miracle Network and Shands Hospital. / GLENN BEIL/Democrat

Alex Hebert, left, and Joey DeYoung get a donation for Dance Marathon, a student run philanthropy for the Children's Miracle Network and Shands Hospital. The dance is set for Feb. 17-19. / GLENN BEIL/Democrat

Sisters in the news!

Thanks to the ladies of ETE for sharing the amazing info below! It is always great to see sisters in the news!

It was fun to see Audra (Beta Eta, FSU) supporting the Mary Brogan Museum Titanic exhibit! We love to know our sisters are supporting the fine arts.

Our dear sister Karen (Beta Eta, FSU) is now hard at work with the American Cancer Society in Tallahassee. We are glad to promote her upcoming fun event: the Cattle Baron's Ball.

Also glad to see our sister Kristen (Gamma Iota/Beta Eta, UF/FSU) still reaching out in the community and enjoying success at work.

We love these Real. Strong. Women.

Beta Eta & Gamma Iota Joint Executive Board Retreat

This weekend the ladies of the Beta Eta and Gamma Iota chapter traveled to St. George Island Florida for a weekend of sisterhood, education, and leadership!! This is the first year that a joint retreat has been held, and thus far it has been a success! Members of Beta Eta's advisory board planned the retreat, and we were blessed to have the PCC, Amanda Causey, GI Advisor, Amanda, and UNF Advisor, Kathy come to help with breakouts!

Panhellenic House Tours..

What: Dance Marathon at Florida State University's 1st Annual Sorority Holiday House Tour
When: Sunday, December 4th from 12:00pm to 4:00 pm
Cost: $15 per adult, $10 per student and senior - will include a tour of each of the 16 FSU sororities, food and refreshments, and presentations from local vendors.

Benefiting Dance Marathon, Childrens Miracle Network, and The Florida State University College of Medicine

The 1st Annual Sorority Holiday House Tour, benefiting Dance Marathon at The Florida State University, will take place Saturday December 4, 2011 from 12pm- 4pm. People from all over the state and local community will gather together in Tallahassee, Florida for this special event, as they step into the sorority houses at The Florida State University. This is the only time of year that these million dollar mansions open up their holiday-decorated houses for everyone to see! Free parking will belocated near the Westcott Building and check-in will begin at 11:30 in front of the Westcott Fountain. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors and can be purchased prior through each individual sorority, through Dance Marathon directly or at the event check-in table! If you have any questions about this event please contact Kyle Dunnington at fsudmexternalfundraising@gmail.com or (941) 524-5250.

Decorating for the Holidays..

Help a Sister this Holiday Season

Several months ago, I received word, that one of our own Beta Eta sisters houses had caught on fire. Lauren, her husband Trip, and son Cade, reside in Tallahassee, and were out to eat when they received a call from a neighbor that their house was on fire. They abruptly left the restaurant, and headed home to find their house in flames. This was about 6 months ago... Lauren and her family have been living at a local hotel ever since. This would be quite an adjustment for anyone, but I cannot even fathom doing so with a young toddler in tow.

Each time I chat with Lauren, she has maintained an upbeat and positive outlook on the situation. She even snapped the below photo in the aftermath, of the book she started the day of the fire, in her stricken home. This in spite of the fact that the family lost nearly everything. Yes the firemen were able to save photos, the computer with images, etc, and some clothes, but imagine watching everything you own up in flames.. Something I simply cannot fathom.

 

The entire family home, had to be gutted,  taking the house down to the studs in parts. In fact they even took off what was left of the roof, and put on an entire new roof. Below are photos of the roof removal and such from July. You can also see the state of the interior at the time. 

 Much has occurred in the past 6 months.. Below are photos from recent weeks. As you can see drywall is going up, and painting will begin soon. Such a transformation.

The good news is the insurance company is telling the family they may be in prior to Christmas!!! This brings me to my blog post today. Each time I talk with Lauren she speaks with such excitement about moving into her home for Christmas, but this excitement is also a quick reminder that the family lost ALL of their Christmas Decorations in the attic during the fire.  Today I reach out to the fellow Alpha Chi Omegas to help the ladies of the Xi Omega Xi Virtual Alumnae chapter with their 2011 Make her Year Alpha Kindness initiative. We ask that you make a donation (of any size, no donation is too small) to allow us to take Lauren, Trip & Cade on a shopping trip to replace their Christmas Decorations, and celebrate their 1st Christmas in their renovated and repaired home full of love!!! If you could like to send a check, card or even an ornament, please email us at axofloridastate {at} gmail {dot} com.

 We will of course share on the blog what we are able to do for Lauren and her family this holiday.. 

and from the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of the ladies of Xi Omega Xi 

and on behalf of Lauren and her family

THANK YOU in advance

LITB

Britain 

Xi Omega Xi President