Our sorority has many beautiful, time-honored traditions which link us to our great Beta Sigma Phi heritage. These traditions, like the heritage of Grama's quilts, bind and bond us together. With the quilt you can wrap yourself in its comfort and history knowing what was passed on to you will be passed on again. From woman to woman. So it is in Beta Sigma Phi . . . We can wrap ourselves in the comfort and history of our own sorority traditions as well, knowing they will be passed on again .. from woman to woman. They are valued because they make working toward and facing tomorrow meaningful. They are what's certain in a world of uncertainty.

I believe our most beautiful tradition is -- our yellow rose. And I'm quite sure each of you has tucked away in the nooks and crannies of your heart at least one very special yellow rose memory.

Our most meaningful tradition -- candlelight rituals. They are an established form of ceremony for us. Our rituals stand as symbolic representations of the spirit of Sisterhood and of the determination we have to improve ourselves and, in this way, make a better world. Our rituals are part of all we stand for. We must always make them as beautiful and memorable as possible.

Ritual given by Int'l Rep for member In hospital...
A pledge had been seriously injured in an automobile accident and was not expected to live. The members of her chapter as well as her family knew how hard she had been working on memorizing the Opening and Closing Rituals, and how she had been looking forward to receiving her Ritual of Jewels. Her chapter sisters asked the family and the doctor if it would be okay to give her the ritual in the hospital room. They received permission and invited the visiting Int'l Rep to officiate. Chapter sisters brought a card table, set-up the ritual table complete with candles and yellow roses. They formed a circle extending from both sides of the bed and the ritual was read. The pin was placed upon their pledge. Suddenly, the words of that ritual took on even greater significance. No one thought this member heard or was even aware of what was going on.

Close to a year later, a young woman walked into the Int'l Office looking for the Rep who had read the ritual to a seriously injured pledge in a hospital room. She came to personally thank the Rep for having done so and went on to say that she had indeed heard those words in that hospital room and was aware of all who were present. She said her recovery began at that moment when she realized how much her sisters cared. She knew she couldn't and wouldn't let-them-down. She realized then she would be okay!

Our most important tradition -- rushing, pledging. pledge training.
A member once wrote, "After I have helped to bring in another member to BEO, I have the desire to do everything to make her enjoy the sorority I so much love and believe in, which must be getting close to "Sweetness of Spirit." To me, that is the ultimate definition of Sweetness of Spirit. It is your guidance and training that enables each new member to gain knowledge and understanding about sorority life. It creates awareness so pledges can bring their own ideas and vitality to their chapters. It promotes confidence and cements those precious bonds of Friendship. It sets the foundation, it teaches tradition, it is basic Beta Sigma Phi. Often times, I hear that pledge training hasn't been as good in recent years as it once was. To that I say this: Those of you who had excellent, thorough, outstanding, disciplined pledge training -- share it and pass on that tradition. To those of you who had pledge training and think it could have been just a little bit better, conduct it as you feel it should be. Sky's the limit on what you can do -- many resources are available! Make it fun, enjoyable, interesting. "Because a Friend said, 'Come with me,' we, too, were privileged to share the circle. And because we shared, we learned...and we learned that many roads open to us, roads to the Good, the True and the Beautiful!"

Our most significant tradition -- our pins/badges. Your degree pin is the emblem of our Sisterhood. It is a symbol of belonging to a globe-circling sorority whose ideals command respect and admiration wherever you go. Grama stitched quilts for us..to keep us warm, to be used, enjoyed, loved, shared, admired, passed down. They weren't meant to be locked away in a drawer or put on a shelf. They need to be seen in order to be appreciated...just like our pins. They were given to you to wear! Wear them to your meetings, wear them when you come to convention, wear them at Founder's Day, wear them when you are proud of who and what you are as a Beta Sigma Phi!!!

Our most special tradition --- Founder's Day! The anniversary celebration of the founding of Beta Sigma Phi. It's our own Beta Sigma Phi Birthday Party!