Beta Sigma Phi Cyber Council





Sharing Reports - March, 2010

On Line Psi

HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY, EVERYONE! MEMBERSHIP: On March 4th Charlotte resigned from both our chapter and her land chapter due to health considerations. She will be missed and our best wishes go with her. On a brighter note... Janice received her Master's Degree in February. SOCIAL: In January we had an 'actual' social in Tempe, Arizona. Marcia, Kathy and I got together with Jan, Pat, Chris, Maureen, Geneva and Heather from Laureate Sigma. We held a Yellow Rose Luncheon at Sweet Tomatoes Restaurant. We had a good time and hope to have another OLP Gathering next year. We also had an election for our 2010 Valentine Queen. The identity of our new Queen was announced on Valentine's Day, and she was (virtually) coronated as a token of our chapter's appreciation. Our new Valentine Queen of 2010 is Vice President, Marcia.

PROGRAM: Barbara presented the February program about the history of Valentine's Day. It was very informative, and many new facts were learned.

Kathy Storey provided the January program with a link for the "Pink Glove" video, which is possibly a service program idea. The story behind the video is as follows… "Our daughter-in-law, Emily (MacInnes) Somers, created, directed and choreographed this in Portland last week for her Medline glove division as a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness. This was all her idea to help promote their new pink gloves. I don't know how she got so many employees, doctors and patients to participate, but it started to really catch on and they all had a lot of fun doing it. When the video gets 1 million hits, Medline will be making a huge contribution to the hospital, as well as offering free mammograms for the community. It's an easy and great way to donate to a wonderful cause. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEdVfyt-mLw

RECIPES: The 2009 Holiday Exchange Recipe Book was added to our files on OLP Yahoo groups. In February Vicki S posted a recipe for 'Chicken Cheeseburgers, and in January she provided our chapter with a recipe for Chicken Pecan Quiche.

CHICKEN PECAN QUICHE

1C. FINELY CHOPPED COOKED CHICKEN 1/2C. SMALL PECAN PIECES
1C. SHREDDED SWISS CHEESE 1C. MILK
1/4C.CHOPPED ONION 2EGGS BEATEN, OR SUBSTITUTE
1T. FLOUR 1/2 tsp.BROWN MUSTARD (HOT)
1 BAKED 9" PIE SHELL

-MIX CHICKEN, CHEESE, ONION, FLOUR AND 1/4C. PECANS. SPOON INTO COOLED CRUST. -MIX EGGS, MILK AND MUSTARD; POUR OVER CHICKEN MIXTURE. -TOP WITH REMAINING 1/4C. PECANS. -BAKE AT 325 DEGREES FOR 50 MINUTES. SERVES 6.

Respectfully submitted,

Rose
OLP Rep


On Line Beta

Happy Saint Patrick's Day to everyone. OLB continues to be a busy chapter. We celebrated our 12th birthday in January. Here is a link to our birthday celebration: http://www.cawamn.com/OnLineBeta/BDays/bd12welcome.html . February's Social was an Elegant Tea Rose Ball on February 21st. Members attended the ball in beautiful ball gowns and danced the night away. I must say we clean up nicely.LOL. Our March Social is in progress now and has been a week long affair. We have attended (virtually) the Paralympics in Vancouver, BC. Here is some information about the Paralympics. It has been awesome watching the Wheelchair Curling, Sledge Ice Hockey, Cross Country Skiing, and Biathlon.

In 1948, Sir Ludwig Guttmann organized a sports competition involving World War II veterans with a spinal cord injury in Stoke Mandeville, England. Four years later, competitors from the Netherlands joined the games and an international movement was born. Olympic style games for athletes with a disability were organized for the first time in Rome in 1960, now called Paralympics. In Toronto in 1976, other disability groups were added and the idea of merging together different disability groups for international sport competitions was born. In the same year, the first Paralympics Winter Games took place in Sweden.

Today, the Paralympics are elite sport events for athletes with a disability. They emphasize, however, the participants' athletic achievements rather than their disability. The movement has grown dramatically since its first days. The number of athletes participating in Summer Paralympics Games has increased from 400 athletes from 23 countries in Rome in 1960 to 3,951 athletes from 146 countries in Beijing in 2008

. The Paralympics Games have always been held in the same year as the Olympic Games. Since the Seoul 1988 Paralympics Games and the Albertville 1992 Winter Paralympics Games they have also taken place at the same venues as the Olympics. On 19 June 2001, an agreement was signed between the IOC and the IPC securing this practice for the future. From the 2012 bid process onwards, the host city chosen to host the Olympic Games will be obliged to also host the Paralympics.

The Canadian city of Vancouver will host the next Paralympics Winter Games in 2010, whereas London will host the Paralympics in 2012 and Sochi will be the host of the 2014 Winter Paralympics. More information is available at http://www.paralympic.org/Paralympic_Games . It is truly amazing to watch these athletes.

Our Program Committee continue to pique our interest with awesome programs. Topic for February's program was Folklore and Folk Music. As part of our March Program we traveled to State and Provincial parks through the US and Canada. Members shared photos and stories of their own travels to their favorite State Parks.

At our January meeting, our Valentine Queen committee accepted nominations for Valentine Queen. OLB's royal court comprised these lovely ladies: Susan, Valerie, Madonna, Cindy, Dianne, Dorothy, Beth, and MaryEllen and on Valentine's Day we crowned Dorothy as our 2010 Valentine Queen. Her photo can be viewed on our website at: http://www.cawamn.com/OnLineBeta/VQ/vq10.html

Our March meeting has just ended and we held elections of officers and I introduce to you our 2010-2011 Executive Board:

President - Irene
Vice President - Karen
Secretary - Gail
Treasurer - Sandy

Members are busy making plans to attend online gatherings which will take place this Spring and Summer. Both gatherings will take place a couple days before conventions. May 26-28 we plan to meet in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Valerie is our point of contact for this gathering. The Toronto Convention is May 28-30, 2010. Loretta is our point of contact for the Oregon convention and online gathering in July. I hope to make it to both online gatherings and hope to meet more of my online sisters. All are welcome to attend.

Beta hugs to all,

Dianne
OLB Rep


On Line Eta

Margaret returned to OL Eta after a leave of absence and is going strong in the games in facebook. Her husband George has joined in the fun along with Terry - Karen's husband. We added another member at the February meeting, Rebecca from Texas. The Marion family enjoyed the new arrival of Addison on January 30th. All program months were signed up for except the month of May.

Marion's Question for the month was...

Does anyone celebrate Valentine's in a special way?

Sisters enjoyed the Olympic Program given by Karen. A number of sisters watched the Opening Ceremonies. February Program

In keeping with our theme - Share Our Passport to Adventure. We are traveling to GREECE and Vancouver BC CANADA for the Olympics. "I have been to Vancouver, visited with sisters there, held a social with sisters from Canada and the US and left for cruises to Alaska from there. It was always a pleasure to visit, Vancouver." - Karen

The Lighting Ceremony

As the world turns its attention to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the longest domestic Olympic Torch Relay in history begins on October 22, 2009 with a traditional ritual lighting ceremony in Olympia, Greece.

Olympia is the home of the Olympic Flame, the sanctuary of Zeus (father of the gods of Olympia) and the site where the Ancient Olympic Games took place . The lighting ceremony of the Olympic Flame takes place at the temple of Hera within the Olympia site, where the ruins of a temple dedicated to this goddess remain. The actual lighting ceremony is a reminder of ancient rituals, in which gods Zeus and Hera were honoured with several fires lit and animal sacrifices in the sanctuary of Olympia.

First, the Olympic Flame is lit by sunlight focused on a metal reflector – the flame can only be lit this way — and is a part of a ritual including a prayer and a hymn made by a woman representing the ancient role of the high priestess. The ceremony also involves a young boy who cuts off an olive branch and gives it to the high priestess, a symbolical gesture.

Maria Nafpliotou is playing the role of high priestess for the Lighting Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay. Nafpliotou was born and lives in Athens. She’s a theatre, television and film actress as well as a dancer. Fluent in English, Nafpliotou has also played the role of high priestess during the Lighting Ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay.

For the Olympic Winter Games, once the Olympic Flame is lit and placed in an urn, the high priestess brings it to the Pierre de Coubertin monument and hands it over to the first torchbearer marking the start of the eight-day Greek stage of the Olympic Flame’s journey.

Program

The Lighting Ceremony program began at noon (2:00 am Pacific Time) with the playing of the Olympic, Canadian and Greek anthems. The Mayor of Ancient Olympia, Georgios Aidonis, and the President of the Olympic Torch Relay Commission, Spyros Zannias, addressed the attendees.

Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), followed by Spyros Carpalos, President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, as well as Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Chief Executive Officer John Furlong and Premier of British Columbia Gordon Campbell attended the ceremony.

The 25-minute Lighting Ceremony ritual followed the address, and the High Priestess handed over the Olympic Flame to the first torchbearer before he departed via Pierre de Coubertin Grove.

Dimitriadis, the First Torchbearer

Three-time Olympian and alpine skier (giant slalom), Vassilis Dimitriadis was the first torchbearer to receive the Olympic Flame after the conclusion of the Lighting Ceremony. It was not Dimitriadis’ first time carrying the flame as he was also the first torchbearer at the Lighting Ceremony of the Nagano 1998 Olympic Torch Relay as well as the flagbearer for Greece at the same Games.

Born in Brussels in 1978, Dimitriadis grew up in Florina in northern Greece. Since the start of his sports career at age 8, Dimitriadis has been a Greek champion numerous times. In addition to competing at the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games, he has participated at the Salt Lake City 2002 and Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games.

The Canadian stage of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay will begin on October 30, 2009 in Victoria, BC and will bring the flame to over 1,030 communities on a 106-day journey across the country.

Follow the Olympic Flame by visiting the Route in Greece. Did You Know?

* Pierre de Coubertin was the founder and second president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1925 until he died in 1937 in Geneva, Switzerland. He was buried in Lausanne, Switzerland but his heart was buried — as requested in his will — in a monument near the ruins of Olympia.
* The Innsbruck 1964 Olympic Games marked the first official lighting ceremony for an Olympic Winter Games. Five actresses have played the role of the high priestess and have taken part in lighting ceremonies for the Olympic Winter Games the last one being Theodora Siarkou for Torino 2006.
* The handover of the Olympic Summer Games Flame is made in a different location than the Olympic Winter Games Flame. Rather than handing it over to the first torchbearer at the Pierre de Coubertin monument, the high priestess hands it over at the Panathenaic Stadium (the ancient Olympia stadium).
* The high priestess is chosen by the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) and wears a traditional white toga during the ceremony, which is attended by representatives of the HOC, IOC and the Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
* The modern-day torch relay is derived from ceremonies once a part of ancient rituals in Olympia .Torch and relay races were important elements of the cultural festivals with heralds travelling through Greece to announce the games of Olympia, declaring a sacred truce. These events carried a deep ritual significance — a significance that is still respected today in the modern Olympic Torch Relay.

It’s almost here! The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay is set to begin its 106-day, 45,000-kilometre cross-Canada journey in Victoria, British Columbia on October 30.

But before it arrives in Canada, the Olympic Flame must be lit in a traditional ceremony in Olympia, Greece, and travel throughout the country before being handed over to representatives of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). Once in VANOC’s hands, the Olympic Flame will board a trans-Atlantic flight and arrive in Victoria, signaling the start of the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay.

PHOTOS GREEK RELAY PHOTOS
The Handover Ceremony

High Priestess Maria Nafpliotou lights the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch with the Olympic Flame After hundreds of torchbearers carried the 2010 Olympic Torch on its eight-day relay through Greece, it’s now time for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay to take possession of the Olympic Flame! In what marks the longest domestic torch relay in history, Canada welcomes the Olympic Flame to Victoria, British Columbia on October 30.

The Handover Ceremony took place on October 29, when the sacred flame was transferred to representatives of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games during a traditional ceremony at the Panathenian Stadium in Athens, Greece. Three British Columbia mayors — Lake Cowichan Mayor Ross Forrest, Port Alberni Mayor Ken McRae and Queen Charlotte Mayor Carol Kulesha — were present at the ceremony and, along with the Vancouver 2010 delegation, will bring the sacred flame back to Canada.The ceremony, which involved Greek President Karolos Papoulias and Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, took place within the confines of the storied white marble Panathinaiko Stadium

A Greek-Canadian figure skater from Ontario, Niki Georgiadis was the final torchbearer. Following the handover, Aboriginal flame attendants Dina Ouellette, 22, of of the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation in New Brunswick,and 23-year-old Aronhiaies Herne, of the Mohawk community of Akwesasne in Central Canada, used a wand to capture the flame and light a miner’s lantern for safekeeping of the flame. The attendants are among a group of 11 young Aboriginals chosen to protect the flame as it travels across Canada.

Canadian delegation entrusted with safety of the Olympic Flame: left to right Dina Ouellette, VANOC CEO John Furlong, Minister of State (Sport) Government of Canada Gary Lunn, Mayor of Vancouver Gregor Robertson, Mayor of Whister Ken Melamed, Minister of Olympics Province of British Columbia Mary McNeil

The original Panathenian Stadium was formed from a natural hollow in the ground between two hills in Athens — Agra and Ardettos — and was transformed into a stadium in 330–329 BC, where athletic competitions of the Great Panathenaea Festivities were held. Over the centuries, the stadium went through several restorations and in 1896 it played host to the first modern Olympic Games.

The Handover Ceremony marks not only the real beginning of the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay and the countdown to the Games, but it also offers a unique and unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime experience for 12,000 torchbearers and more than 1,030 communities in Canada. All can live the flame’s journey and be a part of the Olympic Movement in their own country.

Let the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay begin!

Follow the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay as it makes its way across Canada between October 30, 2009 and February 12, 2010.

VANCOUVER CANADA – 2010 WINTER OLYMPIAD
MAP
MAP VIDEO WHISTLER, BC CANADA & OTHER VIDEOS
Beta hugs,

Karen
OLEta Rep


On Line Kappa

The Sisters of the OLK have been very busy since our last sharing report in January 2010!

Two of our Sisters, Julie (February) and Jessica (March), were provided their Pledge Rituals! We are SO thrilled for them both and welcome them to sorority!

Our January Program took us on a tour of Williamsburg, Virginia!

Williamsburg was the capitol of the colony of Virginia. It was ruled by Governor's that were appointed by the king of England. It was a very busy place as the Burgesses met here & the college of William & Mary was located in town. All government business was conducted here, so people were constantly arriving in town.

After the Revolutionary War, the capitol was moved to Richmond & Williamsburg became a sleepy backwater town. In the 1920's a local minister came up with the idea of restoring the town to its former glory. He knew that Rockefeller was the man to contact for a plan this large. He got Rockefeller to come to Williamsburg to look things over. Rockefeller thought that this would be a perfect place to restore & honor America's past.

All of the colonial part of town was eventually bought & restored & became the mecca for people that wish to immerse themselves in history. The restoration work is still ongoing to this day. Many of the buildings & their interiors have been redone as more research has changed what was known about them.

There is much to see & do here, such as the Governor's Palace, The Court House, the Capitol Building, Taverns, & other buildings. There also period gardens & animals that are no longer commonly seen in our time. It is very enjoyable to have a conversation with the local citizens that are in 18th century clothing. As much as possible they stay in character when conversing. One can learn many things if one looks & listens.

A nice place to visit in Bruton Parish church. The graveyard has many interesting headstones & graves that are very old. The interior of the church is quite interesting. There are some graves in the floor of the church. Bruton Parish is still used for regulars services every Sunday as it has been in over 200 years.

There are many tours that take place in the evenings such as the Ghost tour to places that are supposedly haunted. These are done by candlelight. It is nice to sit on a bench after dark & think about all that has happened in this hallowed place.

Visit Williamsburg & you won't be disappointed.

After our visit to Williamsburg, we all joined together for our January Social for a Winter Bean Soup Cookout:

Welcome sisters to my backyard. There is a roaring fire to provide warmth & to keep the coffee & cider hot or chocolate if you prefer.

There is a very large kettle over another fire. In it is a whole ham & 4 pounds of navy beans that have been cooking for several hours. Bob got out early this morning to clear away the snow & to start the fires. I had soaked the beans the night before to give them a head start. I also am baking cornbread in my dutch over the fire, it should be done in 20 minutes or so. The applesauce has already been made & is being kept warm by the fire.

Before we eat we will take a walk around our property to see what animals have left tracks. I see some mice tracks & look there are some deer tracks. Maybe we will get to see one, oh look there is a pair of deer standing about 100 feet away from us. Be careful not to spook them, oops there they go. Aren't the deer graceful when they run away like that?

I see that the bean soup is finished so let's help ourselves. Hot cornbread with butter is ready to have as a side. The applesauce is nice & fresh, we can almost taste the fall when eating it. For dessert how about an old fashioned cherry pie, so tasty & full of cherries.

Now just relax & chatter with maybe second helpings. How about a fun game of charades before it is time to leave for home? That was fun, Carrie I didn't know that you could be so inventive. The giggles & squeals of delight trying to play charades were so pleasant. It is fun to be childish once in awhile. Well it is time for everyone to depart, the day went by too fast. Thanks for coming, I've enjoyed cooking for everyone! I ,also loved it that everyone could come & have a good time.

Our February Program took us through a "Glimpse of Belgium" as follows:

We can come to know a country by its primary facts. We can examine its population trends, its industries, its economic patterns, its famous people, or its key historical dates. My examination of Belgium, however, is more of a love story—an intimate look at a tiny country through the eyes of someone dear to me, my late grandmother.

Angelica Augusta VanGinneken was raised in the city of Antwerpen, Belgium, north of Brussels. She came to the United States in her early twenties, shortly after her marriage to a slim, handsome American soldier stationed in Belgium during the later part of WWII; thus, the tales of her beloved country are colored with the rosy blush of youth. She returned to her country only once in her adult life.

Grandma "Sunny," as she came to be known, remembered a Belgium that was full of fun and good things to eat. Her most vibrant stories centered upon the city-life that she enjoyed. She told of going to the theatre with her father. She treasured the memory of these outings because they seemed to characterize her father's spirit, a spirit that may have been doused a bit by a wife who was…well, strong, shall we say. Little Angelica, nicknamed "Linneka," was taken on these journeys to the theater without her mother and two sisters. What a treat!

Grandma proudly spoke about the renowned zoo in her city, a shining example that became a travel destination for many Belgians, as well as people from other parts of Europe.

As Americans are sweetly aware, Belgium is known for its delicious chocolate. This is not a misconception! One of Gram's favorite stories showcased chocolate. She told us about Sunday walks to a small store nearby. There, she and her sisters would buy chocolate bars. They carried their treats home where they would sit with cups of warm milk, dunking the chocolate in the milk. As the chocolate bars slowly melted and the girls licked their melting pieces, the milk became rich, creamy cocoa. Can't you just imagine that sweet goodness?

During the Christmas season, my family was always happily reminded of Grandma's Belgian heritage. She filled the house with wonderful treats, but the two items that stand out for me are marsapan and speculaas. Marzipan (the English spelling) is a popular confection in the United States—often used in cake decorations—but I've never tasted an American marzipan that was anything like Grandma's creation. The homemade marsapan (pronounced something like "MUSS-e-pine") is a smooth, creamy candy made with sugar, almond paste, and eggs. Grandma rolled the soft candy in long logs that were then refrigerated. Then she sliced off small discs of the marsapan and dipped them into melted milk chocolate. Heavenly!

Speculaas cookies (pronounced "SPECK-oo-loss") are native to Belgium and the Netherlands. They are spicy, brown Christmas cookies. I remember them to be very crunchy. Most recipes for speculass include many spices such as nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and other Christmas-y flavors, but my Gram preferred to only use cinnamon. (See recipe at the end of the program.)

In preparing for this program, I talked to my mom about Gram and how she brought some of Belgium to her new life in the U.S.A. We couldn't help talking about what a wonderful cook she was. I asked my mom which recipes she thinks of as Grandma's "Belgian" recipes, and she reminded me of three family favorite. Funny enough, they are all potato dishes. First, we should look at "Belgian Potato Salad." When we bring this salad to picnics, people eye it suspiciously, but really it is so delicious! It is made of boiled potatoes that are cubed (just like standard potato salad), and the dressing is largely mayo (NOT Miracle Whip) with small amounts of yellow mustard and lemon juice. It also has chopped hard boiled eggs and—here's the big difference—tomatoes! The salad is especially scrumptious with beautiful, garden tomatoes in the summer months. In fact, Grandma refused to make the potato salad when tomatoes weren't in season. You stir in the cut tomatoes and all of the juices that escaped during the cutting process.

We all savored Grandma's homemade fries! Two features make these fries "Belgian" or at least European. The fries are fried twice. After the potatoes were sliced, they were submerged in the deep fryer for one quick cooking. They were then spread over paper towels to cool (and lose some of their oil). Then they were fried a second time to become crispy and golden. Secondly, the fries were always served with mayonnaise. Grandma cringed at the thought of putting her fries in ketchup.

Finally, "Hot Potato Salad." Many Americans are familiar with a German potato salad, often served hot. Grandma's hot potato salad was nothing like German potato salad. In fact, it is a variation of mashed potatoes. She mashed potatoes as you would for regular old mashed potatoes, but then you stir in a small amount of mayo, yellow mustard, 2 or 3 chopped hard boiled eggs, and salt and pepper to taste. A splash of milk is added before everything is whipped together with electric beaters. Yum!

Favorite recipes and an amazing palette were not the only things that Grandma brought to the U.S. when she immigrated in the 1940s. Belgium is also known for its high quality gold. While American standards lead consumers to expect 14 karat gold as the norm, Belgian jewelers routinely use 18 karat gold in many pieces with occasional 24 karat gold adornments. Grandma brought two pieces of jewelry that I remember fondly. One, a beautiful gold watch, was passed to my mom. She wears it with great love on special occasions. Another 18 karat Belgian accessory that Grandma treasured was an odd, snake-shaped ring. This ring looks like a snake that wraps around the wearer's finger. Reptile jewelry does not reflect my Grandma's style in the least! She was not an exotic or fussy woman. Her style was plain, yet pretty—a reflection, I believe, of her home country where people find a way to be proud and humble, simple yet appreciative of fine things. So why this snake ring? I do not know—Grandma never told me how she acquired it—but the piece sits in my jewelry box, waiting for repair. You see, as long as I can remember, the snake ring sat in Grandma's jewelry box. The top of its head and its eye-sockets were meant to serve as settings for gemstones. I loved to sit with Grandma and look at the things in her jewelry box, and she often told me that she hoped to one day replace the lost stones so that she could wear the 18 karat gold snake ring. That never happened, but even though a snake-shaped ring doesn't suit my style either, I hope to one day fulfill Grandma's intention to re-jewel that unexplained snake.

As I write this program, I am thinking about what gives a country its personality, its spirit. To me, family traditions, food, and fashion are important factors in defining a culture. I hope this program helped you to glimpse a bit of Belgium's culture, but also, I hope you can know a little more about me by "meeting" my Grandma Sunny. I was told by a literature professor at UMass-Amherst that I look like a Belgian. He wondered about my Belgian heritage before I even told him about my Grandma. Of course, the people of Belgium can be quite varied in appearance, but common characteristics include blond hair, blue eyes, very fair skin, and noticeably rosy cheeks.

But as much as I wanted you to know the Belgium that my Grandma shared with her family, you might be curious about some of the vital statistics. Belgium is a very small country, but it is densely populated with approximately 10 million residents. It has three distinct regions where people speak either Dutch, Flemish, or French. Gram spoke Flemish, as do more than half of the people in Belgium. (http://pspmcl.vub.ac.be/BelgCul.html). The country is known for its artistic heritage, fine food, and high quality of life. The country has no official religion, but it is largely Roman Catholic. The country is not rich in natural resources, but it is agriculturally rich and makes use of sea ports and a canal system for trade. (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/59268/Belgium)

Just a bit bigger than the state of Maryland, Belgium is tiny (only 11,787 sq. miles), but it holds a huge place in my heart.

Thanks for reading this LONG program. I've included Grandma's recipe for speculaas as a little Thank You gift.

Speculass (Christmas cookies)

2 sticks of butter
2 cups of brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
4 cups flour
1 cup finely ground almonds

Mix all ingredients, and refrigerate until well chilled. Roll out the dough thinly. Cut out small shapes or use a small juice glass or biscuit cutter for circular cookies.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.
WARNING: These cookies are very crisp! Watch your teeth J They are great with a cup of tea or coffee.

February 2010 – Sweetheart of the Year

Marilyn was elected Online Kappa's Sweetheart of the Year! A big congratulations to her! Bonnie, our 2008-9 Sweetheart of the Year did a beautiful job with organizing this event and providing us the thrill of feeling as we were all there with Marilyn when she was crowned!

Hope you enjoyed our recap of the past couple of months! Best wishes to all for a wonderful couple of months ahead!

Respectively submitted,

Shelley
OLK Rep

On Line Theta

OLT has had a busy month. Our sister, Judy is slowly improving. Arlene and Dan were featured in the Beta Journal. Two (2) sisters, Sheri V. and Vivian M. received the Order of the Rose. Notification has been received that Judy, Joan and Carolyn W. are eligible for their next degrees. Marti went LOA for a few months due to her mom and her work load; Juanita visited us for a couple of visits. We also have two (2) visitors this month, Nancy and Jean. Nancy was visiting our chapter in order to learn more about BSP and Jean was making up a lc meeting. Information was also received on the different endowment funds and charities that Beta Sigma Phi donates to. Jack Ross is doing better; please keep him and his family in your prayers.

Book Club: We did get to do some reading this month although we have all had problems with sickness in our lives. We read some very interesting non-fiction, some scary fiction and even a book that was a mystery and had some great looking recipes.

Founder's Day - We discussed having an afternoon tea at Balmoral Castle outside Aberdeen, Scotland for our Founder's Day. But, instead, we may join OLB in their celebrations. Extra points on each chapter's yardstick. Prayer List: A prayer list is maintained and posted every Wednesday morning on OLT’s bubble day. On this day we send bubbles and prayers to our sisters and families who are in need of healing, support and prayer. Program: Marcia presented a very interesting program about Warren G. Harding. He had to have a special bathtub installed at the White House as he got stuck in the one they had. The new tub would hold 4 adult men! Service: Through our January clicks and those of others who click at our sites ,(_http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2_ (http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2) ), the sponsors of the sites have donated over two hundred fifty-four thousand five hundred seven dollars ($ 254,507) to Haitian relief! We clicked one thousand six hundred thirty-eight (1,638) times and this includes the literacy sites double clicks. Thanks to Sheri V's sister for clicking so faithfully.

Social: We spent a wonderful week end in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Such a pretty and interesting town nestled in the Ozark Mts. Web site: Roxanne maintains our web site _http://roxlucas.webs.com/_ (http://roxlucas.webs.com/) Come visit us!

We are especially thankful that our Judy is home from a very extended hospital stay and is doing wonderful. Maybe she can go back to work next week. We were saddened today by the news of our Jack Ross passing. Respectively submitted,

Arlene
OLT Rep

On Line Sigma

Online Sigma has been quite busy this month. In celebration of St. Patty's Day, our hostess offered up "Green Food". everything from mint juleps, guacomole (my favorite), Spinach dip, broccoli, and lots of dessert items, including green ice cream.

Our social was based on Large Eggs with the photos of the cities that had the titles of "Egg Capitol". There was a beautifully decorated one in Alberta, Canada. An egg discussion followed.

Our program has been really exciting this year. At the beginning of the year we started on a cross country and Canadian bus trip. We've stopped at most of the large cities around where our members live. At each stop there have been plenty of really fun places to visit (web addresses have been included in each program). We've moved from the East coast to Washington, British Columbia and back to the East coast. The members add details and more websites about their home areas as the bus approaches the destinations. It has helped us know each other better. We know who the shoppers are, who the adventurers are, who the historians and art lovers are among other things. It's really been a great year long program and will be hard to top next year. Anyway, this month we started in Indianapolis, did all the touristy things and traveled on to Chicago to see the green river for St. Patricks Day.

Our chapter is planning our annual reunion (real time) for July 4th this year in Colorado Springs, CO. This is the home of Jan Cannon. I can't wait since that's where I went to HS. It is a wonderful way to meet the sisters face to face and brings our chapter closer together as sisters. Next year we'll be going to Las Vegas and visiting with Vicki Smith. This is a tradition that started when Ruth Green was with us and our first visits were to gather at her home near San Antonio since she couldn't travel.

Diane
OLS Rep


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Revised March 10, 2010