Sharing Reports - July/Aug - 2014

We gave the Ritual of Jewels to our new member, Cherie. In addition, we have another new member, Linda. Our member, Marti, went to Las Vegas and attended a writer's conference and awards ceremony for her book.

Our program was regarding Canada Day - celebrated on July 1. Members participated in a chapter bingo, and also discussed a book. We continue to pray for members and their families with medical needs.



Rita

Cyber Council Rep for Online Theta

We continued to do Rose, Bud, Thorn throughout the weeks, typically taking a break during meeting weeks. Our Xi Chit Chat has helped us to keep conversation going during the weeks and has also helped us to learn about one another.

Programs:
Our programs this year will focus on issues that are pertinent to our OnlineXi sisters lives. In May we had a program on Anxiety and in June we had a program on Grief and Loss. Our new program chair will has met with the committee and will be setting up sisters to present programs throughout the upcoming year.

Committees:
New committees were chosen for the upcoming year and committee chairs were asked to have their first meeting held so they could report at the July meeting (currently in session).

Service:
This year we will continue to do "clicks" for important awareness issues, we will support Juvenile Diabetes Research, and promote literacy through donation of books to retirement homes, deployed troops, local libraries, or public schools.

Special Sisters:
Sheri is putting together our yearbook for the August meeting. She created a form for each sister to fill out and as long as she has them back in time, each sister will have their own page in the book

June saw the ending of one sorority year and the beginning of another. We ended with a Mother's Day Tea. It was beautiful and during our celebration we gave the Welcome Ritual to our two newest members, Adrienne and Ann. They are both great additions to our group. We had the installation of our new officers: President - Kathy, Vice President - Rose, Recording Secretary - Cheryl, Corresponding Secretary - Jean, and Treasurer - Marcia. With new committee chairmen appointed the new years is off with a bang. We gave a cheer and a great thank you for the exiting officers for a wonderful, productive year.

June saw the start of a new year and a Pool and Grilling social hosted by Lib. It was fantastic and the food was great. I had never had the variety of grilled vegetables before. The party went on until midnight. Looks like it is going to be a good new year. Our chapter this year is following the theme and are going to learn more about our sorority family tree with members telling of their fondest memories as a sister. Should be interesting. The book review is going to explore the world of books made into movies. Should be interesting. We are all looking forward to the new year.

Beta hugs, Kathy

Online Kappa has been enjoying our summer programs and fun socials as well as planning for next year's activities. I know I have been feeling thankful for my health and family more so than usual because we lost a former member of our group- Julie passed away after a battle with kidney disease. We also have a former member, Judy, who is fighting a battle with an aggressive cancer. One of our current members, Beth had some surgery and has had a set back requiring a stay in a rehab hospital. We also have members staying busy with their children and grandchildren's activities. Always much to be thankful for in our lives if we stop and think about it.

We hope each every one of you is enjoying your family and all our sisters in Beta Sigma Phi!

Be well,
Mary
Online Kappa Cyber Council Rep

Our committees has been busy planning our new year.

The social committee kicked off the new year, toasting our outgoing and incoming board. They also served shooters, and some unusual ones, such as Spiced Butternut Squash and Pear Soup shooter. We have had fantastic programs throughout the year and the latest ones was on Essential oils and Jamie Our cyber rep gave one on Phishing and protecting yourself from hackers.

Hugs,
Madonna

President's Report

"To our members who are on Leave of Absence – we do hope you will find yourself in a calm and happy space soon as we are looking forward to having you join us again very soon. You have not been forgotten and I am aware that most of you do read and enjoy the posts even though you have not been able to participate.".... " It has been fun to read the responses to the June program and be reminded of the many ways everyone has given so generously and also enjoyed the rich benefits of our BSP membership."

Val

We have been busily sorting out Chairs for our various committees and lists of volunteers to make presentations over certain months in our May and June meetings.

Program

Our June Program started an OLD Beta Sigma Phi Family Tree by first listing our degrees, then how old we were or something significant that happened during that period of our degree. We are continuing to learn about each other as we create our OLD Family Tree.

Service

We were introduced in June Meeting to the topic of "Shocking Diseases That Eye Doctors Find First." We learned about three diseases, high blood pressure, cancerous tumors and blood diseases, and diabetes that eye examinations can detect or forwarn of greater deterioration. In July we will learn of more diseases that can be detected, treated and perhaps avoided with concurrent eye examinations.

Membership

Three of our members received the Torchbearer Degree in June. It is a "honor and recognition of their love and commitment to Beta Sigma Phi for so many years."

Our List moderator will be giving us a report each month on how to negotiate our new and confusing Yahoo website. This first one guided us on how to vote.

Social

We will have 3 Socials formulated for the upcoming year thus far. The most current in July will be an overnight sleepover.

Koffee Klatch

Our May/June subject was discussing if members were susceptible to SAD (Seasonal affective disorder) by experiencing seasonal depressions. The topic for June was sharing something you look forward to eating during your upcoming season. Since 6 of our members live in Australia, the southern hemisphere, they described enjoying winter vegetable and fruits of the season while the rest of us in the northern half relished summer summer produce and outdoor barbecues.

Book Club

Our book line schedule is for a two month period to give our readers time to find and read the book before the presentation and discussion in the following month.

The book we discussed in April/May was “Left Neglected” by Lisa Genova. A short summary: " Sarah’s life is on track – the fast track. She and her husband both work eighty-hour weeks at high-powered jobs in Boston, while spending as much time as possible with their three small children. Sarah is a juggler extraordinaire, keeping her demanding job and her family as balanced as she can. But when a car accident leaves her recovering from Left Neglect, a neurological impairment that robs her of her ability to control the left side of her body, she can barely get out of bed on her own. As Sarah struggles to resume her over-scheduled life, she must juggle new things---her son’s ADHD diagnosis, the return of her estranged mother, and her own limitations. Given a traumatic opportunity to reassess what is really important in life, Sarah must decide where her priorities lie."

The book brings to mind what we may have neglected or ignored in our own lives such as self realizations, relationships, jobs, home and the world around us.

In the June meting our Book Club Chair shared a cartoon of a “Tree of Accelerated Reading Facts” as she reminded us to “Expand Your Mind While Adding Books to the Reading Tree.”

Our June/July book will be "Homecoming of Samuel Lake" by Jenny Wingfield.

OLD Website

OLD website mistress has created an awesome OnLine Delta website with our new theme, new member photos and great quotes such as: "Friends are the family we choose for ourselves" Edna Buchanan

"The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life." Richard Bach

"The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit." Nelson Henderson

Check it out at : http://onlinedelta.weebly.com/

Respectfully submitted,
Evelyn--OLD Rep for Cyber Council 2014-2015