Beta Sigma Phi Cyber Council


Sharing Reports - Nov/Dec - 2014

On Line Delta

President's Report
"There sure has been some interesting interaction and sharing on our OLD Yahoo Group site this month. Thank you to everyone who has played their part in keeping the chapter so enjoyable. So fascinating to enjoy the variety of how our lives have unfolded when we read (in particular) the responses to our programs and KKs." Val

Program

We have continued to explore the many aspects of trees. One member summarizes why: "I love all trees as they mean there is life here on earth. They help us live. They are homes for various birds, give us shade and food." Some members have even shared photos of carved tree stumps replicating a bear, beaver, eagle, and the peace sign in various states and provinces.

September
The topic this month was knitting. We learned about its history, men who knit and male designers, pattern websites and classes, plus many funny and memorable comments from members.

October
Our president shared how many different kinds of wheels have impacted her journey through life and asked us for stories of important "wheels" significant in our own lives.

Service

September
We learned about common household items that can be poisonous to our pets. Sisters in the USA FYI: There is no charge for calls to national POISON CONTROL CENTER hotline at (800) 222-1222. They handle calls for people and pets but if they feel they can’t help they refer callers to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Go to www.aspsca.org/apcc for more information.

October
We were warned about food fears that are legitimate and those that are not so worrisome.

Koffee Klatch

September
The subject was "Inherited Treasurers"--what they mean to us and how do we intend to hand them down to posterity. This invited honest answers that sometimes can be difficult to face.

October
We took a quiz to learn about Halloween history and how its traditions developed over the course of time. Our Australian sisters do not have nearly the commercial bombardment of the holiday that we experience in the USA and Canada.

Book Club

September
We read "The Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline--a very worthwhile read about orphans who traveled from NYC to the prairie towns of Kansas during the Depression era, many of whom were badly mistreated but fought within its boundaries with amazing resilience. One member shared the musings on the co-dependency of writers and readers from the website of Flannery O'Conners. " In the peculiar way that words are comforting, books often feel like home. ..."is there a reader alive who hasn’t wanted to crawl into the world of a novel or short story and nest there for eternity? Eventually the world intrudes. Reality gestures." ..."Questions abound. They nag at you, they make you think, they open doors. Even the most straightforward stories, by their mere existence, invite interpretation. No one reads a piece of fiction exactly the way the next person does. Our emotions and experiences instinctively try to skew outcomes to our individual ways of seeing."

October
The Oct/Nov book is "The Elephant Whisperer: My life with the herd in the African wild" by Lawrence Anthony. This is a very emotional read that connects you to the animal kingdom in new and profound ways.

Membership
The bad news first is that we lost a few members to lack of participation, leaves of absence, but the GOOD NEWS is that we have gained two new YOUNG members and the return of two former members. Val contacted International to give us a list of those wanting to join worldwide to increase our membership especially in our online chapters. She has shared this information with cyber Council. The efforts have paid off and we challenge your chapter to do the same.

Bobbi of OLD has turned up on the August/September pages of the "Torch" She has some exciting ideas about how to use our BSP theme this year--"Expand Your BSP Family Tree." Do check it out!

Closing

Wishing all my Online Sisters a healthy and bountiful holiday season filled with magic moments and precious memories!
Respectfully Submitted,
Evelyn
Cyber Council Representative
Online Delta


On Line Eta

The mailing list has been blocking sisters in which they cannot post. Karen I. found a solution and that was take them off the Yahoo Group mailing list and invite them on again.

During the month of September, the chapter discovered that one of our members, Jennifer, is expecting her first child in February.

Our Program in October was over Women and Heart Warnings and signs of an impending Attack by Cathy .

Our social was a trip to Salem, MA for the Witch Trials.

The online Eta chapter wishes everyone a Happy and Safe coming holidays!

Karen, Rep for Online Eta


On Line Kappa


Good Sunday afternoon sisters. Online Kappa is currently having our November meeting. Last month we had two programs one about the Biltmore family and house and another about the Gummer Mansion-both were very interesting and a look back at another time in our history. BSP of Dayton, Ohio has helped keep the Gummer Mansion beautiful by purchasing some furniture years ago for the dining room. Our social for October was a soup/salad potluck with a fall theme for the decorations. After lunch we enjoyed a pound auction, we bid on items which were a 'pound of something'-proceeds were given to a local charity.

Ingrid, our newest members is continuing to work on her pledge training. Nancy, another member recently lost her son to cancer-all our thoughts and prayers have been with her and her family. For this month's meeting we are welcoming three guests, Jeanette, Lisa and Elaine.

Madonna I hope your Mother is feeling better soon!

Respectfully submitted,
Mary
cyber council rep OL Kappa


On Line Omicron

OLO had our very first social 2 months ago, and we had another last month.

We are doing our own chapter exchange again this year.

We haven't had a lot going on, which is typical for the summer. We tend to have more "involvement" during the Fall & Winter months.

Toni, Rep


On Line Psi

September and October were busy months. We have welcomed another new member, Bliss. Our two new pledges are now doing their pledge training. We received more good news that Marcia is eligible for her Torchbearer degree and will be taking that ritual this month.

We have reviewed books, shared recipes and crafts, and had great programs following our theme.

Our socials have been great. We have had a great picnic to see the great fall colors and the Halloween party was out of this world. All came in great costumes to great food. Have you ever known a sorority social that involved food that wasn't great.

We are looking forward to the rest of the sorority year. We are off to a good start and hope the rest of the year is just as great.

Beta hugs,
Kathy


On Line Alpha Phi

Our chapter has elected new officers and is just getting organized with the new positions installed in August and early September.  Our new president is Mish G, vice president is Cherie, and Sec/Treasurer Mariann C.  I would like to have the new reps added to the mailing list for the new  cyber council meetings but don’t know for sure who to contact…Please let me know and I can get them updated on your mailing list.

  Our chapter program in September was about the “wooly worm, wooly bear or fuzzy caterpillar” that predicts the kind of winter weather ahead.  We each gave our story sharing what we have been taught about this little creature that appears in late summer/early fall.  We had a program in October on our Halloween traditions and favorite costumes.  With chapter chatter we learned about recent illnesses with some members and one who has traveled to care for her mother who is ill.  We had happy talk with birthdays and anniversaries recently. We are discussing participation in the annual holiday exchange and perhaps a couple members attending the online convention in 2016.

  Cathy M.,
chapter past president and advisor


On Line Beta

> > Our September meeting was different. We combined a social and monthly meeting all in one. Members met at virtual airports boarded flights to fly to a designated location to board a cruise ship. Interspersed with the meeting business we visited the ship’s amenities and kept eating. We also enjoyed an afternoon tea. Recipe and Craft committee shared a craft on Preserving Leaves using water and glycerin. the scrumptious recipes were all breakfast related. Liz presented our program and asked members to share their hobbies and crafts.

> > Our October program was on the Lost Art of Handwriting and was presented by Dianne and Susan. Halloween was the theme for our October social. The evening began with a trivia game. We then enjoyed drinks, appetizers, and had a pumpkin carving contest. Members shared photos of their own creations or photos from the internet. Two favorites were a lampshade pumpkin and a carousel pumpkin.

Our service chairman Karen gave us info on Veteran's day and for a service idea she gave us info on Hope for the Warriors project, started by military wives.

> Our chapter, after our meeting always find time to chat, and share what is happening with our lives.

Madonna E.
Online Beta


On Line Theta

Seems like several of us have been having computer issues lately so I am submitting the sharing report for OLT.

In October, Jean invited us on a fun trip to Salem and we all enjoyed touring various locations, eating at various restaurants, and spending the weekend all together.

On October 31st we lost Roxanne and on November 6th we all gathered for a virtual memorial presented by Marti. Roxanne had been receiving treatments for cancer and although we all knew that it was serious none of us expected to receive the news of her passing. She definitely is missed by all OLT sisters.

Our monthly book club we continue to read books by different authors and storylines.

We all look forward to Thanksgiving here in the United States and then celebrating Christmas in December.

Beta love and hugs,
Linda
President - OL Theta


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Revised December 5, 2014