From coast to coast, our alumnae chapters have been buzzing with activity—Founders’ Day celebrations, holiday festivities, fundraisers and engaging book clubs. In this article, we’ll catch you up on all the noteworthy action that has unfolded over the past few months!
California
Eastern Orange County Tri Deltas gathered to celebrate Founders’ Day 2023 for the first time in 4 years. This area tradition was restored with 250 collegians and alumnae gathering in Long Beach, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 5. Seven collegiate chapters and 10 alumnae chapters shared the opportunity to celebrate Tri Delta’s founding. A Fraternity update was provided by Mindy Tucker, Southern Methodist. Each collegiate chapter provided a short chapter highlight video as well as a chapter update. Two collegiate members were awarded scholarships: Liana Mnatzakanian, Southern California, was awarded the Desert Area AC Scholarship and Delaney Noel Richards, Cal State/Long Beach, was awarded the Jean Hunt Gaines Leadership Scholarship. Five area alumnae were nominated for the Southern CA Women of the Year award by their alumnae chapters. The 2023 Woman of the Year was awarded to Tricia Bercsi Wilkin, Cal State/Northridge, from the San Fernando Valley AC. Tricia has been a long time member of the San Fernando Valley AC and has been the dedicated president of the Beta Beta House Corporation for the last 10 years. The traditional Founders’ Day proclamation and candle lighting ceremony closed the event. Southern California Tri Deltas enjoyed the opportunity to connect and share our sisterhood.
Photo: 2017 Woman of the Year winner Pat Wykoff Coakley, Southern California, with the 2023 WOY nominees Diane Eldred Rippe, Cal State/Long Beach, Eastern Orange County AC, Leslie Adelman Tucker, Colorado, Newport Harbor AC, Tricia Bercsi Wilkin, Cal State/Northridge, San Fernando Valley AC, Barbara Martin Topf, Pennsylvania State, Southern Orange County AC, and Brittney Fellows, Cal State/Long Beach, Western Orange County AC
Submitted by Lora Marie White, Puget Sound
The Marin County Alumnae Chapter celebrated their holiday party on the evening of December 5th. The group combined a lovely potluck dinner and an always lively white elephant gift exchange with support for their local philanthropy, the Center for Domestic Peace.
In addition to fundraising for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the chapter helps the Center assist battered women in Marin County. Through participation in events such as the annual winter blanket drive, the chapter strives to provide some comfort to local women and families on their journeys to recovery. This year, chapter participation in the holiday event was at an all-time high, with Tri Delta alumnae contributing over 25 soft, warm blankets to women in need.
Submitted by Alison Aplet Jones, California/Davis
Members of the San Fernando Valley Alumnae Chapter gathered one evening to put together 115 activity packs for the patients and their siblings at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). Per the instructions of the hospital, each pack contained a coloring book, a sheet of stickers, markers or colored pencils, and Play-Doh. Members came together at the home of Laurie Hargrove, Cal State/Long Beach, and created an assembly line in her living room to make the activity packs as they enjoyed a potluck dinner. A few weeks later, three sisters (as noted in the photo) delivered them to the hospital. These activity packs are a direct way to impact and support the patients and their families during their time spent at CHLA.
Photo: Risa Fishbein Thomas and Kathie Watkins Raquel, both Cal State/Northridge, and Dee Ann Devoe Wood, Nebraska
Submitted by Risa Fishbein Thomas, Cal State/Northridge
The Southern Orange County Alumnae Chapter of Tri Delta celebrated our 50th anniversary with a party luncheon and celebration for members at Mission Viejo Country Club. We all brought collegiate and alumnae chapter memorabilia to share so that we could look back on the last 50 years of Tri Delta sisterhood.
Submitted by Barbara Martin Topf, Pennsylvania State
Florida
Golden Isles Alumnae Chapter celebrated Founders’ Day!
Submitted by Anita Green, Carnegie Mellon
Fort Myers Alumnae Chapter celebrated Founders’ Day, the chapter’s 40th anniversary and a new Golden Circle member at The Landings Helm Club on Nov. 11, 2024.
Alumnae Chapter President Holly Proctor Messinger, Auburn, read the Founders’ Day message and provided the history of the chapter. Originally chartered in 1986 as Delta Delta Delta Southwest Florida, it was renamed Fort Myers Alumnae Chapter of Delta Delta Delta in 1987. She named the 20 previous presidents and recognized the following three in attendance: Shelley Lambing Bumm, Pittsburgh, the first chapter president and founding member; Alice Hunter Powelson, Iowa, and Betty Budd Pollack, Coe. Following her recognition as a new Golden Circle member, President Messinger closed the gathering with the Founders’ Day ceremony and chapter roll call. Congratulations to this outstanding alumnae chapter and its members.
Middle Photo: Christine Strom and Golden Circle recipient and Alumnae Chapter President Holly Messinger. Right Photo: Past Alumna Chapter Presidents Alice Powelson, Betty Pollack and Shelley Bumm.
Submitted by Christine Wilson Strom, Ohio State
Old and new members of the Sarasota Area Alumnae Chapter gathered for a special Founders’ Day celebration with speaker Michelle Popp Shimberg, Florida, former Tri Delta Fraternity President and current trustee of Tri Delta’s Foundation (seated third from left). Friendship, kindness and sisterhood were the themes of the day as she updated the chapter on Tri Delta’s growth, programs and developments.
The traditional lighting of the candles for the chapter roll call was one of the highlights of the celebration. Laurie Kohler Halladay, Missouri, read the roll call, Judy Martin Armitage, Texas Tech, held a second candle for long-time member Judie Brandenburg-Pollard, DePauw, who was unable to attend, and, to her left, Alumnae Chapter President Retta Burling Meser, Wisconsin.
Submitted by Laurie Kohler Halladay, Missouri
The Space Coast alumnae gathered for our annual Pine Party and Cookie Exchange in Melbourne, Florida, at the home of Elaine Beall Simmons, Central Florida.
Submitted by Noelle Briand, Cornell
Idaho
In August, Boise alumnae members gathered to pack 200 treat bags for the Boise State University Tri Delta collegiate chapter members to receive during fall 2023 new member recruitment week.
Photo: Reilly Critzer Fairgrieve, Virginia Tech, Jessica Calderon, Boise State, and Kathy Graham, Cal State/Long Beach.
Submitted By Kayla Pollard, Boise State
Indiana
Food, fellowship and ornaments! Butler collegiate members and Indianapolis alumnae made ornaments for the chapter’s tree! Indianapolis alumnae and Alpha Tri Psi Chapter supplied the Delta-themed ornaments while collegiate members and alumnae all had fun making them together—unbelievably fun bonding!
Submitted by Pam Dorner-Saxhaug, Illinois
Mississippi
Jackson/Metro’s 61st anniversary celebration and Golden Circle. Speaker Erin Meador Johnson, Delta State, shared her experience when her daughter was a patient at St. Jude.
Submitted by Joni Battistelli Tyler, Delta State
North Carolina
Charlotte Alumnae Chapter members raised over $2,000 and participated in the St. Jude Walk on Sept. 30, 2023. They met Clemson collegians who walked to honor a sister who passed away last year from cancer. Also, walking with us were Charlotte alumnae Panhellenic council members from Pi Beta Phi, Kappa Alpha Theta and Kappa Delta. Their donations helped push us over our goal of $1,500. It is amazing what Greek women can do when we work together for good!
We also held our ‘Tri Delta Proud’ Kick-Off. To start the 2023–2024 year, members met at a local brewery where the chapter bought sharable food. There was a door prize drawing for Delta jewelry and good conversation was shared outside under a crescent moon. Each sister left with a favor and a heart filled with the Delta Spirit!
We celebrated our 135th Founders’ Day with a catered luncheon on Nov. 12th. We honored four Golden Circle members, read the proclamation and held the candle lighting chapter roll call. We also raffled off a beautiful reversible quilt made by a member with the proceeds going to Tri Delta’s Foundation. Natalie White Swilley, Arkansas (on the right), made and donated this pansy quilt. The raffle raised $220 for Tri Delta’s Foundation! The lucky winner was Barbara Harwell Holt, Nevada (on the left).
The beautiful and delicious gluten-free cookies were made for our Founders’ Day luncheon by Meg Grimm Fielding, Adelphi, and Keeley O’Keefe, Wofford, donated the gorgeous and yummy cake. Membership in Tri Delta is lifelong and sweet!
Submitted By Peggy Young Rishe, Illinois
New Mexico
Members of the Albuquerque Alumnae Chapter gathered to plant pansies in the beautiful fall weather at a local park.
Albuquerque Tri Deltas also raised money for St. Jude during the St. Jude Walk.
We also received awards for donating to the St. Jude Walk. Of all virtual walks in 2023 for St. Jude, we were in the top 10% of all donations raised with most of the chapter donating to the cause!
Left Photo: Margaret Gibson Tessler, Texas/El Paso, Susan Lederle, New Mexico, Linda Havemann Seiller, DePauw, and Dione DuBois Colón, Arizona State.
Middle Photo: Margaret Gibson Tessler, Texas/El Paso, Linda Havemann Seille, DePauw, Mary Tillotson Burt, New Mexico, and Susan Lederle, New Mexico.
Submitted by Dione DuBois Colón, Arizona State
Oregon
The Portland Alumnae Chapter held Founders’ Day in the silver, gold and blue living room of chapter President Susan Bailey Di Piazza, Whitman. The festive afternoon included alumnae from collegiate chapters across America. In addition to the traditional Founders’ Day proclamation and roll call, belated honors were bestowed upon Silver Circle recipient Sherri Mangel Maples, Oregon. Finally, a new chapter tradition may have been created as President Di Piazza celebrated “Tri Delta Gratitude.” Each attendee around the room expressed a particular Tri Delta moment of thanks. Lovely memories of sisters and friends old and new were expressed with great Delta Love. The theme of silver, gold and blue extended beyond the formal portions of the afternoon to the lovely champagne and refreshments social hour. The atmosphere of the beautiful autumn afternoon proclaimed the green and growing chapter!
President Susan Bailey Di Piazza, Whitman, Silver Circle honoree Sherri Mangel Maples, Oregon.
A freak Pacific Northwest ice storm couldn’t stop us, but the leadership did have to pivot to an alternate date and reschedule our January Book Swap Event. It was finally warmly attended by brave Tri Deltas willing to face the cold and wet weather. A lively discussion about a particular author, genre or title accompanied the perusal of the wide array of books. Wonderful refreshments and hot cider helped ease the chill of the evening.
Photo: Chapter President Susan Bailey DiPiazza, Whitman, Dani Easterly Grytten, Oregon State, Book Swap Event Chair Victoria Edwards, Oregon, Book Club Chair Lindsay Van Schoiack, Rose-Hulman.
Submitted by Jeanie White Barkett, Pacific
Texas
Ferne Osman Burney, Arizona State, presented a check benefitting St. Jude for $10,000 to Tri Delta’s Foundation Trustee Ashley Nicole Baskerville, Cal State/Long Beach and Philanthropy Specialist Meredith Davies, Rhodes. The funds were the proceeds from the annual Champagne and Chandeliers luncheon held in the spring. This presentation was made at the kickoff party held with the San Antonio Alumnae Chapter.
Submitted by Ferne Osman Burney, Arizona State
Virginia
The Richmond Alumnae Chapter raised almost $700 for St. Jude while participating in a 3.2 mile walk around the University of Richmond campus. Friends and family were invited to participate on a beautiful Saturday morning in September. Members paused on the University of Richmond campus to give the world a hug.
Submitted by Leslie Hatch Skinker, Virginia Tech
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