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Contents
Message from National President Marcia Mohre
Upcoming Events
Message from NEDO Pat Menge - Membership
Message from Vice President Cathy Etzler - Convention Changes
Van Riper Lecture Series
Chapter News
Convention Invitation
Update on Convention Awards
Editor's Message
Message from National Treasurer Susie Lewis - Ceremony Music
Got Supplies?
Presidents Directory
Newsletter Archive
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Message From Our 2013-2014
National President - Marcia Mohre
CONVENTION CONTINUES TO EVOLVE!
The 111th Convention "Psi Iota Xi On Parade" is only eight months away! For everyone who attended Convention 2013 you already know of the changes that are being planned - but I will repeat them later in this article, so keep reading! Since only 2 delegates from each chapter are required to attend convention (per our bylaws) the majority of our members don't know what awesome plans have already been made!
It's definitely not too soon to be making plans for your own chapter delegates to attend June 21-22, 2014 at the Grand Wayne Convention Center in Fort Wayne Indiana, hosted by Theta Kappa Chapter, Edon, Ohio! The site was reserved 4 years in advance - deposits have been paid; the hotel has been reserved; and contracts signed! So WHO is going from your chapter??? Too soon to tell you say??? Well discussions should be underway in your chapters to get the date firmly on your calendars - it's been announced in the Helicon for the last 3 years so it should come as no surprise to anyone. START DISCUSSION NOW! If your chapter leadership doesn't address it soon - take it upon yourself to discuss it during the New Business portion of your monthly business meeting agenda!
READ MORE
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Psi Iota Xi Upcoming Events
November 1 - Deadline for National Project Proposals to be submitted to the Project Chair
November 1 - Deadline for National Bylaw changes to be submitted to the Vice President
November 1 - Deadline for National Fees to be submitted to the Treasurer
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From the Editor's Desk
I am steadily plugging away at the Helicon for 2013. If you took some photos at convention that you would like to see in the Helicon please send them to HeliconHeather@hotmail.com.
In the coming week we will launch our redesigned website! It's got a fresh look and some helpful changes that will make it easier for us to stay connected. Be sure to check it out, and if you haven't already, be sure to sign up! If you have any trouble, be sure to let me know.
Look for new pictures, new articles and much more.
Some Reminders:
- Memorial Information Please send memorial information and a picture, if possible, to your editor for submission for the next newsletter. This information will be accumulated and placed in the next Helicon and a copy of the newsletter could then be given to the family displaying your remembrance of your sister.
- Pictures, Pictures, Pictures! Need I say more? We all love to see pictures, and what a fantastic way to share your chapter ideas, fundraisers and community events that shout out, "We love Psi Iota Xi!" Again, forward them to your National Editor! And don't forget to post them on our Facebook Main Page and Group Page
- Check our website's online calendar for events/activities in your area and be sure to post your chapter events so other sisters can join your fun!
Keep on being AWESOME sister Psi Otes!
Heather Mitchell, Zeta Theta - Niles, MI
PIX National Editor
Heliconheather@hotmail.com
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"Our membership isn't growing." "We need an infusion of new ideas and enthusiasm." "How do we find new members?" "How do we keep the members we have?"
These are recurring comments we hear on National Council. During the last sorority year, National Council worked together to come up with some ideas to help address these membership issues. At National Convention, the Executive Council and District Officers presented these Canned Membership Kits during the district meetings. Inside the paint can given to each chapter were ideas and resources to use to help reach out to potential members
as well as some ideas for retaining the members already in the chapter. Each chapter was then challenged to have some sort of membership drive event.
Many people panic when they hear this challenge. It really isn't that scary. Really. I promise. A membership drive event can be as elaborate or as simple as the chapter wants it to be. It can be a stand-alone event (such as an open house at a public library solely to invite women in the community to learn more about PIX) or it can be an "add-on" at an event where your presence is already seen (a table at a 'back to school' night at a school you support, or at the local theatre where your chapter ushers, etc.)
At the District Meetings, each district had a different themed table to demonstrate one of the ideas in the can. All of the tables were then put on display. Each table had been decorated for a specific type of event with a specific target audience. The examples in the can are a health fair; a community/business fair; a girls' day/night out; a music/theatre/art sponsored event; a back to school night; and a spa night.
This is only a start. You can (and should) tailor your display to events your chapter already does or wants to do. Regardless of the theme, all of the tables have a few common threads - attractive displays that catch the eye and invite the audience closer; colorful, professional appearing handout information about PIX and the local chapter; and some kind of take away (a business card with contact info, candy, trinket, etc). If you want to expand on the display, the can included a CD (computer) that has presentations by Dr. Gabel and Dr. Miyamoto that you can set up on a laptop to provide even more information about what PIX supports. Ideally, you would also add an enthusiastic Psi Ote to make a personal contact, answer questions and invite the audience to come see what we're about. See... that isn't so scary.
A wise Psi Ote once stressed an important thing about membership. A chapter can add all the new members it wants, but unless it has a good foundation, takes care of the members it has and is a group people want to be part of, the chapter will have problems maintaining and growing membership. (Please pardon the poorly executed paraphrase, Marcia.) This will be a topic for a future article. *smile*
Sources/ideas:
*The DO's have copies of the handouts that were in the Canned Membership Kits. Contact your DO if you need them or the CD (there are limited extra CD's)
*The tri-fold brochure and the single sheet handouts can be copied for distribution. The contact information is listed as the National Office. These can be personalized for individual chapters.
*Vista Print is a good source for inexpensive professional business cards.
*Many chapters are finding the benefit of creating a "Chapter" email address rather than using a specific person's email as contact. The responsibility for checking the email address is passed on but all the places where the email address is listed don't have to change when officers change. (gmail.com and yahoo.com are free services)
Loyally,
Pat Menge
NEDO
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Message from National Vice President - Cathy Etzler
Important Convention Changes:
As you were informed last year the next two conventions, the 111th (June 21-22, 2014) and 112th (June 27-28, 2015) will be held at the Grand Wayne Convention Center in Fort Wayne.
Marcia Mohre and I are working together to satisfy the need of less time committed by our delegates and reducing costs for our chapters. We hope you will work with the new schedule and be flexible, knowing this can answer some of our survey comments and at the same time serve our business responsibilities, and still give us time to share and learn from other members. For sure, we still want time to have fun and relax after a year of intense philanthropic work and sacrifice on all our parts. Your Ideas Are Valuable, Don't Hesitate To Share. |
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Van Riper Lecture Series October 4, 2013 Western Michigan University
National Project
On October 3 & 4, 2013 President Marcia Mohre and National Project Chair Beth Keeney attended the 30th Annual Van Riper Lecture Series, Western Michigan University - Cognition and Communication: Working with Children and Adults with Traumatic Brain Injuries
L to R: Beth Keeney, National Project Chair, presenting the Psi Iota Xi check to Dr. Ann Tyler, Ph. D. Professor and Chair of the Department of Speech Pathology & Audiology at Western Michigan University along with Marcia Mohre, National President.
L to R: Mary Lou Harmon, Kathy Holaway and Cindy Grover (Speech & Language Pathologists from Eta Epsilon Chapter, Mishawaka, attended the lecture); Ann Tyler, and Beth Keeney.
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Chapter News
Beta Lambda, Bedford, IN Celebrates their 80th Anniversary.
Beta Upsilon - 4 New Pledges - Mt Vernon, Ohio
Lisa Bragg, Carrie Crouch, Amy Rhoades (Conductress), Lauren Heffelfinger (President), Kelly Phillips, Sara Mankins
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111th Convention June 21-22, 2014
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Update on Convention Awards
Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions, opinions, and advice regarding the annual awards process. After considerable discussion that has spanned nearly two years, your National Council made a motion at their meeting August 9 and 10, 2013 to continue recognition of the following award categories at convention:
Greatest Per Capita Donations to All Projects
Greatest Per Capita Donations to Speech & Hearing Greatest Per Capita Donations to Community Outreach Greatest Per Capita Donations to Art Projects Greatest Per Capita Donations to Music Projects Greatest Per Capita Donations to Literature/Literacy Projects Greatest Per Capita Volunteer Service Hours Louise Clark Award, Greatest Percentage of Chapter Attendance at Convention While it was evident by the convention surveys that awards do not motivate the majority of our chapters to impact their communities with quality projects or donations, we feel it is important to recognize those chapters who do these things well. Convention is a time to celebrate our successes. While we plan to continue the Bright Idea PSI OTE awards, which are objectively based, we have the statistics available to help us determine these subjectively-based awards also. We feel it is important to maintain a balance. HOW we recognize these chapters will be shared in an article next month (icons, etc.!) There will be some clarification on volunteer hours going out to all chapters with their PCR materials in the spring or sooner when your National Representatives have completed the document. Tune in next month to read about discussions that have taken place on how to recognize our award winners and thoughts about what to do with our icons.
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Dear Sisters, National Council would like to make available copies of the Pledge and Initiation service music to our chapters. Does anyone know who created the last music CD, or who has a recent CD of our service music? Do you use it in your ceremonies? Which chapter has sold the music CD at the sales table at National Convention or your state association meeting? Please contact Susie Lewis, National Treasurer, if you have this information. |
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Got Supplies?
As you start your new year think ahead of what you will need as far as supplies from the National Office. Look at the supply list form that is located on the website under members only. Think what your new officers or new members will need.
Note there are starred items* and those can be ordered from the office and emailed to you at no cost. Some items are even free from the website-so, check it out! Soon more and more items will be available by email and/or online.
 You can also make copies of the order form and mail it to the office with your check, or you may order in advance and pay at the IN State Association meeting or Convention. Whichever is most convenient for you or whomever is ordering the supplies for your chapter. You may also pre-order by email.
Download Order Form
There are no shipping charges for orders delivered to the state meetings or Convention.
Note-We will no longer supply the little blue books for your chapters since most chapters are going with the larger binder for their information.
Loyally, PIX Administrative Assistant
Liz Dale
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Presidents Directory
Keep us updatedWe know changes are always happening. People move, get new phones, change email, etc. Please forward any changes to the Presidents Directory to the National Editor so the directory is always current. Log in and visit the "Member's Only" section on the website for the most current version of our Presidents Directory.
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Have you missed previous issues of our electronic newsletter? If so, click below and find a complete listing of our previous issues. Be sure to share this link with your other sisters who may not be opening their newsletters.
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