Sisters often tell me just how much they enjoy seeing photos from our conventions. I hope you enjoy the images included with this issue of the Alumni Newsletter! 

From our Opening Reception to the Final Gala, excitement was in the air at the Centennial Convention in Boston, where we gathered in July to celebrate where Lambda Kappa Sigma began 100 years ago. 

We started things off right with a trolley tour of Boston. Despite the rain, we were able to see so much of the city and all of the history there. Our tour ended on the steps of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences. It's a lovingly cared for school, and the architecture is stunning. I can imagine our first Lambs there...and how much having a group of sisters to support them on their journey must have helped!

The reception at the college's Grand Hall was truly one of the highlights of the convention. We were graciously welcomed by the college, and we were entertained with wonderful delights. The room was abuzz with joy. 

Business sessions are always a necessity for any organization, but I feel that ours are very special. As the meeting was called to order and the national anthems of the countries where we have colonized were played, I swelled with pride to think that we have such a wonderfully diverse group and that we hold ourselves to such high standards. Our memorial service was also deeply touching, recalling those sisters who have gone before us and made our way easier and challenging at the same time.  

Comedian Anita Renfroe (pictured below) gave us all a laugh! Alumni could really related to her "Muthahood" humor--and our younger sisters got a glimpse of life to come. For those not at the convention, check out one of Anita's performances on YouTube. 

We also proudly supported our long-standing philanthropic partner, Project HOPE. Our traditional HOPE waLKS (pictured below) was continued in a grand way with a stroll through Boston, including a crossing of the Charles River. We were also privileged to have in attendance Lucas Bezerra, a representative from Project HOPE, and Dr. Sunder Neelakantan, who has served with Project HOPE. The final total of how much was raised for Project HOPE will be announced soon. 

Our Final Gala was nothing short of spectacular. It was an honor to be celebrating such a special event with over 300 sisters and special guests of Lambda Kappa Sigma. We celebrated, honored special sisters, recognized chapter achievements and danced! At the close of the evening, we were an elated but very tired bunch.

The following photos are just a taste of the great celebration that we had in Boston, observing 100 years of sisterhood!  

 

Mark your calendar for July 22 through 26 and plan to attend the 2014 in Naples, Florida. The planning committee is already hard at work, and it promises to be another great convention.

Be watching your LKS communications for more details about the convention...you won't want to miss it!

Lambda Kappa Sigma Educational Trust

Our annual convention Trust events were once again extremely successful. The luncheon, auctions and our new Accolades program combined to raise a significant amount of money for our beloved Trust.

Sharon Brown and I were privileged to attend the Fraternity Communications Association meeting in May 2013. Our goal was to learn new and better ways of communicating with our membership (which we did). But we also brought back some other really great ideas. One of those was the Accolades program, which was designated as a fundraiser for the Educational Trust. Here how it worked: Sisters purchased Accolade Cards to recognize qualities and contributions of others. The recipients were rewarded with lamb stickers, which could be worn on their convention badges. By the end of convention, several sisters had entire flock of lambs on their badges! We're excited that this program was so well received and that it raised approximately $650 in just a few short days.

The Trust Luncheon and Auction were once again memorable--the food was delicious and the fellowship was fun. As usual, the auction and bidding were spirited, pitting sister against sister with the real winner being the Educational Trust. In all, $7,000 was raised for the Trust. Good work, Sisters! A HUGE thank you also goes out to all of those who donated many valuable and sentimental items for the auction.

The Trust was the recipient of many special recognition donations, some of which honored our centennial. You don't need to wait for convention to contribute to the Trust...donations can be made all year long.

The Trust is always grateful for the many chapters that make donations. If you belong to an alumni chapter, please consider planning a fundraiser or a donation to the Trust. If your chapter has a scholarship fund, it can be endowed through the Trust as well.

Thanks to everyone for their unconditional support of the LKS Educational Trust. YOU are making a difference in the education of our Sisters.

Arielle Bibeault, Alpha alum, recently became engaged. She has some lovely pictures of her ring on Facebook (if you haven't already seen them). Congratulations!

Chris Grass, Alpha Zeta alum (yes, that's me) and Andre Grass, LKS Patron, announce the engagement of their daughter, Ashley to William Underwood. We are in full-scale wedding planning right now! The couple will be married October 18, 2014, at the historic Kuhs Farm in Spanish Lake, MO.

Michelle Kershaw, Lambda alum and New England Region Supervisor, gave birth to daughter Madison (Maddy) on December 4, 2012. If you were at convention, you had the chance to meet this little sweetie!

Ginger Scott, Alpha Nu alum, was named a Fellow of the APhA for 2013. We're very proud of our sisters like Ginger, who are recognized for their excellence by their peers.

Rachel  Hagemann, Alpha Zeta alum, became engaged in April of 2013. Best wishes, Rachel.

Melissa Favale O'Brien, Alpha Pi alum, was married on June 9, 2013. Congratulations to the happy couple.

Megan Ketchum Ragan, Alpha Zeta alum, added a second son to her family in February 2013. Brandon joins big brother Christopher. Congratulations on your growing family.

Lacey Van Sipe, Omicron alum, is engaged, and we're anxiously awaiting more details. Congratulations!  

Be sure to send me YOUR news. We love featuring news about our sisters in the Alumni Newsletter. Don't have any news about yourself? Send me news about another sister.

You can send your news to me at christinegrass@yahoo.com. 

To commemorate the centennial of Lambda Kappa Sigma, a fabulous hard-cover book was published. These books made their debut at the convention and were very well-received. 

The book is loaded with stories and photos of very special LKS sisters and events. Thumbing through the book is like taking a trip down memory lane (and there were some very fine memories, indeed).

If you missed the opportunity to order one of these timeless books, it's not too late! If you would like to order a copy, just call the International Office at 1-800-LKS-1913.

These books are priced at $100 each. In addition to purchasing one for yourself, consider buying one for a special sister. This book would make a fantastic gift!

Don't delay -- supplies are limited. You'll have to wait another century to get a book like this again!

 
Chris Grass