Sister Update...

My son, Dan McParland is getting married here in Phoenix on October 2nd. His bride to be is Danielle Keirsted of Chandler, AZ They met at NAU in 2006. They have been engaged a little over a year now. They are both teachers at Milestone Charter School in Phoenix. Dan also just received his Masters degree in secondary education from the University of Phx.

On another note. I have a spring vacation to tell you about. I took a two-week trip to Turkey with 40 of my closest friends from People to People International. It was an educational/humanitarian mission. We visited a rehabilitation center in Istanbul and delivered school supplies to a small village school. Culturally, Turkey is a fascinating place and I highly recommend the visit.

—Cindy McParland, EK, University of Wisconsin, Whitewater. 72'

Cappadocia in a hot air balloon.

A visit to Ephesus. I am photograped here with DZ sister, Irma Idell.

Our visit to deliver school supplies in Karakaya,Turkey.

Dessert Anyone?

Is this a perfect DZ dessert, or what??? It’s from Taste of Home’s Holiday Celebrations 2009 cookbook. I think we need to have it at a meeting this year. Any takers???

—Ann Santos

A New Home

We will be moving to the house sometime the week after next. Looking forward to more elbow room, a yard, new wall colors, and reconfiguration of several things to fit my wheelchair better. Boy, are the cats in for a surprise!

-Laura Lattimore, Delta Chi (Cal State Chico)

Zeta Chi Reunion

On the weekend of July 9–11, members of Zeta Chi chapter of Delta Zeta at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point reunited at the home of Kathie Vavra in Sturgeon Bay, Wis. This is on the “thumb” of Wisconsin, with Green Bay on the west side and Lake Michigan on the east. I was visiting my family in the Green Bay area at the time, and Phoenix alum Deb Willey was spending several weeks with her family some four hours away, so we were able to attend! It felt strange to be together in Wisconsin! Most of the alums who attended do not belong to a chapter, and they were all from the same era (Deb’s!), so they knew each other. It was interesting to listen to how differently they acted in college than when I was there. I loved seeing their mementos from college days, but the best thing was seeing how in touch they have remained. We had a campfire on the beach, tried singing some of the old sorority songs, visited a farmer’s market, and floated in tubes before lazing in the hot tub. Zeta Chi may have closed in 1983, but the sisterhood remains forever.

–Ann Santos

Wearing a bathing suit in public is possible if you have a fun cover-up and can hide behind a huge innertube! Ann Santos gets ready to take the plunge into Green Bay.

One of the Zeta Chi alums broke out her Delta Zeta jacket—much jazzier than anything we had when I was in the collegiate chapter!

Phoenix alums Deb Willey and Ann Santos visit the master gardens at the University of Wisconsin Agricultural Research Facility in Sturgeon Bay, Wis. The reunion group had lunch there after visiting the local farmer’s market.

Sister Update...

My husband and I just had our wedding on April 3, 2010, and we will be moving to the Bay Area in California next week for him to attend medical school. I just completed my masters in education back in April and my husband just joined the Navy Medical Officers program. I am not sure we will have too many exciting things happening this fall since I believe our lives will be overrun by medical school. Ha ha.

Jessica Gorman (Kratzke)

A Sisterly Adventure

Phoenix alum Jennifer Jaeckels (right) and her Pi Zeta sister, Missy Clarin, experience the Windy City at the end of "the trip of the lifetime." Jenn volunteered to accompany Missy on her move back home to the Chicago area, and the girls took the long scenic route, stopping to visit other DZ sisters along the way. Details will be in the fall newsletter.

Traveling Sister

Phoenix DZ alum Carol Jean Birch (Zeta Beta, University of Wisconsin-Stout) and her husband enjoyed three weeks in Provence, France early this summer. They had a wonderful time!

A Word from Our Delegate...

It was my first convention and I really enjoyed it. I was able to connect with my chapter, Theta Rho, and my old alum group, Pasadena Foothills. It was fun to see old friends. Can't wait till 2012 in San Antonio.
-- Mary Pat Pepping

More from Convention!

Phoenix Alumnae Chapter President, Ann Santos (Zeta Chi), receives an Achoth Award from Delta Zeta National President, Michelle Smith. Achoth awards are given each convention to alumnae who have demonstrated, by their long and faithful service on the local level, their continued loyalty to Delta Zeta. Phoenix alum Sue Norman received an Achoth award in 2008.

Phoenix delegate Mary Pat Pepping (seated, middle) joins up with her sisters from Theta Rho, Cal State- Los Angeles.

The 2009 Delta Zeta Woman of the Year, actress/humorist/25 year breast cancer survivor Marcia Wallace, was disappointed to learn that Phoenix alum Mary Peterson, Marcia's Delta Nu sister, wasn't at the July 2nd luncheon. Sue Norman stands in for Mary in this photo op!

Delta Zeta National Convention 2010

Phoenix alums at the National Convention in Tucson on Friday, July 2nd (from left) Karen Lange, Susan Norman, Mary Pat Pepping (delegate), Ann Santos, Lorna Green and Lee Ann Witt (Regional Director). Nicole Barnett Farr, Pi Zeta CCD, was busy with her delegation and not pictured here.

The Phoenix alums are happy after a lovely lunch of chicken Caesar salad, rolls and banana creme brulee! What's not to like?! More fun was to follow, as celebrity Marcia Wallace, who played "Carol" on TV's "Bob Newhart Show," was honored as Delta Zeta's 2009 Woman of the Year and had everyone in stitches with her humorous remarks.

At the luncheon on July 2nd, national staff member Cindy sat at the Phoenix alum table.

From left: Mary Pat Pepping, national awards chair Karen Moffitt and Lee Ann Witt.

And the Award Goes To...

I am so honored to be named Outstanding GWA Alumna Sister of the Year! What a surprise to learn this news after Region Weekend. Thank you so much, GWA, for this recognition, but it really belongs to the entire Phoenix Alumnae Chapter — all of whom are outstanding sorority women. I post this on the blog so I can share it with you all. -- Ann Santos

Our Tasty Contribution

The Phoenix Alumnae Chapter contributed cowboy-boot-shaped sugar cookies for the delegates’ goodie bags at the DZ National Convention in Tucson this week. Each cookie was sprinkled with pink and green sugar and wrapped in appropriate colors! The tag reads, “Cowgirls and Delta Zetas rule! Have a great convention. The Phoenix alums.”

Belated Holiday Wishes!

I have been a little off my blogging game as of late. In the last few weeks I have worked at an arts day camp, spent a week and a half in San Diego very sick only to come home early and recover for another week and then just got back from a long weekend in San Francisco for July 4th. No worries though I am back and ready to post!

I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday!

-Erin Maher

In the Spirit

How far do you carry "theme" decorations? At my office last week, we celebrated two birthdays at work that are right around July 4th. So the color scheme was, of course, red, white and blue! In keeping with this, I made a strawberry dessert pizza that was DEE-LISH-ous! Contact me if you would like the recipe.

-Ann Santos

Convention Bound!

Phoenix alum Mary Pat Pepping, the chapter's delegate to this week's Delta Zeta National Convention in Tucson, is taking these Dr. Seuss characters as our donation to the convention philanthropy project. Stuffed animals are just one item on the wish list of the Children's Language Center, in Tucson.

Sisters Supporting Sisters

The company I work for is Neighborhood Restaurants, which owns and operates Zipps Sports Grills http://www.ZippsSportsGrills.com and Goldie's Sports Cafe http://www.ValleySportsGrills.com . This company is family owned and has been operating in the Valley for over 13 years. We have a total of 8 locations as of now (7 Zipps and 1 Goldie's). For years now the owners have wanted to do a philanthropic event and finally this year we are going to see their vision come to life.
During the week of July 26th, 100% of our company's net profits will be donated to Childhelp http://www.childhelp.org . This will be an incredibly large some of money for a company of our size if we did nothing to promote it; however, if we do make the effort to spread the word and create some buzz, this donation can grow to a sizable amount.
If any of our lovely alums live near a Zipps location or close to Goldie's, I would just like to urge you to stop in during the week of July 26th to help Phoenix's children in need. Childhelp is headquartered in Scottsdale, and has been in operation for more than 50 years. We are really hoping that our donation will give them the means they need to continue their efforts to meet the physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs of abused, neglected and at-risk children.
I'm spearheading this project so obviously I would like to see it be a HUGE success.
Caren Plummer (Pi Zeta)
Phoenix Alumnae Chapter Panhellenic Alternate

Where Sisters Gather, Sisterhood Flourishes

On June 12th, the Lis Doon Varna Irish Pub and Restaurant in Peoria was the lunch destination for Phoenix alums (from front, left) Carol Birch, Barbara Gallaher, Ann Santos, Randie Boldra, Gay Peiffer, Sue Rowse, and Lorry Walsh. Lots of great food and conversation. And even a little "Guinness!"

A Note from Katie...

I recently got the best birthday present ever... Madeline decided she could, after all, go potty on the toilet!! Funny how our idea of a great gift changes as we get older. It will definitely be a long last 12 weeks... the baby is already a big girl! We are getting out of the heat for a little bit-- San Diego next week and then Minnesota for 10 days.

-Katie McCarthy

The Proof is in the Pictures!

Region X Weekend 2010!

Reporting from Region Weekend 2010

It was a very fun Region Weekend! Nicole was a presenter for the Recruitment Workshop and did an outstanding job. The officers supplemented her presentation with several recruitment songs and precision hand motions to make for an awesome, fun time!

Our Executive officers represented the chapter very well and came up with some wonderful awards!

• Outstanding Senior Region X: Kelly Somers- President
  
• Highest Senior GPA: Alex Samaniago- 4.0 cumulative GPA... AMAZING!
  
• Pride of the Region: Pi Zeta- This is top chapter in the region and our third win (07,08, 10)
  

Alumnae Awards were amazing as well!

• Outstanding GWA Alumna Sister of the Year: Ann Santos
  
• Alumnae Appreciate Award "Unsung Hero": Karen Lange
  
• Outstanding Alumnae Website: Phoenix Valley Alumnae
  

Workshops included Recruitment, Everyday Stress Relief and Communication with your Advisors- all were fun and very well done! Fun night consisted of a t-shirt exchange, chants and cheers by all chapters and everyone painting wooden picture frames for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Camp. There are some creative and crafty artists in Region X!

Lee Ann Witt

Regional Director

A Note from Carol...

After having our electric power knocked out on 2 separate days (one being last Sat. even-early Sunday morning in southeast Michigan resulting in a tornado; the other for "who knows why"--it just shut off during the night!), I am back online. I have no idea what Detroit Edison is up to, whether it is moving brownouts or what, but what a pain. You think you are going to have access to electricity for your day's ventures, only to wake up in the morning and find the power went off while you slept!

We had no storm last night to create a problem (unlike last Sunday when the winds blew off part of the housing for the nuclear power plant in Monroe, Michigan, which supplies our power here in Northville), so it is anyone's guess as to why we were without lights today.
At home in Michigan,

Carol Sweeney (Epsilon Phi)

A Note from Jane...

I was in Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, for an annual gathering of friends (along with all their husbands and wives) I've known for 64 years. We were all together in junior high and high school and get together once a year to catch up with each other. This year there were about 20 of us. The numbers are getting smaller as some pass away and others are unable to make the trip because of poor health. But, we still have lots to talk about. Along with the catching up, we seem to do a lot of eating, do crossword puzzles, relax, make short trips to check out the many interesting things to do on the Cape, and play very wild and highly competitive games of Mexican Train in the evenings. It's wonderful to be with many of those I've known for so long.

-Jane Prall

All you West Valley and Northwest Valley alums, lets get together for lunch! You are invited to join us at Lis Doon Varna Irish Pub and Restaurant in Peoria. The restaurant is located south of Bell Road, east of the 101 near Cheesecake Factory and P.F. Chang's. We will meet there at 11:30 on Saturday, June 12th. We will be catching up on what we are all doing this summer! Together we can "travel" to Ireland without leaving the Valley! To get on the list, email Ann Santos by Thursday, June 10th.

Sister Update...

Wedding plans are coming along, the date is September 26th. I can't believe how fast it's approaching! I should be getting my dress any day now! :)

-Cathy Handen

Remembering a Sister

The service [ on May 29] was short & informal but very nice. Many wonderful things were said about Betty. Her daughter was, understandably, very upset (they were very close), and her son (also upset) & his family were in from Texas. I didn't realize what a world-wide traveler Betty was. Her daughter thanked us for the beautiful rose.

—Lorna Enokian Green (Alpha Beta), treasurer, Phoenix DZ Alumnae Chapter