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Sisterhood
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AOII sisterhood is a feeling of belonging to a group of women who
accept you for who you are and encourage you to develop into who you
want to become. In AOII, you can find a place where you feel at home.
It's the power of friendship that makes our sisterhood unique.
Below, we share some of our members' stories and what they have to say
about their membership in Alpha Omicron Pi.
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I was an AOII at West Virginia and
graduated in 1996. I am writing to you because I want to share with you
an amazing experience I recently had with sisterhood and a bond that
lasts well beyond the college years.
Several months ago I lost my brother to suicide, an event I never
expected to experience in my lifetime. It has been very difficult and as
anyone who has lost a loved one this way, it leaves you with a lifetime
of questions. Healing from the death of anyone is always hard, but even
worse when you know that it could have been prevented.
My brother, Shaun, also attended WVU several years before me. He met his
wife there and she was also an AOII and one of the reasons that I wanted
to become a sister. Michelle and Shaun had 2 children together, Sara, 7,
and Colin, 4, whom he left behind.
After my brother's sudden death, his fraternity brothers decided to host
a memorial event in honor of Shaun that would raise money for his
children's education. It was held on April 20, 2002 at a park near the
campus of WVU.
In the planning stages of the event, I had contacted the Sigma Alpha
chapter to see if they would be interested in volunteering their time to
help during the barbecue and silent auction. Their enthusiasm was
overwhelming. On the day of the event, 40 young women from the chapter
who I had never met, showed up to sell raffle tickets in the pouring
rain.
I cannot say enough thanks to these young women. I was so impressed by
their willingness to help and their generosity. I write this letter in
hopes that you will find a way in which to acknowledge their efforts as
well. It is not often that you find 40 young girls who want to give up
their Saturday to stand in the rain and help a family out that they had
never met. My family will never forget their kindness. These girls truly
understand sisterhood.
One other final note that I would like to add is that I thought that the
timeliness of your To Dragma article was impeccable in relation to this
event. I really appreciate that AOII is trying to educate people on the
subject of suicide and to spread the word about something that can be
prevented if enough people are given the resources they need to get help
for someone. I wasn't fortunate enough to get the chance to help my
brother, but I hope through your article and awareness, someone else
might get that chance. Keep talking about it, it's the only way to
prevent suicide.
--Erin Autrey
"Alpha Omicron Pi has enriched me in so many ways. I cannot express the
love I have for all my sisters near and far. Stella, Hellen, Jess, and
Bess (our founders) would be proud."
"Becoming a member of Alpha Omicron Pi has given me a multitude of ways
to exercise my leadership skills!"
"This weekend (2002 VPMR Leadership Academy) has been incredible. I
learned so many new and valuable ideas about Recruitment that I will be
able to use with my chapter."
"We are all working for the same common goal in our VPMR positions. We
want to recruit the best possible women for AOII! We were able to come
together this weekend (2002 Leadership Academy) and learn how to do that
and so much more."
"This weekend (2002 Chapter President's Leadership Academy) gave me
confidence to go back to my chapter and help them learn more about
AOII. It helped me see the "big picture" of AOII, and it
taught me how to do my best at being Chapter President and myself at the
same time."
"I have made some great new friends, and I have found women outside of
my chapter that I can depend on for advice and guidance."
"After the ribbon cutting ceremony Saturday afternoon, it was refreshing
to see the efforts and diligence of so many, who are so dedicated to the
well being of AOII. Collegiates, volunteers, and alumni have contributed
to the past and now the future. God Bless them all." Taina Hampton
Edwards --Tau Omicron
I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the AAC Training in Tennessee!
It was well planned and organized and I learned a great deal! It was
also a blast meeting some new sisters and learning new AOII songs at
dinner! Thanks again and I look forward to the next training
opportunity! Roses, Amber, Kappa Tau CA
Roses to all my sisters at Arkansas State! I love all of you guys and
appreciate all your support with my family. You guys are the best and
I'm so glad to call you all my family and my home. Mindy
Slaten --Sigma Omicron
Dear Sisters:
I wanted to thank you all for your support, best wishes and prayers. To
me, this is the true meaning of sisterhood, and to know that there are
so many wonderful sisters who care about each other makes me proud to be
an AOII. :) I am now out of the hospital and doing physical therapy
twice a week in an out-patient facility. I am on crutches until I get my
cast off and I can walk again, which is about 3 more weeks. So, I am
well on my way to making a speedy and full recovery. I wanted to thank
all of you again for your continuing friendship and never ending
support. I hope that soon I get to thank you all in person.
Roses,
Amy Moranchel
(from a letter to the Northern Virginia AC following her serious car
accident this fall)
Call for Submissions:
Do you have a heart-warming, insightful and powerfully moving story
about your Greek life experience that you would like to share. The
Collegiate EmPowerment Company, Inc. is currently seeking stories for
inclusion in the forthcoming book: Inspiration For Greeks (tm), release
date July 2001. Stories should not exceed 1500 words. Deadline is May 1,
2001. Submit stories to: Anthony J. D'Angelo, Editor In Chief
Inspiration For Greeks (tm), The Collegiate EmPowerment Company, Inc. PO
Box 702, Lambertville, NJ 08530.
" I could never express into words what AOII has done for me, it is such
a wonderful organization to be a part of. I have been a member for three
years and I still get excited when people connect me to AOII and know me
as an AOII. It has taught me more about myself than anything ever
before. And our ideals and standards are something that will be with me
for a lifetime."
"In AOII, we pride ourselves on our sisterhood. Through our diversity
among personalities and interests, we are able to strengthen our bonds
of friendship while still remaining true to our individual
identities."
"Next to my immediate family, my AOII family is MOST important to me.
Since pledging, Sept 1953, there have been only, I think, either 3 or 4
years that I have not held at least one office in AOII. To me AOII is
forever! The friends, the experiences I have had and been able to
share with my sisters young and old have been most precious.
Thanks, AOII for being on the U of Texas at Austin campus when I
was going through (rush) recruitment!"
"I have just finished reading my latest To Dragma and I am so delighted
with the section entitled, "Bragging Rights." I know how hard it is to
attain these awards being a university professor by profession. I am so
very proud of my sisters who are experiencing all they can while in the
most challenging and fun years of their lives. Thanks for giving me a
real high today."
Sincerely, Melinda J. Burrill, Ph.D., Upsilon Alpha
"AOII is a special part of my life which has become even more important
to me the longer I have been an alum. It is true - AOII sisterhood does
not end when you graduate!"
Best friends since third grade and sisters for life!
Kera Hopper (Delta Sigma) and Courtney Cline (Chi Lambda) were best
friends from third grade until Kera moved to California before her
sophomore year of high school. She eventually ended up at San Jose State
U and Courtney to U of Evansville after taking a year off to travel.
Both wound up pledging AOII and were reunited this past summer at
Leadership Institute.
"I wanted to just confirm the fact that AOII most definitely continues
throughout life as alumnae. As fifth year students at Miami U (Omega
Chapter), the five of us managed to get together to catch up before we
all went our separate ways. Our new member class was incredibly strong
and we had a bond that will last a lifetime.
Alpha love, Paige Lubawy, Julianne Roberts, Melissa Parsons, Karen
Obermeyer and Deanna Karras.
From: Ken Tamura, Beta Theta Pi - Minneapolis
"My long time girlfriend has just been initiated into the Tau chapter of
AOII. Since my time that I have known her, she has never expressed this
much enthusiasm for college and life as a whole. Whatever her experience
was during initiation, it has strengthened our relationship in several
aspects of an already loving friendship. I am very proud of her and am
supportive of her choice in the sisterhood of your sorority." |
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