July 2006

Hi everyone and Happy July! Welcome to the month of memories of 4th of July fireworks and bbqs, now superseded by summer holidays in Europe and enjoying our own efforts to bbq in backyards! I hope this email finds you all well and enjoying the summer. And of course the end to a fabulous World Cup held in Europe – with all European semi finals as well!

Welcome to…

Crystal Coley, who is a graduate of Baylor University and is moving to South Yorkshire in late July. We look forward to meeting Crystal soon, and connecting her with other Baylor grads and European Alumnae Chapter members Kelli Orrela Smith and Deborah Bronner Westerduin.

Kelly Downing, who moved with her husband to the UK in East Anglia at the end of June. Kelly is a 2004 graduate of Midwestern State University in Texas, and her husband is with the Air Force. We look forward to meeting Kelly soon!

Abby Thompson, a graduate of TCU, who will be moving to Istanbul to teach art at MEF International School starting in the fall term.

Farewell to…

Erin Czarra, who heads back to Tennessee via Washington DC this summer, after finishing her Masters degree in Paris at the NYU/Sorbonne programme.

Anne Yu, who returns to MIT after a year studying abroad. We loved meeting Anne at Cambridge and also seeing her again in London.

Tara Callahan and Julie Sheetz, who return to the University of Washington and University of Pennsylvania, after a year abroad at Sciences Po in Paris.

Smadar Rubinsky, who has left London to finish her master’s dissertation research, but hopes to find a job here once she finishes. Keep in touch!

Kim Sigle, who is getting ready to move back to the US with her family in August.

Happy Birthday to…

11 July Leslie Echols

News from…

Liz Burke, who did a 5k run and at the same time used the opportunity to raise funds for Save the Children UK. Check out her fund raising site.

Brenda Eckles, who has moved into her new place in Essex county in England, completing a whirlwind few months of marriage celebrations in both the UK and US, honeymoon, and house purchasing.

Maria Lopez, who with husband Justin has purchased a three bedroom house in Sussex in England and is in the process of renovations.

Nancy Herouard, who is heading to Michigan with her family for the month of August.

Judith Goddard, who has won first prize in the English Section of the Premio Letterario Inner Wheel sponsored by the Inner Wheel Club of Torino for her poem "Social Research Models". Judith received a commendation from the Club and her poem will be published in the autumn.

Nancy Goodwin Graves, who writes that at 10 weeks she and her little girl Scarlett are doing well, and are settling in to life without visiting relatives who have been with Nancy since Scarlett’s birth!

Magi Boogaard, who continues to soak up as much as possible in Europe with trips to Spain and Ireland in April and May!

Tana Richards, who is graduating with her Masters degree in Education on July 20th at Wembley arena in London, and who has just taken a job as a full time private assistant for a family with an autistic child.

Nikki Camhout, who has finished her contract with her NATO school and is working on finalising her dissertation, but at the same time is enjoying life and just finished a week long mosaic course in Ravenna.

Leslie Echols and Helen Chuah, who were both featured in this month’s Virtual Violet.

Erica Skioldebrand Helstrom, who returned to Sweden after a 3 week holiday in California with her children and family.

Convention Update

As you may know the Sigma Kappa Convention is held this year from 5 to 9 July in Arlington Virginia. In addition to the usual array of business and workshops, the European Alumnae Chapter has been asked to appear on an alumnae panel to discuss successful programming and ways to connect with members. Also, the Earn Your Violet programme has been adopted by National and changed into a form to share with alumnae and collegiate chapters – the new title is Show your Violet Spirit. These two accomplishments are wonderful, and would not be possible without the support of the whole chapter. Many thanks especially to Maria Rankine, Julie Eubank Fenwick and Kelli Orrela Smith for their creation of the Earn Your Violet programme!

Donna sadly could not make the Convention at the last minute due to her job requirements, but thankfully Helen Chuah was able to step in to make sure the EAC was in attendance. An early report of the meetings in Arlington Virginia was extremely positive, with the EAC winning the Alumnae Panhellenic Award for its work with the UK Panhellenic, which was led by Donna DeWick for two years and during that time rebuilt its membership data bases and extended its reach to 24 of 26 NPC sororities. In addition the fabulous work of Brenda Eckles on our Alumnae Chapter print newsletter, SKattered Sigmas, earned the chapter an honourable mention for Outstanding Public Relations.

If you are interested in learning more about the voting resolutions at convention, please feel free to send Donna or Helen an email.

Annual Meeting Reminder

The annual meeting will be held from 3 to 5 November in Stuttgart, Germany. The reservation deadline for a guaranteed room is at the end of August. The weekend is hosted by Magi Boogaard and Teri Centner and promises to be amazing, with a theme of Sigma Kappa Wine and Castles. The room costs are €150 for the weekend, for sharing, and include a breakfast buffet. The night of the annual meeting (Saturday evening) there will be a three course meal costing €30 each (excluding beverages). The hotel can be found at the following website and it is also the same weekend as the tail end of the Baroque garden festival in Ludwigsberg. It should be a fantastic weekend. Please RSVP to Donna if you intend to join to reserve your room.

Event Updates

The UK Sigma Kappas met on 22 June for dinner at Maria Rankine’s house. Helen Chuah and Anne Yu joined from Cambridge, Judy Cooley from East Anglia, and Donna, Maria, Liz Burke and Athena Tsiokris from London.

Upcoming UK events include the London 5k through Hyde Park on 3 September, and the Memory Walk on 24 September.

Open to all Sigma Kappas is the trip to see WICKED the musical about the witches of Oz, on September 29th at 7.30 pm in London. You are welcome to fly in for the event – 15 tickets have been reserved for Sigma Kappas, and we already have two confirmed visitors to the UK from Germany for the weekend. Please let us know if you will attend. The cost of tickets is £30 each. Hotel reservation assistance can be provided if you are coming from out of town, and possibly also rooms with sisters. Please RSVP to Donna.

Do not forget that it only takes two to create an excuse for a get together. So all you Sigmas go ahead and contact a sister and plan a day out or a lunch or an evening. Let Donna know if you need the up to date contact list.

And finally…

Enjoy the rest of July and let’s hope the nice weather continues into August. And please RSVP for the fabulous annual meeting in November!

LISK,

Donna
President