Spring flowers bloomed on Sunday April 17^th at the 67^th Annual Delta Zeta Region V Ohio State Day.  “Sisters are different flowers from the same garden” was the theme for the event.  Over 600 sisters from all over the state were brought together at Ohio Northern University in lovely Ada, Ohio. 

 The day started on time (no chapters got lost on the way!) and that good start set the tone for the event.  The Zeta Kappa women were our gracious hosts for the day and showed off their beautiful campus as we moved from the Field House to the workshops held in the buildings next door.   The venue was an interesting choice but proved to be perfect as there was plenty of room for everyone and we had a pleasant view out the floor to ceiling windows. 

 Heather Sanders, Zeta Kappa State Day Chairwoman, welcomed everyone.  She and her team worked very hard and put on a great event.  The Zeta Kappas were clearly visible in their hot pink TShirts and were available to answer questions and point us in the right direction. 

 Pam Asher, Region Collegiate Director for Region V expressed a warm welcome to all attendees.  She sent greetings from Michele Smith, National President and Norma Andrisek, Past National Officer.   Pam shared a number of Ohio success stories to begin the day.  As a region, we greeted 326 new members this year, collegians donated $73,200 in philanthropy dollars and gave of our time, 32,400 service hours.  Our average GPA is a solid 3.11 and there are 76 Delta Zetas carrying a 4.0 in Ohio.   Region V has been well represented at National Convention with a number of our chapters receiving national recognition including Caryatides, President and Crest award winners.  We have much to be proud of in our state.

 We had several National Headquarters visitors joining us for State Day.  Jeanine Triplett, National Vice President of Membership accepted our invitation to deliver the Keynote Address.  Lynnda Hoefler, National Panhellenic Conference Delegate was also pleased to be able to join her sisters in Ohio for the day.

 There are 11 Delta Zeta chapters in our Buckeye State.  Our chapters would not be able to enjoy our successes were it not for the tireless work of our Chapter Collegiate Directors.  Pam introduced all attending CCDs and thanked them for the work they do to keep our sisterhood strong and thriving.  Attending the event were: Judy Jacobs, Ohio State; Kelly Wright-Gonos, Kent State; Traci Brockfield-Kennedy, Ohio Wesleyan;  Megan Hill, Ashland; Rebecca Jolly, Miami University; Anna Poling, Ohio Northern; Dana Merante, Ohio University; and Abigail Ziemba, Wright State University.

 Allison Lehman, State Alumnae Chairwoman for the state of Ohio was the next to offer her greetings and welcome to the assembly.  She was pleased to announce that this past December, National Headquarters had reviewed the success of the pilot program for the geographic organization of the alumnae governance structure and has decided to expand the program.  This success is a testament to the leadership she and the other state alumnae chairwomen have shown throughout this pilot program.   Allison introduced Denise Brenner, Great Lakes Area Alumnae Director covering Ohio, Michigan, Canada and the UK, Kelly Gombert, Great Lakes Area website master, and several Golden Rose recipients of the day, Sylvia Lear and Elizabeth McCoy.  There were about 50 alumnae women in attendance.

 We were then invited to attend two sessions of workshops.  There were over 25 workshops held including a resume workshop, “How to Find the Perfect Bra”, “How to Find the Perfect Balance”, sign language workshop, “Orchestrating your Personal Fairy Tale” and “Pink Goes Green”, among others.  I attended Jeanine Triplett’s workshop “Delta Zeta in 2011”.  Jeanine spoke about the recent initiative to actively engage our alumnae members.  She reminded us that five of our six founders left college after that first year and spent most of their time as alumna members giving of what is theirs to the sorority they founded.  In Jeanine’s workshop, she emphasized that we are governed by our DZ code and constitution and each member should have a copy of these very important documents.  She also talked about Delta Zeta’s priorities for the 2010-2012 biennium: 1) to live our Mission and our Vision 2) to maintain accountability in our leadership positions and 3) to attain maximum membership for our collegiate chapters and increase alumnae involvement.   The second workshop I went to “Women’s Health Issues” was presented by two Zeta Kappa pharmacy students.  Many of the topics they presented were indeed geared to women of all ages and after the presentation, they offered attendees the opportunity to have a scan performed to give an estimate of bone health in effort to combat osteoporosis. 

 After the workshops, we reconvened back at the field house for lunch.  I was pleased to find that the buffet tables were plentiful and ready as we all poured back into the arena.   For 600 hungry Delta Zetas, I don’t think any of us waited more than a few minutes to partake in the lunchtime meal.  Definitely a win!

 Immediately following lunch, collegiate and alumnae spirit awards were presented.  The collegiate chapters showed their spirit with cheers, songs and shirts and were rewarded accordingly.  There were three alumnae spirit awards, one for the youngest alumna in attendance, one for the most mature member and one for furthest travelled.

 We were glad to honor several golden rose recipients with a ceremony commemorating their 50 years as Delta Zeta women.  Elizabeth McCoy from the Wooster Alumnae chapter and Sylvia Lear received a budding rose, a mature rose and a golden rose certificate from women of all 3 stages of membership in Delta Zeta.

 The alumnae awards presentation followed the ceremony.  The first award, the Traveling Gavel award was presented to the Kent Alumnae Chapter, as they take the honors for the fourth year in a row with 63% of its membership present.

 Next the Lamplighter Awards were presented.  This year’s recipients are: from the Youngstown Alumnae chapter, Diana Davis; from the Dayton Alumnae Chapter, Cindy Myers; from the Delaware Area alumnae chapter, Traci Kennedy-Brockfield; and from Columbus Alumnae Chapter, Jane Spurgeon.

The next awards were the philanthropy awards.  The National “Joan Dondrea Lowry Public Relations Award” was established in honor of her tireless efforts in bringing public recognition to Delta Zeta's work with hearing and speech programs across the country.  This year’s recipient for the 3^rd year in a row is the Dayton Area Alumnae Chapter for donating over $220.00 to the foundation, and contributing 10 service hours toward Delta Zeta Foundation related activities. 

  The "Helen Reimund Love" silver candlesticks award is presented to an alumnae chapter for supreme excellence in philanthropy.  For the fifth time in the last six years, the winner of this award is the Dayton Alumnae Chapter for giving $3277.02 in charitable donations and contributing 160 service hours.  Congratulations Dayton Alumnae!

 The Lucile Crowell Cooks – Mella Cooks Davies Alumnae-Collegiate Chapter Relations Award was established in 1974 in honor of our former AAD Mella Davies and her mother Lucile Cooks, and is given to an alumnae chapter and a collegiate chapter for outstanding alumnae-collegiate programming, contributions and support.  This year we had 2 alumnae and collegiate chapters that have clearly gone above and beyond.  We are proud to give an honorable mention for alumnae-collegiate relations to the Delaware Area Alumnae Chapter and the Alpha Rho chapter at Ohio Wesleyan University.  Congratulations to this year’s winners, the Kent Alumnae Chapter and the Gamma Kappa Chapter at Kent State University for OUTSTANDING alumnae-collegiate relations.

 The next award is the Outstanding Ohio Delta Zeta Alumna Award. This award was established in 1984 and is presented in non-Convention years to an alumna member of Delta Zeta in Ohio who is actively involved in Delta Zeta, and has attained outstanding achievement in her career and/or community volunteer areas.  Congratulations to this year’s Outstanding Ohio Alumna, Jenn Anderson.

 The Olive McCune Loyalty award is presented to an alumna member in Region V who has made a significant contribution to Delta Zeta Sorority through her loyalty, interest and devotion.  Her nominator wrote: “I cannot imagine a sister more loyal to the sorority and its ideals. Dayna Hloska is truly is a light in the flame.”

 The Outstanding Alumnae Chapter title is awarded to the one chapter that demonstrates outstanding membership, programming, philanthropy and assistance to local organizations, as well as contributions to the Delta Zeta Foundation.  For the second year in a row, the Outstanding Alumnae Chapter award goes to the Dayton Alumnae chapter.

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