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The Bow
Time, Talent, Treasure Every Pi Phi sister can make an impact, no matter when her story starts. Washington Alpha KIM KIMMY TOMCZAK began her Pi Phi story after graduating college when she first heard about Pi Beta Phi from her friend, South Carolina Alpha RUTH HENDERSON MCINTYRE. Not having been affiliated with a sorority in college, Kim had no knowledge about fraternity and sorority life. Her first glimpse was when Ruth gathered several Pi Phis together after one of their sisters lost everything in a fire. “Within a half an hour, Pi Phis had gone to this woman’s home with clothing, dishes and gift certificates to help with housing, childcare or whatever else the family needed,” Kim says. It was this act of Sincere Friendship that sparked Kim’s interest in Pi Beta Phi. Ruth later invited Kim to join Pi Phi as an alumna initiate of the Washington Alpha Chapter at the University of Washington. Kim quickly made up for lost time by serving in many roles
From left to right: Washington Alpha KIM KIMMY TOMCZAK and past Grand President EMILY RUSSELL TARR, Texas Beta, at the 2007 Convention.
through Emma Harper Turner Fund grants.” The same spirit of giving that initially sparked Kim’s interest in Pi Phi led her to support and serve our Foundation as a volunteer and donor.
within the Seattle, Washington, and Greater Princeton Area, New
A passionate advocate for literacy in her personal life, Pi Phi’s
Jersey, Alumnae Clubs, where she planned events, organized
Read > Lead > Achieve® initiatives became an important area
fundraisers and regularly represented the clubs at convention.
of support for Kim. “If you can read and you have a love of
At the 2007 Convention, Kim heard past Grand President EMILY RUSSELL TARR, Texas Beta, discuss the power we have to change the world. Kim remembers this as the moment that inspired her involvement with Pi Beta Phi Foundation. “Pi Phi can do so much good,” Kim says. “Through our Foundation, we can provide scholarships, support literacy and help sisters
Region 5 alumnae celebrating 150 years at the 2017 Convention.
reading, you can literally change the world,” she says. Kim believes putting books into the hands of children is one of the most immediate ways to make an impact. It was this passion for literacy which eventually led Kim to write her first children’s book, Locked Out in the Snow.
