VIRTUAL ZETA DAY 2021

ZETA DAY 2021 BECOMES VIRTUAL WEEKLONG CELEBRATION

By Janet Vigen Levy, District President XVII-A

Each spring, alumnae and collegians gather in their states or surrounding areas to celebrate ZTA sisterhood at Zeta Day. After 19 Zeta Day events were canceled in spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, National Council made the decision in summer 2020 to move Zeta Day to a virtual format in 2021. This pivot prompted a new approach to a longstanding, traditional event. For the first time, ZTA hosted a national-level virtual Zeta Day celebration. It became a weeklong series of virtual activities that led up to a national Zeta Day celebration on Saturday, March 6, and the selected dates coincided with National Ritual Celebration Week. National Council, District Presidents, the Zeta Day Committee and International Office staff contributed creativity and innovative ideas in planning a meaningful virtual experience.

The Fraternity’s biennium theme doubled as the national Zeta Day 2021 theme and acknowledged ZTA’s “Steadfast & Strong” sisterhood. ZTA posted all content for the week to the ZetaDay.com website as well as in the Zeta Day Facebook event. No registration was required. Sisters around the world could opt-in for recaps and reminders throughout the week to ensure they did not miss any of the fun—and the week was filled with so much fun.

VIRTUAL CHAPTER FLAGS

One of the highlights of in-person Zeta Day events is the opportunity for sisters to pose for photos with their chapter flags. This year, the flags went virtual, too! ZTA’s Communication Department designed Facebook cover photo graphics of all 257 chapter flags for members to download. With virtual flags proudly in place, the historic virtual, national Zeta Day festivities began.

TUESDAY, MARCH 2:

NATIONAL ROLL CALL For the virtual version of this crowd favorite, fun prompts encouraged on-screen participation throughout the day.

MONDAY, MARCH 1:

INTERNATIONAL BADGE DAY The week kicked off with International Badge Day, inspiring members to pin on their favorite accessory with pride and share a photo in the Facebook event and on social media accounts using #BadgeDay21. Sisters selected all emoji that applied to their ZTA experience to create their own virtual nametags. From new member and 50-year member to intramural champ and dancing queen, comments in the Virtual Zeta Day Facebook event showed a variety of representation.

Monday morning featured a history lesson about ZTA’s badge. In a video episode of “What the HEC?” from ZTA’s Historical and Educational Center at International Office, ZTA Archivist Patti Cords Levitte shared how wearing the badge is a symbolic way to show how Zetas live the Fraternity’s values. She also explained the etiquette behind why the badge is worn on the inner layer of a member’s attire—the layer that touches the heart. Other prompts asked sisters to share their chapter, favorite ZTA symbol, what their ZTA badge looks like, a

favorite ZTA memory and GIFs to represent the number of Zeta Days they have attended.

Participants also created their “Zeta Lady” names based on the number of years they’ve been Zetas, their birth months and chapters. Zeta Day royalty included Lady Mary Silverton of Alpha Psi, Lady Ethel Farmvilleton of Beta Rho and hundreds of other esteemed individuals.

The day ended with a “Remember When…” photo challenge, as sisters shared pictures of cherished ZTA memories, photos with other sisters and favorite throwback photos.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3:

PINK, PASSION AND PURPOSE WITH THE ZTA FOUNDATION This was the day to honor ZTA’s commitment to philanthropy and service. Those not getting dressed up in pink could use a pink Zoom background instead or share a favorite philanthropy photo on social media to promote breast cancer education and awareness. Later in the afternoon, Facebook commenters shared their passion for ZTA’s Service & Philanthropy Key Value through event memories and stories of favorite projects.

Wednesday’s events concluded with a video demonstrating what fuels passion for the ZTA Foundation’s work and mission.

THURSDAY, MARCH 4:

SENIOR CELEBRATION DAY Thursday was all about the grads. Seniors received an email that included a Crown & Co. coupon code. Shoutouts on social media and a special video celebrated the rising alumnae.

FRIDAY, MARCH 5:

CELEBRATING ALUMNAE ANNIVERSARIES This day got its own soundtrack, with curated playlists for 1996, 1971 and 1946. A fun, nostalgia-inducing Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Upstate New York virtual Zeta Day celebration (right)

video celebrated the initiation years of 25-, 50- and 75-year members. The musical and visual trip down memory lane served as a salute to alumnae marking milestone anniversaries. That evening, a video presentation of the Order of the Shield Recognition Service honored 50-year members as they became White Violets.

SATURDAY, MARCH 6:

VIRTUAL ZETA DAY The national-level event concluded with a final video. It featured the Zeta Day Greeting from ZTA’s National President, a Zeta Day and Certificate of Merit history episode of “What the HEC?,” a message to Certificate of Merit recipients from the Vice Presidents Alumnae, and a selection of stories about sisters who exemplify what it means to be “Steadfast & Strong” and past Zeta Day memories.

LOCAL ZETA DAY EVENTS

Even with a week of virtual national festivities, the local aspect of Zeta Day remained, although re-imagined. District Presidents worked hard to plan and personalize virtual celebrations to recognize individuals’ and chapters’ accomplishments during this challenging year.

The District Presidents led 24 Zeta Day events on March 6 and four additional events on other dates through Zoom, Facebook Live and recorded videos. The events allowed Zetas to enjoy a sense of sisterhood without leaving home.

Although alumnae and collegians missed gathering in person, the virtual Zeta Day activities provided the opportunity to share memories, learn some ZTA history and strengthen sisterhood connections.

UPCOMING CONTEXTUALIZATION TO BRING POLICY CHANGES TO LIGHT

By Christy Marx Barber, Staff Writer

Contextualization is a cumbersome word to say, to spell and to understand.

To contextualize historical events and processes is to connect them to the specific political, social and economic circumstances in which they occurred with the intention of seeking understanding. Contextualization is not a tool to make excuses or pass judgment.

In the fall 2021 issue of Themis, Zeta Tau Alpha will present a contextualization of our Membership Selection Policy and processes and how they resulted in the exclusion of young women solely due to their backgrounds or identities. For many years, our policy may have prevented potential members whose values reflect our values from benefiting from our sisterhood and finding a home in ZTA.

ZTA strives to acknowledge and improve upon past decisions and practices. We committed to this historical review in 2020 as part of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategic Plan. While the study will trace the policy from 1898 to 2021, it will detail significant national and ZTA events that prompted policy changes, with emphasis on the volatile 1960s and 1970s. Only 20% of our living members were initiated prior to that era. This transformative time is important for all members to know and understand.

The Creed of Zeta Tau Alpha encourages us to “seek understanding that we might gain true wisdom.” Understanding our past allows us to learn from our history and do better. Our goal is to turn a mirror on our present Fraternity to ensure exclusive practices of our past are not repeated in the future. We will continue to apply our founding principles, which are rooted in love and leadership and resonate within today’s college women, to current circumstances. Seeking Understanding that We Might Gain True Wisdom is one of our Nine Key Values. Introduced in 2016, the Nine Key Values use our founding concepts and The Creed to define the focus of chapter programming, the Annual Membership Survey and award criteria. Each Key Value has three associated expectations of how our organization and membership should live them.

These Nine Key Values and their expectations serve as the framework for our research and contextualization of the history of our Membership Selection Policy.

LIFELONG LEARNING:

• Applying past learning to new challenges • Continuously pursuing learning about members and our purpose • Looking for new learning opportunities for our members

Our purpose statement, written in 1904, pledges to build up a nobler womanhood. The archaic definition of noble is “aristocratic.” The contemporary definition of noble is “having high ideals”—a phrase included in our Creed. The study can teach us how to apply historical words to current challenges.

LEADERSHIP:

• Showing authenticity by remaining true to our values and our members • Looking for opportunities to serve and build others up • Thinking critically to find root causes and enact solutions

ZTA is committed to being transparent and authentic with our membership. Through contextualization, we will take a critical look at our past and work to enact solutions that build others up and open the door for more members to serve.

RESPONSIBILITY:

• Following through with obligations • Showing initiative • Holding our Fraternity accountable for actions and decisions

We have spent the past nine months researching pertinent archival documents and have learned from webinars offered by National Panhellenic Conference member organizations Delta Gamma Fraternity and Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, which have published their own contextualization findings. We will bring forward past actions and decisions in order to hold ourselves accountable and avoid repeating them.

BEING RATHER THAN SEEMING:

• Showing vulnerability and allowing others in • Interacting in an authentic manner • Showing a genuine interest in getting to know those within and without our circle

This study may result in criticism. Nevertheless, we will be steadfast in our efforts to become more inclusive and honest about how our Membership Selection Policy has not been inclusive in the past.

SERVICE & PHILANTHROPY:

• Giving freely of our time and resources to assist others • Seeking out opportunities to educate about community needs • Understanding our role in serving campus, local and global communities

Studying our history can prepare us for the nobility of service wherever there is a need. It can ensure that our service extends beyond benefiting those who have historically “looked like” us or believed like we believed and addresses the wider concerns of a more diverse membership.

SEEKING UNDERSTANDING THAT WE MIGHT GAIN TRUE WISDOM:

• Being open to new ideas • Seeking opportunities to interact with and learn from people of different backgrounds • Discussing differing values and beliefs in a comfortable manner

This is really the heart of our study— to become perhaps uncomfortable as we consider the impacts of our past. Through introspection, we can become more comfortable discussing our values and beliefs as we focus on inclusion and belonging.

HUMILITY:

• Admitting when we are wrong • Doing things without regard for recognition or need for appreciation • Sharing in the success of others in our community

Our research may show decisions that were wrong, although they may not have been perceived as wrong at the time. We will acknowledge past missteps to move forward humbly.

LOYALTY & COMMITMENT:

• Going above and beyond what is expected • Displaying devotion to our membership • Standing up for members and our community partners

In the past, ZTA has not openly discussed how the gradual changes to our Membership Selection Policy occurred. Now, our leaders are committed to studying and sharing the evolution of the policy with our entire membership.

LOVE:

• Putting member and community needs before the Fraternity’s • Loving others unconditionally, even during challenging times • Making members feel welcome and appreciated

We can disagree and still choose to show unconditional love. We believe all our members need to receive and understand this story, and we will provide an opportunity for all to share their thoughts after its publication in October.

Attendees of Convention 1972, at which Official Delegates voted to remove exclusionary language from ZTA’s Membership Selection Policy

THE HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL OFFICE

By Patti Cords Levitte, Archivist, and Susan L. Beard, Archives Committee Chair

Zeta Tau Alpha has existed for almost 123 years due to the partnership between its volunteers and paid staff members; ZTA can’t flourish without both groups. While every member has probably heard of International Office, not everyone knows what does (and doesn’t) happen there. National Council doesn’t live in Carmel, Indiana, and they aren’t staff members. IO isn’t a massive corporation that controls the organization, and it isn’t called “Nationals.” So what is IO, and how has its role evolved since ZTA’s founding?

In the earliest years of the Fraternity, there was no “office” for ZTA, aside from the room at the Grand President’s home where she stored everything. That method quickly became unmanageable. In 1920, Grand Chapter (the early name for National Council) decided the Fraternity needed an office, complete with a paid employee, to focus solely on Fraternity business. During the 1920s, ZTA rented office space wherever the Grand President lived. Since the Grand Secretary-Treasurer was a paid staff member in addition to serving on Grand Chapter, she also moved with the office during this time. The only other people who worked at the ZTA office were the stenographer and the Grand Inspector (the predecessor to Leadership Consultants) in between travels.

In 1930, ZTA’s headquarters moved to Evanston, Illinois, and became “Central Office,” and the staff grew to include a full-time bookkeeper to oversee the nationalized accounting system ZTA had adopted. This small staff of three to five people managed all ZTA’s communications and mailings, maintained membership files and records, and tracked money for the 60 active chapters. Having a dedicated staff allowed the National Officers who previously took on those duties to focus on the members.

In order to keep up with the increase in members as well as communication and record-keeping needs, ZTA moved from handwritten letters and telegrams to mimeographed mass mailings and a variety of recordkeeping systems. The larger workload required more dedicated staff, and Central Office gained enough employees to establish distinct departments instead of equally

[1] [2]

[1] The Membership and Finance departments in the second Evanston office, 1971 [2] Administrative Assistant Jan Forkner (Eta Xi Chapter, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) at IO’s first headquarters on Founders Road, 1977 [page 9] The ZTA office in Wellsburg, Virginia, near former National President Catherine Bingler Beverly‘s home, 1927

dividing any tasks that needed attention. The Secretary-Treasurer functioned like the Executive Director does today, and the finance and membership staff split day-to-day tasks. Volunteers coordinated and facilitated other operations, like officer training and recruitment. As more women began to enter the workforce, it became unreasonable to expect volunteers to dedicate full-time hours to working on ZTA projects, and keeping up with technology necessitated additional staff. Records went from handwritten to typed and carbon copied files to magnetic tapes and metal plates. When zip codes became mandatory in 1967, the entire staff spent weeks making new metal address plates on a metal press in the office for Themis and other member mailings.

Central Office became International Office when ZTA moved to its second, larger building in Evanston in the early 1970s. Many staff members started working at IO in that decade to help run the ZTA Foundation and Fraternity Housing Corporation, which were both growing into large entities of their own. As IO started to provide more training for chapters, it hired more Traveling Leadership Consultants (who are IO staff members, although they work remotely) and brought in people to focus on programming and operations.

International Office relocated to Founders Road in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1977 when ZTA built its own headquarters designed especially for the way its staff functioned. IO moved to another building on the same road in October 1993. After outgrowing that building, IO moved to Carmel, Indiana, in 2018. The current building gives staff the space to better support ZTA’s everexpanding membership and volunteer base.

TODAY’S IO

There are currently eight departments at IO that collaborate to keep the engine of ZTA running. The Membership Department supports collegiate and alumnae chapters, helps hire and oversees Leadership Consultants, applies for extension, and maintains Fraternity records. These staff members also work with the Education Department to plan the national events like Convention, Emerging Leaders Academy and Officer Leadership Academies. The Education Department is also responsible for producing all of ZTA’s programming, such as My Sister, My Responsibility®, Noble Workshops, officer guides, and diversity, equity and inclusion resources. This department works closely with the Harm Reduction and University Relations Department, which ensures chapters uphold ZTA’s policies and procedures.

The Foundation Operations and Housing departments cover both the ZTA Foundation and all ZTA facilities. Each department functions like a large company of its own with significant fiscal responsibilities. The Communication Department is in charge of all print and digital media that comes from ZTA. In today’s 24/7 social media world, it’s a full-time job to create content, respond to inquiries and help chapters create the best online presence for ZTA. These staff members also facilitate the creation of resources across all departments.

The Finance Department is in charge of all Fraternity income and keeps ZTA on sound financial footing. Staff members in this department work with both collegians and alumnae and train new officers to keep chapters functioning within budgets and in legal compliance. The Operations Department is a little bit of everything else—Crown & Co., the archives, human resources and technology.

Through the collaborative efforts of staff and volunteers, ZTA is able to function at a high level and serve its tens of thousands of collegians and alumnae. This partnership is successful because everyone works together toward the same goal: delivering the best possible Zeta Tau Alpha experience.

Alumnae

chapter news

[1] Montgomery

Alabama A Little Sister from Virginia reunited with her Big Sister from Theta Nu Chapter (Auburn University at Montgomery) at the chapter’s May brunch at a local historic park. The morning included live jazz, so decorations had musical themes reminding sisters to take “note” that Zeta Is Forever.

Northwest Alabama

The chapter worked with members of Eta Rho Chapter (The University of North Alabama) on preparing food and decorating to honor seniors at a banquet. The alumnae gave each senior a keepsake book, which chapter members signed on the front and back covers.

Northern Arizona

Chapter members knew people living in assisted living and memory care centers were feeling isolated due to the pandemic, so they made Valentine’s Day cards for residents. The sisters delivered the cards to centers in their communities, and some were also allowed to decorate the facilities.

Jonesboro

Arkansas This chapter hosted a dinner for the collegians of Zeta Omicron Chapter (Arkansas State University) that achieved a 3.50-4.00 grade point average during the fall semester. The meal was delicious, and it was a terrific opportunity for the alumnae and collegians to get to know each other.

East Bay

California To highlight the amazing hobbies and skills of its sisters, this chapter hosted a virtual pie-making class. Members gathered on Zoom to learn how to make their very own bourbon pear crumble pie from scratch. Everyone was able to chat while their pies cooled, and older members passed down their recipes to newer members of the chapter.

North Orange County

California These sisters gathered with members from the Long Beach and Pasadena chapters for a strawberry shortcake social via Zoom. Members brought their favorite version of strawberry shortcake and submitted pictures of their desserts to enter the running for fabulous prizes.

North Valley

California Chapter members participated in a virtual spring-cleaning event where they cleaned out their closets and donated items they no longer needed to a local charity. Sisters dropped off unused items, including body wash, shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste, to donate to a local center for at-risk teens. The experience reminded the chapter how much of a difference Zetas can make.

[2] Sacramento

California This chapter kept members engaged by establishing activity groups, including Virtual Book Club, Wine Appreciation and Outdoor Outings. A knowledgeable sister leads each group and coordinates fun activities. For example, the wine group had an informative Zoom class about wine pairing and a winery outing, and outdoor group leaders organized a spring walk.

San Francisco and Marin Counties

California Members of this chapter have been supporting La Casa de Las Madres, a domestic violence support and prevention center for women and children. Women often arrive with

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nothing, so Zetas assemble welcome kits with travel size toiletries and towels. Sisters delivered 30 kits in December.

Southern Peninsula

California This chapter focused on wellness for the new year. They had a healthy eating bingo/raffle that challenged everyone to try new foods and to “eat the rainbow,” as well as a cooking demonstration on making kumara (a vegetable similar to a sweet potato) tandoori salad. It was a great way to welcome in the new year and make healthy changes.

[3] Pike’s Peak Region

Colorado A few sisters met in person for the first time since the pandemic to experience high tea at the Miramont Castle. The outing included four courses, including scones, fruit, tea sandwiches and desserts, and tea. The delicious tea service was an opportunity to enjoy the mountain surroundings and for some members to meet for the first time.

Greater Hartford

Connecticut A family-friendly movie night and an adult St. Patrick’s Day celebration via Zoom created socially distanced fun. Using a Netflix pop-up event, sisters watched “Finding ‘Ohana” together. In March, they played trivia and shared their favorite Irish cocktail recipes. Both events included a raffle for ZTA items.

Bradenton

Florida Officers of this chapter wanted to find an activity that allowed for appropriate social distancing outside while promoting a healthy fitness initiative. Their innovative choice was a group walk over a local bridge. The two-mile trek allowed sisters to catch up with each other while getting a good workout.

[4] Central Florida

Turning food into an art form was a favorite event for these sisters. They came together to learn how to make visually appealing charcuterie boards of desserts, cheeses, meats or brunch food. Instructors provide the slate boards and directions, and then sisters arranged their trays to please their personal aesthetic.

Greater Ft. Lauderdale

Florida As COVID-19-related restrictions began to ease this spring in south Florida, four ZTA families gathered at a member’s house for movie night. They watched “Tom and Jerry: The Movie” while enjoying theater-style snacks. The chapter also collected plastic bottle caps throughout the year for the children’s hospital in Gainesville.

Miami

Florida The chapter held an informative career roundtable via Zoom with Gamma Alpha Chapter (University of Miami.) Alumnae gave presentations on their career fields, and collegians asked questions about the post-college work world. After the main portion of the event, sisters divided into smaller career interest groups for more conversation.

[5] Northwest Florida

Monthly “Sister Suppers” offer fun and fellowship for this chapter. Organizers select restaurants throughout the area to be sure members don’t always have to travel too far to attend. They also vary the type of restaurants—sometimes outdoor dining, sometimes a walk-up style eatery, sometimes a sit-down cafe.

Tampa

Florida Strikes, splits and spares were all part of the fun when the Tampa Zetas got together in March. The chapter hosted a relaxing Sunday night event at Pinarama Bowling Alley and included children and significant others to create family memories.

Atlanta Themis

Georgia All chapter members provided input for next year’s calendar when the officers hosted an open virtual planning meeting in April. Sisters offered their thoughts as the chapter discussed choices for events, recruiting and retaining new members, and supporting collegiate chapters and local organizations.

[6] DeKalb County

Georgia Helping sisters become their healthiest and best selves has been a focus for these Zetas. The chapter organized an online

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9 bicycling group so they can follow and compete with each other at home. One member who was “sweating for the wedding” was able to reach her 100th ride with motivational help from her sisters.

[7] Savannah

Georgia As the spring weather began to warm up, the chapter organized a sisterhood nature walk on a historic trail. But first, coffee and pastries at a local bakery were, of course, necessary. Members took in the historic trail signs and learned a little about Savannah’s history as well as the environment.

Boise

Idaho This chapter found ways to have fun with virtual events, including a holiday craft night. Sisters painted wooden ornaments and signs to set on tables or hang on the wall. They also did a seek-and-find via Zoom where everyone had five minutes to find as many items on a list as they could within their own homes.

[8] Chicago Northwest Suburban

Illinois This spring, the chapter participated in an improv program via Zoom, facilitated by a sister who has been taking improv classes for a few years. Improv teaches cooperation and listening skills and makes people think on their feet. One exercise involved starting a story and each member adding on to it; the funnier and more improbable, the better.

[9] St. Louis Metro East

Illinois Sisters gathered for a Sunday patio luncheon at the Bella Vista Winery. It was a relaxing time to visit and reconnect after only using social media and video meetings to gather virtually. Sisters were able to stay outside and enjoy a beautiful day and hope to make this an annual event.

Evansville

Indiana One chapter sister is particularly dedicated to service. Kedzie Hopkins (Sigma Chapter, Baker University) volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters and does fun activities with her little sister every month. Kedzie is also a mentor and coach on how to deal with big feelings and build confidence. She also generously makes meals twice a month for Ruth’s House, a women’s emergency night shelter.

[10] Ft. Wayne

Indiana These sisters took on a virtual escape room where they solved puzzles with a “Carmen Sandiego” theme and escaped in just under an hour. Another virtual event was “Off the Wall,” where sisters chose an item in their home to share information about as a fun way for everyone to learn more about their sisters.

[11] Indianapolis

Indiana The chapter held a Galentine’s Day event both in person and virtually at a local winery. While there, sisters decorated St. Patrick’s Day cards to give to nursing home residents. Having in-person and virtual options for the event was a great way to allow more sisters to participate based on personal comfort.

Lexington

Kentucky District President Franci Rocco Bayes presented the history of the ZTA badge to chapter members via Zoom. She shared badge photos as well as the history of the badge design from its inception and changes made throughout the years.

Baton Rouge

Louisiana Sisters held their annual Easter egg hunt alongside collegians of Delta Kappa Chapter (Louisiana State University). Alumnae arrived at the ZTA house on

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campus with their children to hunt eggs, make rabbit ear headbands, color and visit with the Easter Bunny.

[12] Greater New Orleans

Louisiana Sisters of this chapter were finally able to gather for brunch and a creative project painting door hangings. Many sisters shared ideas, and some even helped others with difficult parts of their designs. Now everyone can remember the fun they had when they see the signs hanging in their homes.

Annapolis

Maryland To celebrate Earth Day in April, the chapter encouraged sisters to plant vegetables and flowers, inside and outside, over three days. Members posted beautiful photos of their plants and gardens on the chapter’s Facebook. The sister whose picture received the most likes received a ZTA prize.

Frederick

Maryland This chapter emphasized “the nobility of serving” this year. After collecting donations for Toys for Tots in November, sisters participated in Frederick’s annual “Bring a Broom” event to help clean up and beautify the downtown district. Alumnae also assisted in planting flowers in front of three local businesses.

[13] Northern Maryland

The chapter raised funds for a scholarship in memory of a beloved sister through an online cookware party. Daily giveaways and interactive posts helped build interest and increase the amount raised. The Debbie Buscher Leck scholarships will assist members from Iota Delta Chapter (Towson University) with college expenses.

Silver Spring

Maryland “Stir it up, Spice it up, Mix it up” was the chapter’s theme for the year. Several talented members lent their expertise to teach sisters many new DIY projects. They learned about creating charcuterie boards, making macramé keychains,

Bay State

Massachusetts These sisters recreated a beloved preCOVID-19 activity, “Thursday Night Trivia,” online and included friends, family and collegians from Kappa Omicron Chapter (Merrimack College). Members were able to spend time together while engaging in a fun night of trivia and laughs.

[14] Ann Arbor

Michigan In this chapter’s area, the parks department combines volunteer opportunities with education. Chapter sisters met up for an Earth Day volunteer experience and learned about invasive plants, then identified and pulled those invasive plants. This socially distanced service work was a perfect way to catch up with sisters.

Greater Oxford

Mississippi Innovative changes helped the Oxford sisters support The University of Mississippi’s violence intervention and prevention services department. Members donated supplies at the chapter’s drive-thru kickoff event. With COVID-19 restrictions preventing an indoor program about intervention and prevention, a representative spoke at a November lunch-and-learn event in a member’s driveway.

Jackson

Mississippi An ornament and card swap lifted spirits and brought sisters together during the holidays, even if it was just through the mail rather than in person. The Executive Committee drew names to match the 18 members who participated and sent an ornament, card or both to another sister. 11

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Springfield

Missouri Some chapter members gathered at a sister’s house for a craft night to paint flower boxes. Sisters who didn’t come in 14

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person could pick up a bag with the craft materials ready to go for them so they could still participate from their homes.

St. Louis

Missouri This chapter kept service projects socially distanced by using Amazon Wishlist for different monthly donations. In February, members donated supplies to Stray Rescue, a local animal rescue shelter. In March, sisters supported St. Patrick Center, an organization that helps the homeless community with housing, food and job placement.

[15] Lincoln

Nebraska The chapter was able to hold its annual business meeting, the group’s first inperson gathering in more than a year, this spring. After impassioned greetings, members elected officers, heard the Treasurer’s report, reviewed gifts to charities and remembered sisters lost over the past year.

Jersey Shore

New Jersey Members volunteered at the Clean Ocean Action Beach Sweeps spring event at Loch Arbour Beach. Sisters were surprised to find a metal bedside guard rail and shotgun shells among the debris. Afterward, the chapter members met for brunch and assembled exam support kits for Kappa Xi Chapter (Stockton University).

[16] Mercer-Bucks

New Jersey Who doesn’t love flowers and food trucks? This chapter enjoyed both during a fun event in April, beginning with tulip picking and flower arranging at a local farm. A little rain and lots of mud did not dampen their efforts. Wood-fired pizza was a delicious ending to the day.

Albuquerque

New Mexico When restaurants opened again, sisters eagerly gathered at a local restaurant for great food and friendship. Chapter members were able to catch up with each other after a long time of only virtual events. It was exciting to be able to spend time with sisters in person.

Blue Ridge

North Carolina Local students received a tiny bit of St. Patrick’s Day luck from ZTA. The chapter gathered outdoors at a cidery to stuff snack bags for children who did not receive food while school was closed due to COVID-19. Combining sisterhood and service with a touch of green for luck was a great way to spend time together.

Charlotte

North Carolina These sisters took a literal “step” outside of the box by attending an Irish dance class to learn several styles of stepdancing. After class, the Zetas stepped out to lunch at an authentic Irish pub. This fun and unique experience created great bonding just before St. Patrick’s Day.

Greenville

North Carolina This chapter celebrated the graduating seniors of Iota Rho Chapter (East Carolina University) with a fun outdoor event at the chapter house. The alumnae welcomed the seniors with chocolatecovered strawberries, gifts and conversation. Collegians shared their post-college plans, and alumnae shared the joy of belonging to an alumnae chapter.

[17] Akron

Ohio The pandemic did not stop these sisters from shining in service. They donated clothing to Harvest Home, toiletries and feminine hygiene products to Valor Home for female veterans, food and coffee to Haven of Rest, and healthy snacks to an inner-city school to give children energy to get through the school day.

Cincinnati Crown

Ohio This chapter partnered with Marielders Senior Center to create care packages for 24 elders who had no nearby family. The packages included fuzzy socks, lotion, gloves, puzzle books, coloring books, crayons, hand sanitizer and other items to help the recipients feel cozy.

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Cleveland-East

Ohio On a chilly afternoon in February, ZTA volunteers sponsored a “Drive up! Drop off!” canned food drive for their community. They unloaded 60 cars with over 1,600 pounds of canned goods to donate to the Cleveland Food Bank. The event had high community participation, and the food bank was very appreciative.

Dayton

Ohio The “Step Sisters” walking group meets once a month to enjoy a socially distanced hike and keep track of steps. The group works hard to push one another to reach their goals and increases interest in physical activity while enjoying local trails, seasonal foliage, nice weather and sisterhood.

Youngstown

Ohio A “Drums Alive!” cardio class was part of this chapter’s 90-day wellness challenge. Sisters attended a private class involving the use of drum sticks and fitness balls stabilized in a large tub. The class combined cardio with the benefits of music and rhythm. Sisters enjoyed this healthy evening—the first in-person event since spring 2020.

[18] Oklahoma City

Some sisters from this chapter have made a big difference with their sewing skills. One member sewed more than 300 dresses for an organization named Dress a Girl Around the World. Another made quilts and blankets for the American Cancer Society®, law enforcement and a local hospice center. Yet another sister made nearly 200 masks to distribute to a local fire department, a church and a hospital.

Portland

Oregon This chapter had a sister teach everyone via Zoom how to make tiramisu from scratch. Sisters had a blast learning how to make this delicious Italian dessert. Participants raved about how easy the recipe was to follow and said they looked forward to learning more about Italian cooking from their resident specialist.

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania The chapter’s first in-person event in many months was a hike at Valley Forge National Park. Members have also collected clothing, school supplies and other requested items throughout the year and delivered them in May to a daycare with children in need.

[19] Greenwood

South Carolina A group of this chapter’s sisters enjoyed a getaway to historic Hendersonville, North Carolina. The weekend fun included games, food, sisterhood and snow tubing. The chapter hopes to take this memory-filled trip again in the future.

Pee Dee Area

South Carolina A socially distanced evening at The DIY Place allowed members to make items for themselves while catching up with others. The crafty sisters made trays, door signs and picture frames. After finishing their projects, they met for dinner at a favorite local restaurant to enjoy sushi, tacos, sisterhood and laughter.

[20] Knoxville

Tennessee For Galentine’s Day, chapter members treated themselves to a flower arranging class. Participants picked up design kits from the floral studio on the day of the event and then created their arrangements at home, following an instructor on Zoom. Friends and family members joined in to make beautiful bouquets as well.

Martin

Tennessee Along with the Jackson, TN Chapter, these sisters celebrated longtime member Nelle Luckey Sparks, who turned 100 years old on Valentine’s Day. Nelle is a 1939 initiate of Beta Omega Chapter (Union University). Her sisters gave her 100 roses, birthday cards from Zetas across the country and two proclamations, including one from the governor of Tennessee.

[21] Memphis

Tennessee The “Girls Love Art Meetings” (GLAM) group enjoys unique and creative activities every month, like making personalized tumblers at a craft creation shop. On a Galentine’s Day chocolate tour, sisters sampled sweets at 14 locations. In April, the chapter celebrated its 97th anniversary with an outdoor party.

Bryan-College Station

Texas Sisters celebrated the graduating seniors of Theta Gamma Chapter (Texas A&M University) with an outdoor party on the patio of the ZTA house. Alumnae welcomed seniors into the post-college world with pizza, cake and gifts of sparkly frames, which they made at an earlier meeting, to hold their badges.

Collin County

Texas This chapter partnered with the Dallas Area Night Chapter for a family day at the Dallas Arboretum. Having an openair event was the perfect alternative to another video meeting, and it allowed sisters to catch up and enjoy a moment of normalcy. It was a perfect spring day for sweet sisterhood.

Cypress

Texas “Better Together” was the theme of one of the first in-person meetings of the year. Members gathered at an outdoor venue to reconnect and spend time together planning the year ahead. It was a great chance to bring together current members, new members and recent graduates. Sisters also created virtual Valentine’s Day cards for patients of Texas Children’s Hospital. For every card created and sent, local Pappas Restaurant chain locations donated $1 to the hospital.

Dallas

Texas Chapter members learned to play Mahjong, a tile game developed in the 19th century in China, as an activity to spend more time together. Now, a dedicated group of 10 to 12 sisters play twice a week and encourage other members to learn the game and join in on the fun.

[22] Ft. Worth

Texas The sisters of this chapter were very grateful to finally share in some sisterly love in person after a long hiatus. Members had a lovely time catching up, and it was a great way to celebrate Zeta Day achievements together.

Houston West

Texas The chapter was able to hold multiple programs this spring, including Galentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day happy hours. Sisters also served dinner for the residents of The Ballard House, which helps children and adults going through cancer treatments or surgery. The chapter collected and donated money to pay for the food.

[23] Humble/Kingwood

Texas Chapter members put together goody bags full of snacks packed with lots of energy and delivered them to Delta Zeta Chapter (Sam Houston State University). Sisters also used this time to share appetizers and finally catch up with one another.

Lubbock

Texas This chapter made the best of a winter storm. Plans to host a virtual Mardi Gras get-together on Zoom went awry when supplies for mask decorating couldn’t be delivered because of the weather. Thankfully, sisters still had power and were grateful to be able to log on to celebrate Fat Tuesday.

Nasa-Brazoria County

Texas To start the year “on the right foot,” this chapter participated in a step challenge against other chapters in the district. For one month, sisters recorded their steps and converted other workouts into steps. The sister in the chapter and the sister in the District with the most steps won prizes for their efforts.

San Antonio

Texas This chapter recently held a virtual networking mixer between alumnae and Lambda Gamma Chapter (The University of Texas at San Antonio). Graduating seniors met with alumnae in their intended career fields to discuss what

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it takes to get a job, desirable qualities employers look for and other interview and resume tips and tricks.

Salt Lake City

Utah These sisters stayed connected in a variety of ways. For the holidays, the chapter created an online gift exchange. When sisters received their surprise gift in the mail, they posted a picture on the chapter’s Facebook page. They also logged on to play Pictionary online. The drawings may not have been great, but the sisterhood was perfect.

Fredericksburg

Virginia Glue, crepe paper, stickers and lots and lots of candy energized a special night of sisterhood for this chapter. A talented member hosted her sisters for a Valentine’s Day-themed craft night to make heart-shaped mini piñatas to keep or give to someone special.

Northern Virginia

What, like it’s hard to host a fun but safe event in a pandemic? Not for these sisters. They rented out an entire theater at a low cost to watch “Legally Blonde.” The rental helped a struggling local theater, and the Zetas could recite every great line and laugh as loudly as they wanted.

[24] Richmond

Virginia Whether they had ever swung a golf club before or not, members of this chapter were just so excited to get back together in person. Their entertaining sisterhood event at Topgolf included dinner and drinks, and everyone tried their turn at hitting that little white ball.

Tidewater

Virginia The chapter’s favorite event this year was a virtual calligraphy lesson one of its members led. She taught the basics of hand-lettering and design, and sisters practiced the flow of script letters using soft tip markers and lined paper. They showed off their new skills by writing out lines of The Creed.

[25] Virginia Peninsula

At a “Thinking of You” note-writing night, members met via Zoom to help each other find words of encouragement to share with local nursing home residents. The chapter also held its annual private shopping event at a local gift shop with a percentage of sales benefiting the ZTA Foundation.

[26] Seattle

Washington This chapter’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Bookwormz Crown Connection groups partnered to read “Everything All at Once” by Katrina Leno. The book explored anxiety and grief. In addition to the book discussion, sisters made alphabet flashcards for Love Letters for Literacy, an organization that aims to provide access to early literacy tools to all students.

Washington, D.C.

A successful, socially distanced event from 2020 returned to this chapter’s calendar in 2021. In March, as warmer weather arrived, sisters again met for brunch at Union Market. Everyone ordered food from their favorite vendor inside the market and then joined other members in the outdoor seating area to eat and catch up.

ZTAlways

The virtual alumnae chapter hosted its second annual ZTA Marketplace in May. Members can sell and buy ZTA-inspired items from each other via Facebook and Zoom. The two-week event features a week for members to trade and another for members to sell. You never know what you will find on ZTAlways Marketplace.

Given the varying levels of safety guidelines across individual communities and college campuses, photos of sisters both wearing and not wearing masks are featured in this issue. ZTA trusts that members have been taking care of those within and without their circle during this time.

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