Remember last winter when we met at JoAnn Fabrics and made blankets for My Very Own Blanket? (See photos from the February, 2020 meeting here)

We will be making blankets again this year, but due to Covid-19 recommendation and guidelines, we'll each make our blanket(s) at home and then share them during our Saturday, February 6, 2021 ZOOM meeting, which will begin at 9:30 am.

You can purchase your fleece fabric at any JoAnn location (find a store near you here) and then make your blanket(s) using these directions:

Read and print the directions for making My Very Own Blanket fleece blanket.

If you prefer not to go into the store, you can purchase a blanket kit online and pick it up at the Westerville store, from their outside donation bin. (Shipping is available ONLY to locations 30+ miles from the Westerville store.)

Order a blanket kit online.

Visit the My Very Own Blanket website here to read about how these soft fleece blankets enrich the lives of foster childrenby giving them a feeling of comfort and security.

On Thursday, September 25, 2020, Gamma members gathered online in a Zoom meeting, allowing us to be "together" while safely staying apart.

Pat Farrenkopf gave a presentation, and here are her words to the chapter members:

"My name is Patricia Farrenkopf and I love my job. Even after 47 years of serving in education as a teacher and administrator, I wake up in the morning looking forward to the day - even in a Pandemic.

After over 30 years of adjunct status with Ashland University, I became a professional instructor for the College of Education, Department of Doctoral Studies and Advanced Programs. Ashland University has eight satellite locations in Ohio and Michigan. Main campus is in Ashland, Ohio.

I have an office at main campus at the Dwight Schar College of Education and also at the Columbus satellite campus. With the Pandemic, I have been teaching online courses in Educational Leadership, Gifted Curriculum and Program Development, and serving on dissertation committees.

I am currently conducting follow up research on my dissertation topic of Gifted Identity Development. I have found all 24 of the fifth grade students who were in my original study who are now seniors in high school and freshmen in college.

I have served co director of the Martin W. Essex School for the Gifted. My Ashland University colleague and I wrote a High Impact grant to move this summer experience to Ashland University from Otterbein University.

Finally, I am the owner of ProGift-ify TM. I have written books and educational tools to support parents and teachers as they support their gifted learners.

As C.S. Lewis once said, 'You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.'"

View Pat's original Powerpoint presentation, if your computer has Powerpoint installed.

View Pat's presentation as a PDF.

On Saturday, February 8, Gamma Chapter members gathered at JoAnn Fabrics at Polaris to participate in a project to help MyVeryOwnBlanket.org, a non-profit organization who provides handmade blankets for children who are in the foster care system.

My Very Own Blanket was started in 1999 by Jessica Rudolph, and has been dedicated to warming the heart of every child in the foster care system with a blanket that gives them a feeling of comfort, security, and most of all, a SMILE for 20 years.

Gamma Chapter members each worked on cutting "fringe" along opposite edges of a piece of colorful fleece and then tying each strip of fabric in a single knot to create a pretty edge that will be durable. We discovered that working together allowed us to produce more blankets than we thought possible. At the end of our meeting, we had created more than 20 new blankets to donate to foster children.

A special part of the blanket is a label that is sewn on one side. It allows the person who created the blanket to write his or her own name and also write a short message of hope or comfort for the child who receives the gift. As we all know from our own childhood experiences, a soft, warm blanket can be much more than just a piece of fabric to keep us from being cold; it is also a source of comfort, security, and in some cases, love.

In 2019, My Very Own Blanket set and met the goal of providing 20,000 blankets to children who need them! Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to achieve such a lofty objective! Their goal for 2020 is to produce and donate 25,000 blankets.

Visit MyVeryOwnBlanket.org to learn more.

Gamma Chapter welcomed representatives from Royal Family Kids Camp on Saturday, November 16 at the MCL Cafeteria in Upper Arlington. Pictured above are Krista May, Jessica Dale, and Jessica Slone.

Royal Family Kids Camp was founded in 2002 and creates life-changing moments for children in Franklin County by reversing the effects of child abuse and neglect.

Serving children from ages 7-11 years, the camp offers swimming, sports and games, woodworking, hiking, a birthday party for all campers, and more.

RFK of Franklin County is a key partner with Franklin County Children Services.

Visit the Royal Family Kids Camp website here.

On Saturday, September 14, 2019, Gamma Chapter members visited the Leap of Faith Dance Company to learn about their work and enjoy a performance by three of the dancers.

Leap of Faith Dance Company was established by Dave and Kelley Haney in 2003. Their vision was to establish a family ministry to deliver on their Mission Statement: “Our goal is to use the talents we have been blessed with to help children have fun, learn to dance, and understand valuable life lessons through scripture and Christian music….”

Leap of Faith offers instruction in contemporary, ballet/pointe, tap/stomp, jazz, hip hop and breaking for all levels from beginner through master.

Below are photos submitted to us by Leap of Faith, documenting our morning with them. We thank Taiylor Preston for the photographs.

On February 2, 2019, our new initiate, Diane Hendrickson, brought her guest, Tammy Jewell, to discuss God's Hygiene Help Center, which is a local non-profit organization dedicated to providing hygiene, dignity, and hope to those in need with the compassion of Jesus. Tammy's compelling life story inspired and educated our chapter members, and gave us an insight into the needs of many individuals in our area who are in need of the most basic of personal supplies.

Through Upper Arlington Lutheran Church and Diane's help, Tammy established God's Hygiene as a nonprofit organization. She collects and distributes all kinds of personal care products to those who simply cannot afford to buy them.

God's Hygiene is located at 3016 Howey Road, Columbus OH 43224, and Tammy helps people by appointment. God’s Hygiene Help Center is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, and your donations are tax deductible.

Patricia (Pat) Farrenkopf was inducted into Gamma Chapter at our Sunny Street Cafe meeting on November 10, 2018. Welcome to Gamma Chapter!

Prior to our meeting, we participated in a silver sneakers stretching and exercise session at Lifetime Fitness.

The Alpha Delta State Convention was held during the weekend of April 13-15, 2018 at the Hilton Columbus, Polaris.

A note from Judy Valentine:

Gamma Sisters,

Thanks so much for your support and attendance at the ADS Convention this weekend. Thanks to your attendance Gamma won the Chapter Attendance Award for 2018. See attached picture.

The award is based on percentage of members in attendance for our membership. Come to the June meeting to see the real thing.

Thanks again for all of your help with greeting and registration.

Judy Valentine
Past President
  

By Sandie Trask-Tyler: On February 10, 2018, we met at the Pizzuti Collection in the Short North for a guided tour of the current works of art.

Our two guides, Mark and Anne, shared their passion and expertise of the exhibits on display through April 29, 2018: PAIR: GLEN BALDRIDGE & ALEX DODGE, LINES/EDGES: FRANK STELLA ON PAPER, and NEW ON THE WALL (N.O.W.).

We all learned so much about the artists while viewing their outstanding and impressive artwork. Thank you to Janet Halter, Willa Mullins, and Sandie Trask-Tyler for contributing the photos in the slideshow.

At our November 12 meeting at Max & Erma's in Gahanna, we learned a great deal about new teacher licensure from Westerville City School teacher Lisa Kuhar.

Our chapter members learned that the process of becoming a new teacher in 2016 is quite a bit different from the days when we began our careers in education. Standards and requirements have changed and are much more involved and stringent. Lisa gave a very informative and interesting talk about the process involved in staffing our schools with the finest new teachers.

On Saturday, March 11, we met at The Hawk Galleries on Main Street downtown to view and enjoy exquisite artwork and learn about the techniques and practices involved in creating them.

Brandon Brown, a Hawk Gallery Assistant, took us on a tour and explained the history of several of the pieces. Brandon has studied glass blowing at The Ohio State University.

Below are photos and videos of some of the beautiful and mesmerizing glass sculptures and casts that we enjoyed. We thank Hawk Galleries' owner Tom Hawk, and his assistant, Brandon Brown, for this memorable artistic journey into the world of glass.
     

At our November 12, 2016 meeting at Max & Erma's in Gahanna, we learned a great deal about new teacher licensure from Westerville City School teacher Lisa Kuhar.

Our chapter members learned that the process of becoming a new teacher in 2016 is quite a bit different from the days when we began our careers in education. Standards and requirements have changed and are much more involved and stringent. Lisa gave a very informative and interesting talk about the process involved in staffing our schools with the finest new teachers.

At our September 13, 2016 meeting, Michele Koenig continued our education about monarch butterflies and we were able to see the various stages of their development. Then we went outside (what a perfectly gorgeous day!) and Michele released several monarchs into the gardens at Westerville North High School.

As part of her work with Monarch Watch, Michele tagged a butterfly with a tiny sticker that will help track this beautiful creature on its journeies.

At our June 14, 2016 meeting, Sarah Dalton, a retired MetroParks of Columbus and Franklin County Senior Naturalist, discussed a life cycle and purposes of the Monarch Butterfly, and shared many interesting facts and stories about Monarch migration and habits. She used visual aids to demonstrate how butterflies ineract, and how they lay eggs by the thousands. Sarah brought along tiny caterpillars and explained that their striping warns predators that they are poisonous at this stage.

Sarah also emphasized the importance of protecting Monarchs through environmental measures, adding that their natural habitats need to be preserved.

You can email Sarah with questions or visit the Monarch Maniacs of Ohio Facebook page.

Our April, 2016 meeting focused on the implementatoin of The Iditarod as a cross-curricular subject at The Wellington School.

Gamma member and Wellington teacher Dorene Henschen and her fellow teacher, Becky Fuller, explained how aspects of the Alaskan dog sled race are incorporated into each subject area and at each grade level to create a cohesive focus for part of the year's studies.

Dorene displayed many artifcats from her trip to Alaska to explore the multifaceted Iditarod, and gave examples of specifics lessons in which students participated, all of which used principles of the race in every day activities. She played a video that demonstrated the various lessons, as well as the ways in which students learned.

Pictured above are Dorene Henschen (left) and her fellow Wellington teacher, Becky Fuller.

Gamma Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma International mourns the passing of our longtime member, Eileen Young. Eileen died of a stroke on Wednesday, March 15, 2017.

Joanne Katonak wrote the following tribute to Eileen, inspired by the letters of her first and last names.

You can print the poem here.

EILEEN: E-I-L-E-E-N
   
E - ENERGETIC! Whether she was working on a project at home or for an organization or church, Eileen would go full speed ahead until each task was finished.

I - INTELLIGENT! Whenever Eileen wrote something for work, or for a project for some organization, or church, her sharp thinking skills surfaced.

L - LOVING! Eileen was especially devoted to her family. She took excellent care of her aging mother. Even as her mother turned 100, she still went to visit her almost daily. And she was always a part of the lives of her nieces and nephews.

E - ENTHUSIASTIC - Eileen was an enthusiastic traveler. She enjoyed going to new places and seeing new things, and meeting new people.

E - EDITOR - Her last job before she retired was as an editor for publications for federal programs within the State of Ohio. Her professionalism always produced excellent publications. One time I had a grant to write for work. When I got it written, I took it to Eileen for editing before I submitted it. She changed a word or a phrase there and added some thoughts of her own to make the document better. I sat there listening to her and thought to myself, "Now why didn't I think of that?"

N - NEIGHBOR- Whether on Hampshire Road, or at the condo in Columbus, or her home in Florida, Eileen was always sociable and willing to give a hand to a neighbor when needed.
  
YOUNG: Y-O-U-N-G
   
Y - YEOMAN DOG LOVER - As long as I can remember, Judy and Eileen had dogs. Big dogs, little dogs, sleepy dogs, active yappy dogs; Penny and Patchie being the last. Eileen loved them all.

O - OUTSTANDING FRIEND - If you needed anything, Eileen was there to help ... for Judy, for Sharon, for fellow church members, or as a support for people who belonged to the same organizations that she did.

U - UNINHIBITED BOCCE BALL PLAYER - Since Eileen's activity of playing bocce ball was something she did in Florida, I never got to see her play. But knowing Eileen, I am sure that she was no "wimpy" player.

N - NEWSPAPER DEVOTEE - Every morning with a cup of coffee, with cream, or in the bathroom, Eileen devoured the paper. Even after her stroke, she wanted to know what was in the paper. So friends and visitors read it to her. The last visit I made to see her, she asked me to hold the paper so that she could read it herself.

G - GOD-FEARING CHRISTIAN - Eileen loved her churches and the people in them - both her early membership at Good Shepherd, and later here at Faith. I am sure that when she gets to heaven, God will have a job for her, and she will get it done.

Read a poetic tribute to Eileen Young written by her good friend, Sharon Krebs.

The tribute discusses the complex nature of our Gamma sister and paints a picture of a well-rounded and interesting friend.

At our September 15 meeting at Panera Bread on Bethel Road, Tyler Flynn, Senior Fellow and Initiatives Team leader of Mission Columbus spoke about the success of their Columbus Tutoring Initiative, which is a joint venture between Mission Columbus and Central Ohio Youth for Christ to provide in-school tutoring for elementary-age students whose reading skills fall below their grade level.

Each tutor works with an assigned student once a week from October through April for approximately 40 minutes (lunch and recess). All tutors receive an orientation in three areas: tutoring, the social and ethnic background of the students, and how to develop a relationship with their student. Tutors work from individualized folders prepared by the student’s teacher that include books, word lists, and comprehension exercises that are appropriate for the student’s reading level. A volunteer coordinator is on site to oversee each session. More than 300 volunteers are serving in the current school year.

The Columbus Tutoring Initiative is always seeking qualified, enthusiastic volunteers to tutor these elementary school students. If you are interested in offering your services, please visit this page of the TutorColumbus.org web site to learn more, watch videos of current tutors speaking about their experiences, and to sign up.

Questions? You can email Tyler Flynn (our speaker) or call him at 614-761-3638.

In a July 12, 2015 Letter to the Editor, Joanne Katonak expressed her feelings about the various ways people react to tragedy, and suggested a lesson that was taught by the residents of Charleston SC.

From The Dispatch: July 12, 2015:

In Ferguson, Mo., one man was shot unfairly by police, residents thought. So they rioted, burned and looted for days. In Baltimore, one man died while in police custody, and residents rioted, burned and looted for days.

In Charleston, S.C., nine black citizens were shot during a Bible study by a man committing an alleged hate crime. Residents of that city came together, prayed, loved and forgave.

Lessons to be learned from the residents of Charleston: forgiveness and amazing grace.

JOANNE KATONAK

Read the letter on the Dispatch web site here.

Delta Kappa Gamma was founded so educators could unite,
And enable their professional growth to attain a new height.

The twelve founders in Texas adopted seven purposes.
To unit, honor, and advance the education profession was quite a feat,
For back in 1929 in secret all twelve had to meet.

To endow scholarships and grant fellowships to teachers world wide,
Meeting these goals over the years has given the organization much pride.

Our focus today is purpose number six;
Personal and professional growth of members--
The combination of these two goals makes a good mix.

There are many ways to help yourself professionally grow;
Taking classes, attending and leading workshops;
Or off to Delta Kappa Gamma Conventions you can go.
There are blessings of meeting members from other places.
And at conventions, connecting with familiar faces.

Spending time with the family, visiting friends,
Reading good books and engaging in regular exercise
All will bring happiness and good health.
Our personal and profession well being will be our wealth.

Proud, educated, active Gamma ladies are we.
Setting about carrying out our seven purposes,
Suits our chapter members to a "T."

~ Joanne Katonak, 2015

At our October meeting, we gathered at the Spring Hollow Lodge at Sharon Woods Metro Park to hear Naturalist Allison Shaw, who covered such topics as the history and development of the Columbus Metro Parks, the various species of wildlife in the park, factors that influence the well-being of the park environment, and the detailed habits of specific species of animals within Sharon Woods.

Allison showed us feathers from turkeys and quail, as well as a taxidermic example of a mink. Especially interesting was a deer antler, which Alison shared with us, describing the development and shedding of the antler, along with the detrimental results of deer overpopulation in the parks.
   

At our September 9, 2014 meeting, Sara Hayes discussed e-learning, and specifically, her experience as a teacher for ECOT (Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow).

Sara explained that today's generation of students is comprised of "digital natives"; in other words, they are children who were born into the digital/computer age. They have different learning styles, needs, and wishes regarding the way they learn about the world around them.

Sara's Powerpoint presentation discussed the differences between e-learning and home schooling, and explained that for some students, e-learning can be an excellent choice: students who have health challenges, those who are victims of bullying in traditional schools, and extremely self-driven students can all be excellent candidates for e-learning. Sara stressed that e-schools must meet the same criteria as public schools on all levels.

The following videos give more insight into ECOT:

Barb Cleveland, Gamma Nu, gave an interesting presentation to Gamma CXhapter on Saturday, February 1, 2014. She was encouraged by members of her chapter to apply for a grant to get Math books for her project to Discover Math Connections in New Ways.

There will be an article in the February Newsletter detailing some ideas from her talk. She also left material for members to read regarding Project Connect in the Columbus City Schools.

See more information about Project Connect here.

Gamma Chapter has been honored once again with the Gold Key Award. Pictured below, our certificate states that the award is given "in recognition of outstanding participation in activities advancing the purposes of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International."

In 2013 we celebrate Alpha Delta State's 75th Diamond Jubilee, and we are very proud to be honored with the Gold Key Award in this significant year of our chapter's history.

Gamma Chapter also received praise and recognition for our monthly newsletter. The certificate recognizes the Gamma Chapter News as an effective communication publication.

We are extremely grateful to Linda Dolfi for all the time, effort, and creativity that she puts into our very informative and interesting newsletter. Thank you, Linda!

Delta Kappa Gamma members were invited to submit entries for the Founders' Day program cover, and Gamma Chapter President Dr. Liz Biglin entered a design for consideration.

The certificate above applauds her design entry for the 75th anniversary program cover.

At our Saturday, April 20, 2013 Gamma meeting, Joy Reyes, Executive Director of the Columbus Literacy Council visited and spoke to our group about the work of the Council.

The Columbus Literacy Council is a volunteer-based organization dedicated to increasing the level of functional literacy of adults reading below an 8th grade level through teaching the English language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Joy explained some of the challenges that the Council has faced through the years, including funding cuts that led the organization to reorganize and use volunteers to staff their programs. The results have been extremely positive, and the Council serves more than 3,000 students each year, making it the largest private provider of adult literacy services in Central Ohio.

The Council was founded by Church Women United in 1970 and was formally established as a non-profit educational corporation in 1975.

Below, Joy discusses why learning English is especially challenging for some of their students.

On April 20, President Dr. Liz Biglin held a raffle of donated items, the proceeds from which will go to the Schools in Africa Project. The tickets sale total was matched by the Dorothy Scrivener Fund. Below are the lucky Gamma Sisters who held the winning tickets for each item.

You may enlarge the photos by clicking each one.

Our November 2, 2013 meeting, entitled "Nuts & Bolts," featured the Decades of Delta Dazzlers, a program created by Linda Dolfi for our Founder's Day program.

Members formed Committee groups and worked on creating a report that was given orally to members but will need to be turned into International on February 1, 2014. All report forms are available online.

On Saturday, March 2, 2013, our speaker was Pat Cermak, 2nd Vice-President and Educational Excellence Chair, Alpha Delta State. She spoke about "Schools in Africa."

See Ms. Cermak's notes here.

Click the photo collage on the left to enlarge it.

At our February 9, 2013 meeting, William Browning, of Browning, Meyer & Ball Co., LPA, visited us to discuss the importance of wise planning for our financial futures and long-term care if we become unable to care for ourselves.

Mr. Browning stressed making plans NOW, rather than once something happens that lessens our ability to make competent decisions. By making plans now, when we are less emotional and more capable, we are more likely to make smart decisions.

William J. Browning, CELA
300 West Wilson Bridge Road
Worthington OH 43085
Phone: 614-471-0085
Email William Browning

On Saturday, December 8, Gamma Chapter gathered for our annual holiday meeting. Hostesses Michelle Koenig and Bev Fatig provided darling little boxes filled with holiday sweets and we playefd Christmas Carol Bingo!

Then it was time for members to share special Christmas memories. Below are videos of Linda Reuhrmund talking about a special Christmas tree from Dorothy Scrivener, and a video of Joanne Katonak telling us about her great-nephew, Dan Delk, who won a competition to participate in decorating the White House this year.

Our Saturday, October 8 meeting was an incredibly moving one. Our speaker, Carol Agler (Director of Music at the School for the Blind), shared about the Ohio School for the Blind Marching Band.

Kathy Havens shared our inspiring Thought for the Day, which was a poem written by her great-grandmother, who taught at the age of 16 in a one-room schoolhouse in the early 1900'. We also joined in a group chorus of "Happy Birthday" to Willa!

If you are interested in exploring video clips of the Ohio School for the Blind Marching Band, the links are below.

For those of you who were not able to join us, we had a perfect day for a picnic yesterday. The weather was beautiful, and the picnic site at Scioto Park was picturesque! The guest speaker, Lori Overmyer, a Master Gardener, shared her expert knowledge and has given some of us an incentive to do more investigating about the Master Gardener Program.

Visit the OSU Master Gardener Volunteer Web site

On March 10, 2012 Dr. Nicole Gnezda, an author, speaker, educator and creative consultant, visited Gamma Chapter to share thoughts and ideas of the best ways to teach difficult students.

Dr. Gnezda displayed samples of student artwork to demonstrate their abilities to express themselves through art, and discussed the teacher's role in helping individual students based on these expressions.

On February 11, 2012, we met at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and enjoyed a delicious brunch prepared by several of our own Gamma members. Linda Ruehrmund prepared a touching Memorial Service for our Gamma sister, Ruth Flowers, who opassed away recently. Thank you, Linda.

Our speaker, Jennifer Sanders, Deputy Warden of the Franklin Medical Center,spoke to our group about education in the Ohio prison system. She described the process by which inmates are given the opportunity to earn a diploma or degree and expand their knowledge while serving a prison term, to better prepare them for a productive life after their period of incarceration is over.

Below, Jennifer tells about one of her former students who gave her insight into why he had failed in school prior to being in her class.

On June 16, Gamma Chapter welcomed local artist Linda Langhorst, who displayed and discussed her recent collection of oil paintings representing music and musicians.

Many of her paintings have been inspired by her visits to New Orleans, and they capture the relationship between the musicians, their music, and their environment. In the photo of the left, Gamma member Liz Biglin and Linda showcase one of Linda's more recent works, inspired by Jackson Square in New Orleans. Click photo to enlarge.

At our December 11 meeting at Ascension Lutheran Church, we all enjoyed the musical talents of Liz Biglin's nephew, Thane Evans. Thane has studied piano for most of his life, including his years he attended Ohio University.

Thane, who lives in Millersport, Ohio, entertained us with several beautiful and artistically rendered piano compositions, further enhancing our holiday spirits!

When we marveled that he had no sheet music with him, he said that the music is in his head. We could tell that it is also in his heart and soul, as he demonstrated by playing with expression and passion. Thane plans to record his piano music with one of his guitarist friends, and we hope to see his videos on YouTube soon!

On November 6, Gamma Chapter met at the MCL Cafeteria at Kingsdale and enjoyed a program about Honor Flight, presented by Rene Delane.

Honor Flight is a non-profit organization that recognizes and celebrates World War II veterans by flying them to Washington DC to visit memorials dedicated to their improtant service - at no cost to them.

Rene explained the process of signing up and transporting these veterans to our nation's capital, and showed a video of several veterans who exjoyed this once-in-a-lifetime experience. As a volunteer with Honor Flight Columbus, Rene has seen how important this trip is to the wonderful heroes who fought to keep us safe.  

On October 2 we met at the Tehku Tea House in Dublin to sample and learn the origins of various kinds of teas, as well as learn about the traditional tea ceremony. Our hostess, owner Ingrrie Merriman, who was born in Indonesia, taught us a great deal about the significance of tea in her culture as we sipped a variety of blends and sampled her homemade scones. It was an educational and enjoyable evening at the Tehku Tea House!

Click each photo below to enlarge it, and then use the back button to return to the News page.