Alpha Omicron Pi Kansas City Alumnae

We have a new website!

2010-01-14T22:43:00.003-06:00

We are pleased to announce that we have a new website with a much shorter address!

Please change your bookmarks to www.kcaoii.com!

This blog will remain for awhile, but it will not be updated. All of the posts have been imported into our new site, so you can still find the same information.

Please email us at kcaopi@gmail.com with any questions!

Jingle Bell Run

2009-11-10T22:59:00.000-06:00

Join the AOII team in the annual Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis! It's a festive way to kick off your holidays, and you'll be helping the 660,000 people in Western Missouri/KC areas who live with arthritis. Participants are encouraged to wear holiday themed attire or costumes and tie jingle bells to your shoelaces! 5k and 10k routes are available. The registration fee is $25 until the day of the race; the day of the race, registration is $30. All participants receive a long-sleeve shirt. Visit the AOII Team page to sign up for the team or make a donation.

Founders' Day 2009

2009-11-09T22:54:00.000-06:00

You are invited to celebrate Founders' Day and 90 years of sisterhood with the Kansas City Alumnae Chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi. The event will be held on Saturday, December 5, at the Blue Hills Country Club located at 777 Burning Tree Drive, Kansas City, MO 64145. The luncheon will begin at 11:30 am. There will be a short Founders' Day presentation, along with awards for Outstanding Collegiate (voted on by Delta Pi members), Outstanding Alumna, and 25, 50, and 75 year members. RSVP's are required due to the nature of this event. The cost is $17 per person. Lunch choices are lasagna florentine (veggie) or pasta pomodoro (meat). Please email us for details on how to make payment.

Extreme Yard Rakeover Philanthropy Rescheduled

2009-11-07T22:51:00.003-06:00

The Extreme Yard Rakeover Philanthropy project has been rescheduled at the request of the homeowner we were paired with. Apparently, the leaves on her trees have not started falling yet, so there wouldn't be much for us to do! The event has been rescheduled for Saturday, November 21, 2009. We hope to begin around 1 pm. Our projects will include raking leaves and other yardwork. If you are interested in attending, please contact Jenny at applebugg@gmail.com as soon as possible. There is some paperwork you will need to sign in order to participate. Hope to see you on November 21!

Happy Hour at The Sandbar in Lawrence!

2009-10-14T14:01:00.000-05:00

The Greater Kansas City Alumnae Chapter covers a huge geographic area- from the northernmost areas of Kansas City (Missouri), to the Johnson County suburbs, to the eastern areas toward our nearest collegiate chapter in Warrensburg. You may not realize that areas outside of the Greater Kansas City area are also technically part of our chapter. Since the Topeka/Lawrence alumnae chapter closed several years ago, there is not another alumnae chapter in Kansas. We welcome our sisters from those areas into our membership as well, and in fact a few of our officers live in Lawrence. We try very hard to schedule events in areas that are most convenient for our members, but with such a wide geographic area it can be difficult. For those of you who live in Lawrence or Topeka, you might be happy to learn we have an upcoming event that is much closer to you! Join your sisters on Friday night, October 23, at The Sandbar in Lawrence for a happy hour social! The Sandbar is located at 17 E. 8th Street in beautiful Downtown Lawrence, near the corner of 8th and New Hampshire streets. We will meet at 6 p.m., but if you can't be there that early feel free to come later. The Sandbar is very tiny, however, and it fills up fast- so try to get there as early as possible. Drink specials on Friday nights are $3 wells and $2 dirty banana shots- The Sandbar's most popular shot that tastes like a chocolate-y banana shake. There is no cover charge until 8 pm, and we will have some snacks upstairs for you to enjoy. You don't have to RSVP, but it would be appreciated so we know who to look for! Hope you can join us!

Champagne & Chocolate Social

2009-10-06T15:56:00.000-05:00

Join your Alpha Omicron Pi sisters for a fun evening of champagne, chocolate, and sisterhood! Our Champagne & Chocolate Social will be held on Wednesday, October 14 at Michele Park's home. We will be collecting items for a Finals Survival Kit for the collegiate members at Delta Pi (University of Central Missouri), and we'll also play a fraternity education game. Please bring an item or two for the Finals Survival Kit- such as popcorn, hot chocolate, candy, granola bars, or other snacks. We will compile all the items into one big gift basket for our collegiate sisters, to be delivered to them before finals this fall. RSVP by October 9 if you plan to attend this social.

Pictures from our Houlihan's Happy Hour!

2009-10-04T15:47:00.000-05:00

The KC Alumnae group kicked off the year with a luncheon meeting on September 14, followed by a Happy Hour social on September 16 at Houlihan's in Olathe. Here are a few pictures of some of the ladies in attendance at Houlihan's: Next events:

Luncheon on Monday, October 12, from 12-2 pm. Location: Kingswood, 10000 Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO. Cost for lunch is $8.50.
Champagne & Chocolate Social on Wednesday, October 14, from 6:30-8 pm.

Extreme Yard Rakeover Philanthropy

2009-09-26T15:45:00.003-05:00

The members of the Greater KC Alpha Omicron Pi Alumnae are planning to participate in an event called Extreme Yard Rakeover in November. Jewish Family Services and Shepherd’s Center of Kansas City Central are partnering to provide free yard clean-up services for older adults who can no longer do it on their own, and cannot afford to hire someone to do it for them. Our group will be matched to a home to clean up a yard(s), rake leaves and bundle debris in preparation for winter. Our group is planning to participate on Saturday, November 7th in the morning, with a back-up date scheduled for Saturday, November 21st, if the weather doesn't cooperate on our first choice. If you are interested in participating, please send us an email by Wed., Sept. 30th . We need to have a head count by next week so that we can get volunteer paperwork to you and then turned in by mid-Oct. Spouses are welcome! Let us know if you have any questions! (Click on "view my profile" on the right side of this page, and then click the "email me" link to send us an email.)

Happy Hour at Houlihans!

2009-09-15T22:37:00.003-05:00

Join your AOII sisters in Kansas City tomorrow night! The Greater Kansas City Alumnae Chapter will be hosting a happy hour social at Houlihan's on Wednesday, September 16, at 7 p.m. Houlihan's is located at 16411 W 119th St, Olathe, KS. Enjoy great food, drinks, and sisterhood! Meet new friends and reminisce with others. Please send us an email to RSVP, if you haven't already. Also, we have a new incentive for members to pay dues early this year! If you pay your $35 dues by or at the first meeting, you'll be entered into a drawing to win free flowers next spring during our annual flower sale! Bring a check along to the social tomorrow night, or you can pay by Paypal this year. For more information about this option, please send us an email. (To send an email, click on "View My Profile" over on the upper right area of the page. Then on the next page, there is a link to "Email Me.")

A New Year, New Events!

2009-09-09T01:44:00.002-05:00

The fall edition of the Kansas City Alumnae Chapter's newsletter should be hitting your mailbox any day now, and it's jam-packed with information you won't want to miss. If you don't receive one and would like to, send us an email and let us know how you want to receive it- by email or by mail. There are over 800 AOII's in the greater Kansas City area and it's expensive to print and mail so many newsletters, so we are making an effort this year to convert as many people as possible to email. However, if you want to continue receiving a paper newsletter we will certainly be happy to send you one! New Fall Fundraiser We are initiating a new fall fundraiser to help us fund scholarships, Founder's Day, and other events this year. Since our plant sale is so popular every spring, we are selling mums from Greeson's Greenhouse (the same spring flower supplier).

Orders are due THIS FRIDAY, September 11.
Plants will be available for pickup in Olathe on Monday, September 28.
All mums are in 2 gallon pots and cost $8 each.
Available colors: orange/bronze, lavender, red, white, and yellow.
If you didn't get a paper or email newsletter and want to order mums, send us an email right away and we'll get details to you.

Day Group Meeting The first day group meeting of the year will be next Monday, September 14, at The Forum. The group will meet from 12-2 pm and enjoy lunch. The cost for lunch is $9.50. Please RSVP to Cherie at 913-648-4980 if you will be attending the meeting. Happy Hour Social The first evening event will be held on Wednesday, September 16, at the Houlihan's restaurant located at 16411 W 119th Street in Olathe. We'll meet at 7 p.m. for snacks, drinks, and conversation. This was one of our most popular events last year, don't miss it! Send us an email to RSVP to the social. T.A.K.E. Self Defense Class Looking further ahead in the month, plan to attend the self defense workshop put on by T.A.K.E.- The Ali Kemp Educational Foundation. The event is located at Kauffman Stadium from 10 am to noon. Send us an email to RSVP to this event, so we can let the organizers know how many to expect. We can also arrange carpools and rides for those who are interested. We hope to see you at one of our events this month!

KC Alumnae Executive Board Meeting

2009-07-13T18:06:00.001-05:00

The Greater KC AOII Alumnae Chapter officers will be meeting on Friday evening, July 24th to discuss the upcoming year. If you are interested in becoming involved as an officer or would just like to get more information on how you can get involved in planning or helping with upcoming events or activities, please join us! Who: Anyone interested in helping with the activities for the upcoming school year What: Board meeting and dinner When: Friday, July 24th at 6:30 pm Where: Granite City in Olathe (corner of 119th and Blackbob, just east of I-35) Please let us know by Wednesday, July 22nd if you will be joining us so that we can have an accurate count for the restaurant! RSVP to kcaopi{at}gmail{dot}com. Thanks!

Year End Wrap-Up

2009-05-24T11:06:00.008-05:00

The Alpha Omicron Pi Greater Kansas City Alumnae had a great year this year! We enjoyed meeting lots of new members and getting back in touch with sisters. Here are a few pictures from our last events of the year. Several ladies met at Paint Glaze and Fire Ceramics and Coffeehouse in Overland Park for an evening of creativity. We picked out ceramic pieces and decorated them while enjoying some snacks and great conversation. Jenny even provided a picture of her finished piece- a Thanksgiving turkey platter. On May 16, we had a great turnout for the annual Kansas City Arthritis Walk. Thanks to Lori for coming out at 6:30 am on a cold morning to help set up for the event. Thanks also to Gina and Holly for volunteering to do face painting. A happy parent was overheard saying "I hear that the face painters are good this year!" The AOII team raised over $1000 in donations this year. Congratulations, ladies!

Delta Pi Chapter Needs Robes

2009-05-15T11:06:00.000-05:00

The Delta Pi collegiate chapter at the University of Central Missouri is in desperate need of new robes for ritual. Many of the robes currently being used are the same ones that were originally purchased for the chapter when it began 40 years ago. An effort is underway to buy at least five new robes each year to replace those now worn-out. If you would like to make a donation or help in any way, please send us an email and we will provide more details. You can also send a donation to the Alumnae Chapter and note that it is for UCM robes, and we will make sure the donation is forwarded to the chapter.

Join us at Paint Glaze & Fire Ceramics!

2009-05-01T11:12:00.001-05:00

Need to get out of the house for awhile and do something crafty? Join your AOII sisters at the local Paint Glaze & Fire Ceramics and Coffee House to paint a piece of pottery, next Wednesday, May 6! The store is located at 12683 Metcalf Avenue in Overland Park. We will meet from 6:30-8 pm. The group rate is $6, plus the price of the pottery piece you choose. If your birthday happens to be in May, visit their website to print a coupon that will save you the group rate and allow you to receive a free painting session. Please send us an email to RSVP so that we can let the store know how many of us to expect.

Arthritis Walk 2009

2009-04-29T21:29:00.000-05:00

Once again, the Kansas City alumnae of Alpha Omicron Pi are participating in the Kansas City Arthritis Walk. This year's Walk will be held on Saturday, May 16, at 9 a.m. It will be located at the Brookside Trolley Trail, 52nd and Brookside Boulevard, in Kansas City, MO. Our Vice President of Programs, Jenny, is not only leading our team this year, but she is also serving on the Arthritis Walk committee. Join thousands of people this spring in the Arthritis Walk to raise awareness and funds for arthritis, one of the nation's leading causes of disability. Arthritis research and education is the international philanthropy of Alpha Omicron Pi, and we are proud to team up with the Arthritis Foundation for the Arthritis Walk. If you'd like to make a donation, please visit the fundraising page to make a secure online donation. Be sure to select Arthritis Walk from the drop down menu and include the Walk location, team name, and AOII walker to ensure your contribution is credited properly. If you prefer to mail a check, please email us and we will provide a mailing address. Join the movement by committing to walk with us at the 2009 Arthritis Walk. Visit the AOII team page to join our team. Remember, every little bit helps!

Mary Johnson: AOII Woman of the Year

2009-04-24T11:09:00.000-05:00

The board of the Greater Kansas City Alumnae Chapter of AOII has nominated Mary Johnson as the chapter's Woman of the Year for the Alumnae Panhellenic Association of Greater Kansas City. The final award recipient will be announced at the Woman of the Year & Scholarship Brunch on Saturday, April 25. The brunch will be held from 9 am to noon and takes place at the Leawood South Country Club. Our thanks go to Mary for her many years of dedicated service and membership to not only AOII, but to many organizations in the Kansas City area. Congratulations on this wonderful honor!

Spike for Arthritis! Mud Volleyball Tournament

2009-04-17T13:10:00.000-05:00

The women of Delta Pi at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg would like to invite area AOII alumnae to their first annual Spike for Arthritis Mud Volleyball Tournament. We will be spectators watching a lot of messy fun! The tournament will be held Saturday, April 25, beginning at 11 a.m. Spend a nice day in Warrensburg watching one big mess that YOU will not have to clean up! It's a great opportunity to meet some of our collegiate sisters and relive life on a college campus for a few hours. If you have questions or would like to attend, please contact Jenny at applebugg{at}gmail{dot}com.

Sunday Girls Luncheon

2009-04-15T11:03:00.000-05:00

Join your fellow AOII sisters for a girls-only luncheon! We will meet at the Olive Garden restaurant on 95th Street, east of Metcalf Avenue, across from Metcalf South Mall, at 1:30 pm on Sunday, April 19. Please send us an email to RSVP so that we know how many to expect. See you there!

Delta Pi Chapter Alumnae Installation

2009-04-13T13:08:00.000-05:00

The ladies of Delta Pi chapter at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, MO, would like to invite all AOII alumnae to their Alumnae Installation Ceremony on Monday, April 20th, at 6 pm. If you have any questions or would like to attend, please contact Jenny, our VP of Programs and a Delta Pi advisor, at applebugg{at}gmail{dot}com. This is a great opportunity to join your sisters for a ritual ceremony and meet some of our collegiate sisters!

Share The Adventure! Attend AOII's 2009 Convention!

2009-04-07T10:31:00.000-05:00

Join your AOII sisters at the 2009 International Convention in Tampa, Florida. This year's theme is "Share the Adventure!" Share a week of inspirational speakers, celebration, fraternity business, and special Convention traditions with over 600 sisters. The Convention will be held at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina, from June 24-28, 2009. Events will include rituals, educational tracks, awards, business sessions, a candle lighting service, the Rose Banquet, Red and White Day, and the Past International Presidents' Skit. For more information:

Convention is for everyone! You don't have to be an officer or a collegiate member to attend. Gather up a group of your sisters and have a girls' getaway to Florida! Registration is open through May 1, 2009.

Ritual, Senior Kit Assembly, and Game Night

2009-04-01T11:00:00.000-05:00

Join us on Tuesday, April 7, for a fun evening of sisterhood activities. We will meet at Jenny's new home at 7 p.m. for our annual ritual and to assemble Senior Welcome Kits for the graduating seniors of Delta Pi chapter at the University of Central Missouri. If we have some time left over we'll break out some board games. Please bring snack items to donate for the senior kits. If you would like to join us, please send us an email to RSVP and we will provide directions to Jenny's home.

AOII Name the Nail Polish Contest

2009-03-27T11:04:00.000-05:00

AOII and Be! Products have partnered to create two nail polish collections exclusively for AOII. The best part is that members get to name the colors! Cute and clever is the name of the game. Submit your best AOII-inspired polish name to AOIIOnline@alphaomicronpi.org. Winning submissions will receive one AOII signature collection FREE! All entries must be received by Wednesday, April 15. Visit the AOII website to see the colors and enter your ideas.

It's Time for our Annual Plant Sale!

2009-03-24T10:50:00.000-05:00

Our annual spring flower and plant sale has been an incredibly popular event through the years. This year we will again order plants from Greeson's Greenhouse, located in Lone Jack, MO. Partial proceeds from the sale benefit the Arthritis Research Foundation, as well as scholarship funds, other philanthropic events, and chapter operations. Last year, we added tomato plants to the plant options for the first time, and it was a huge success. The plants produced mass amounts of tomatoes during a summer when many people barely got any tomatoes from plants purchased elsewhere. Orders are due April 10. Plants will be available for pick-up between April 30-May 2 at the home of Michele, our VP for Fundraising. This year we have a variety of plants available: French Marigolds, 10-12 inch size

$10 per 1/2 flat or $18 per flat (6 jumbo packs)
Gold
Orange
Yellow

Super Elfin Impatiens

$10 per 1/2 flat or $18 per flat (6 jumbo packs)
Coral
Pink
Red
Violet
White
Orange
Mix

Prelude Begonias, green leaf

$10 per 1/2 flat or $18 per flat (6 jumbo packs)
Rose
Scarlet
White
Mix

Harmony Begonias, bronze leaf

$10 per 1/2 flat or $18 per flat (6 jumbo packs)
Pink
Scarlet
White
Mix

Vinca/Periwinkle

$10 per 1/2 flat or $18 per flat (6 jumbo packs)
Lavender
Pink
Red
Rose
White
Mix

Rose Moss/Portulaca

$10 per 1/2 flat or $18 per flat (6 jumbo packs)
Vivid Color Mix

Wave Petunias

3 1/2 inch pot
$3 per pot or $40 per flat (18 pots)
Dark purple
Light purple
Pink
Purple
Rose

Geraniums

5 inch pot
$4 per pot or $25 per flat (8 pots)
Red
Pink
Salmon
Purple
White

Super Producing Tomato Plants

2 gallon pots with 24 inch bamboo stakes
$8 per plant

10-inch Hanging Baskets

$17 each
Zonal Geranium
Super Elfin Impatien
Supertunia Petunias
Combination of annual plants/flowers

Buy More Incentive!

If you order $125 or more, receive a free terra cotta planter of geraniums or super elfin impatiens!

If you are interested in ordering plants, please send us an email and we will get an order form to you right away. Checks should be made payable to AOII. Greesons Greenhouse reserves the right to make substitutions as needed.

You're Invited to the Annual Panhellenic Brunch

2009-03-22T19:35:00.001-05:00

It's almost time for the annual Panhellenic Women of the Year and Scholarship Brunch...

The Alumnae Panhellenic Association of Greater Kansas City cordially invites you to the Women of the Year & Scholarship Brunch “Sisters in Service” Saturday, April 25th, 2009 9:00 am—12:00 pm Leawood South Country Club 12700 Overbrook Road Leawood, KS 66209 A silent auction will be held with proceeds going to the Panhellenic Scholarship Fund Program Please R.S.V.P. by April 10th, 2009 to Nancy Neal 12009 Fairway Road Leawood, KS 66209 913-663-5075

If you are interested in representing Alpha Omicron Pi at this event, please let us know right away. The ticket cost is $20, but the AOII alumnae chapter will pay for half of the ticket cost for alumnae who would like to attend. Please send us an email if you would like to go, and we will provide further instructions to you.

Colonization at Washington University

2009-03-20T19:26:00.000-05:00

This is sort of old news, the press release was sent out in November, 2008, but better late than never, right? For quite awhile now, Delta Pi (University of Central Missouri) has been the only AOII chapter in Missouri. They will soon be joined by a new colony at Washington University in St. Louis. Here are the details from the press release: Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity will soon be the seventh NPC group to join the Panhellenic community at Washington University in St. Louis. Colonization is slated for Spring 2009. Located in St. Louis, Missouri, Washington University is a mid-sized private institution, which enrolls 6,220 undergraduate students, 50% which are female. Washington University offers baccalaureate degrees in over 90 individual programs as well as a number of professional degree programs and these programs have consistently been highly ranked by US News and World Report. For more information regarding the university, please visit the University’s website at www.wustl.edu. Enrollment at Washington University as well as interest in sororities has been steadily increasing over the past few years and the Panhellenic Council voted to open for extension in April 2008. Formal presentations were made in October resulting in their invitation for AOII to join the Panhellenic community. The current NPC groups on campus include: Alpha Epsilon Phi, Alpha Phi, Chi Omega, Delta Gamma, Kappa Kappa Gamma and Pi Beta Phi. The fraternity and sorority community also includes 11 NIC groups and students in each of the nine NPHC city-wide organizations in St. Louis. Alpha Omicron Pi will work with the Washington University Panhellenic Council to build a detailed colonization timeline including an extensive public relations plan. Representatives of the Fraternity will travel to St. Louis on December 1, 2008 to meet with members of the Panhellenic community and Greek Life Staff. In the coming months, AOII will train local area alumnae as advisers and hire a resident consultant who will move to St. Louis and work with the colony full time. The sororities rent suites from the University and are located in the Women’s Building. A comparable suite will be available to Alpha Omicron Pi, and renovations will be coordinated with the Greek Life Office. More information regarding the colonization process is forthcoming. AOII was founded in 1897 at Barnard College of Columbia University in New York City. Alpha Omicron Pi is an international women’s fraternity promoting friendship for a lifetime, inspiring academic excellence and lifelong learning, and developing leadership skills through service to the fraternity and community. This is exciting news for AOII!

Are You In School?

2009-03-16T12:53:00.000-05:00

The Greater Kansas City Alumnae Chapter sponsors scholarships at both the University of Kansas and the University of Central Missouri. The scholarship funds at both schools are open to junior, senior, or graduate level women. The women do not have to be members of AOII or any other sorority. At KU, the scholarship requirements include that the applicant have demonstrated financial need according to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The applicant must have completed the FAFSA by the date of the scholarship application so that our committee can accurately review the application. Applications for KU students are available on the financial aid office's website. For UCM students, the application is available in the financial aid & scholarships office. The FAFSA is not a requirement for UCM students. All applications are due April 1.

Comedy FUNdraiser Night!

2009-03-13T22:00:00.003-05:00

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! What: Comedy FUNdraiser Night Starring: Comedian L.A. Hardy When: Thursday, March 19 Where: Famous Johnny's Comedy Club (Overland Park) Time: 8 p.m. Cost: $10 Benefits: The philanthropic efforts of the K.C. Alum Chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII) L.A. Hardy has opened for well-known comedians such as: Chris Rock, Damon Wayans, Richard Lewis, Robert Schimmel, Dave Attel, Kathleen Madigan, Tony Rock and George Wallace. He's been seen on MTV, VH1, ABC's "According to Jim" and as the referee on "The Glutton Bowl." He's done stand-up on BET's "ComicView" and appeared in indie films such as "China Dolls," "Footsteps," "The Good Fight," "The Last Angry Black Man" and "Universal Remote" with Charlie Murphy. You also have seen him in national commercials for Blimpie, the NFL, Sears, Sylvan Learning Center, Capital One Credit Card and Febreze. If you haven't been to Famous Johnny's, it's an intimate place to watch comedy and get up-close-and-personal with the comic. (Or, if you prefer, sit toward the back and remain anonymous!) The club is located in Overland Park at I-435 and Metcalf behind Hooter's. More on the club: www.famousjohnnys.com More on the comedian: www.lahardy.com Want tickets? Send us an email and we will mail your tickets or meet you at the door with them! (Cash or checks payable to K.C. AOII)

Pictures from Our Steamboat Arabia Tour

2009-03-12T21:54:00.010-05:00

We had a great time last week visiting the Steamboat Arabia Museum. Here are some pictures from the day: Check back soon for details about our next event!

Dues are Due!

2009-02-24T16:25:00.000-06:00

The annual membership report for our alumnae chapter is due to Headquarters April 1st, and we need your help! If you have not paid membership dues for the current year, please do so right away. Annual dues are $35. Of this amount, $24 is paid to our International organization and $11 remains in the chapter for operating expenses. Please send us an email for information as to where to send your dues check, or refer to the most recent copy of our newsletter. If you do not receive our newsletter or e-mail updates, please let us know and we will add you to the list.

Tour Steamboat Arabia with AOII, March 7

2009-02-19T19:44:00.000-06:00

We were planning to have a sisterhood activity tomorrow, but due to a lack of RSVP's (the fact that I didn't get the information online probably didn't help any), we are going to reschedule. Join your fellow Alpha Omicron Pi sisters on Saturday, March 7, for a tour of the local treasure, Steamboat Arabia in the Rivermarket. Tours begin every 30 minutes, so we will try to gather outside the entrance shortly before 10:30 a.m. Steamboat Arabia is located at 400 Grand Boulevard in Kansas City, Missouri. The tickets cost $12.50 for adults, $11.50 for seniors who are 60 years of age or older, and $4.75 for kids between 4-12. Children 3 and under are free. Feel free to bring your kids, husbands, or friends! We will pick a restaurant for lunch afterwards. Even if you can't join us for the tour, come for lunch, or vice-versa. The phone number for the museum is (816) 471-1856 if you have any questions. Please RSVP to kcaopi{at}gmail{dot}com if you plan to attend. Hope to see you there!

Bridging the Gap

2009-02-17T22:29:00.002-06:00

Last Monday several members of the KC alumnae chapter met at the home of member Melanie for a "green" presentation by a representative of Bridging the Gap. We learned about "Five Green Things" that we can all do:

Give up bottled water.
Wash your laundry in cold water.
Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs.
Set the thermostat at 68 in the winter, 78 in the summer.
Cut your gasoline use by one quarter.

You can learn more about these things here. Bridging the Gap even has a cool green button you can click on and sign up to track your progress! Once you sign up, they will give you ideas for how to make the changes, and provide additional actions when you're ready. According to Bridging the Gap's website, making these small changes can help reduce your household's emissions by 4000 pounds, or 15%!

Welcome, 2009!

2009-02-05T19:18:00.002-06:00

Well it's been awhile since we've had an update here, but that doesn't mean we haven't been busy planning new events for the new year! Our next meeting will be this coming Monday, February 9, at 7 p.m. The location hasn't quite been determined yet- originally our Vice President of Programs, Jenny, was going to host the meeting, but she and her husband just bought a new house! They are in the process of closing and moving, so we aren't able to meet at her home. A representative from Bridging the Gap will be presenting information to us about becoming more "green." This is what their website says about the organization:

When BTG began in 1991 as a small group of concerned citizens, no one thought a volunteer-based movement could last. Today, BTG has evolved to include individuals, businesses, and government on both sides of the state line. Working with approximately 2,600 volunteers each year, we take action to make our world, region and community green, healthy and sustainable.

Bring your questions about how to lead a more sustainable lifestyle and join us for an evening of sisterhood! Please send an email if you are interested in attending, and we'll send details of the meeting location. You can find our email address by going to the upper right side of this page and clicking on "view my complete profile." Mark your calendars for our next event, a tour of the Steamboat Arabia in the Rivermarket, on Saturday, February 21!

Another Successful Founder's Day

2008-12-15T19:04:00.002-06:00

The Greater Kansas City Alumnae Chapter hosted our annual Founder's Day Celebration last Saturday. We tried out a new facility this year, the Prairie Village Community Building, and I think everyone agreed that it was a great place. There were about 18-20 ladies at our potluck luncheon, including a couple of collegiate members from Delta Pi chapter at the University of Central Missouri. Jenny did a great job planning the event. There were pictures from a variety of our past activities to enjoy, and we heard the Founders' Day messages from the AOII Executive Board and the Foundation Board. A jar was put out to help collect donations for the Ruby Fund and we raised $62! We also held a collection for non-perishable food items, which will be donated to a local food pantry. Thanks to everyone who joined us on Saturday, and for those of you who were unable to be there, we hope to see you at a future event! Check your most recent newsletter for updates on our upcoming events. If you aren't receiving the newsletter year-round and would like to, please send us an email. Once the pictures from Saturday are available, we'll post some here.

Founder's Day

2008-12-04T19:56:00.002-06:00

The Kansas City Alumnae Chapter invites all members in the area to join us for Founder's Day! Saturday, December 13, 2008 11 a.m. Prairie Village Community Center 7700 Mission Road Prairie Village, KS Please bring a dish to share as we enjoy brunch together, present awards for Outstanding Delta Pi Collegian and honor our 25, 50, 70, and 75 year members. We will also collect cash donations for the Ruby Fund as well as canned goods for a local food pantry. Please email us to RSVP and let us know what dish you will share. We look forward to seeing you!

Pictures from the Roasterie Tour

2008-11-13T12:44:00.004-06:00

Several AOII sisters enjoyed a fun morning tour at Kansas City's Roasterie coffee plant. Here are some pictures of the group: Don't forget our next event, Game Night, coming up next week!

Game Night

2008-11-03T18:49:00.002-06:00

Join us in November for alumnae events! Monday, November 10 Meet fellow sisters for lunch at The Forum in Overland Park. The Forum is located at 3501 W. 95th Street. The group will gather from noon-2 p.m. The cost of the luncheon is $9.50. For more information, please contact Cherie Smith at 913*642*6073. Tuesday, November 18 Come out for Game Night! We'll play board games and assemble finals survival kits for the collegians at Delta Pi chapter. Please bring some type of snack to include in the kits, such as microwave popcorn, granola bars, cocoa mix, candies, or snack mix. We'll box everything up to ship to the chapter. R.S.V.P for game night by sending an email to Jenny at applebugg{at}gmail{dot}com.

Join us on Facebook!

2008-10-23T18:42:00.002-05:00

The Greater Kansas City Alumnae Group has another new way for you to keep in touch with us and stay updated on our events and activities. We recently created a Facebook group dedicated to our alumnae in the Kansas City area! You can find the group here. If you don't already have a Facebook account, it's really easy to sign up. There are several other Alpha Omicron Pi groups you can join, including the official group managed by Alpha Omicron Pi, groups dedicated to specific collegiate chapters, and more. Many alumnae in the Kansas City area were initiated into Phi chapter. A Phi group was created this past week by another alumna member, and if you are a Phi alumna you can find that group here. Many other collegiate chapters also have groups available. We'll try to be diligent about cross-posting items on the blog, Facebook, and inCircle, as well as sending our regular email updates so we can try to reach as many women as possible. This blog has already been a great referral tool for new alumnae moving to the area along with women who have already been in Kansas City. If you have any suggestions or questions, let us know!

Tour KC's The Roasterie Coffee Plant with AOII

2008-10-09T20:03:00.000-05:00

Join your Alpha Omicron Pi sisters on Saturday, October 18, for a free tour of Kansas City's very own coffee plant, The Roasterie! We will meet at 11 a.m. at The Roasterie, located at 1204 W. 27th Street in Kansas City, Missouri. If you need directions, go here to find directions from nearly every location. After the tour, we'll choose somewhere nearby to have lunch and conversation. A few years ago, our group took a tour of the Boulevard Brewing Company, and it was a big hit. We thought it would be fun to visit another local company to see how things run behind the scenes. If you are interested in joining us for the tour, please RSVP to Jenny at applebugg {at} gmail {dot} com. We need to give a number to the Roasterie so they know what to expect, and it's also nice for us to know who to look for! Spouses, friends, and (well-behaved) children are welcome to tag along. Hope to see you there!

A Successful Fall Kickoff Event!

2008-10-07T20:49:00.004-05:00

Our "Girls Night Out" dinner event at Old Chicago last month was a huge success!

The "regulars" among us were thrilled with the number of newcomers who joined us for dinner. It was a diverse group of ladies from various chapters around the country, most of whom were new to the Kansas City area. We are all very excited about such a successful beginning to the new year of events, and all of us who are active in the alumnae chapter hope even more new members will join the fun! If you are not currently receiving our email updates or the printed newsletter, and would like to be added to the list, please send us an email with your information. Check back here in the next few days for an update on our next event!

Girls' Night Out at Old Chicago!

2008-09-13T18:04:00.004-05:00

This week on Friday, September 19, the Kansas City area alumnae will host a Girls' Night Out and Fall Kickoff at Old Chicago in Olathe, located at I-35 and 119th Street. We welcome any and all alumnae in the area to join us. We'll be meeting at the restaurant at 7 p.m. for dinner, drinks, and conversation. Since we'll need to contact the restaurant on Friday to make a reservation, we'll need to have a somewhat accurate count of how many ladies will be joining us. If you haven't already, please send an RSVP email to Jenny at applebugg{at}gmail{dot}com. Please try to RSVP so we make sure to have enough space for everyone, but if you just show up we'll still be happy to see you!

When you get there, just let the hostess know you are with the AOII group. Or, wear your letters and look for others with the same!

Don't Miss the AOII Beach Party!

2008-09-03T22:49:00.002-05:00

The AOII Foundation Beach Party is almost over! If you haven't heard, the Foundation has been running a Beach Party campaign this summer, complete with a limited-edition pair of AOII flip-flops. Click on this link to see the presentation (music involved, so adjust your speakers accordingly!). At the end of the show, you will have the opportunity to make a $35 tax-deductible donation to the Foundation, and on top of that you will receive an adorable pair of AOII flip flops! But hurry up, the party is almost over!

Welcome to a New Year and New Members!

2008-08-26T18:54:00.004-05:00

The Kansas City Alumnae Chapter has been on a break over the summer, but now that summer is rapidly coming to a close, we are busy getting ready for our best year ever! Our fall newsletter should be arriving in your mailboxes soon. If you aren't on our mailing list, or if you aren't sure if you are, send us an email and we'll be sure to add you. We mail four beautiful, full-color newsletters printed by Illustratus each year. Over the summer we've received more emails from potential new members than ever before! We are very excited to start this new year. Here are a few basic facts about our chapter:

Chapter dues are $35/year. Of this amount, $25 is sent to AOII International. The other $10 remains in the local chapter and is used for chapter operating expenses such as our directory, supplies, and postage.
Recent graduates are entitled to their first year FREE! Let us know if you are a recent graduate and would like to join our chapter.
The Kansas City chapter has a "day group" and an "evening group." Many ladies meet for lunch and social time once a month on a Monday, alternating between a couple of locations. The evening group often has activities on weekday evenings. You are welcome to pick and choose your events or go to all of them!
We try to hold a Founder's Day celebration on the first Saturday of December every year.

The day group will have its first luncheon on Monday, September 8, from noon-2 p.m. It will be held at The Forum, located at 3501 W. 95th Street in Overland Park. The luncheon cost is $9.50. For more details, please contact Cherie Smith, our day meeting coordinator, at 913-642-6073. The evening group will kick off the new year with a Girls' Night Out dinner on Friday, September 19, at the Old Chicago restaurant located at I-35 and 119th Street in Olathe. Meet us at the restaurant at 7 p.m. Please send an email RSVP to Jenny at applebugg {at} gmail {dot} com. Please email us with any questions and we look forward to meeting new friends and reconnecting with old ones this year!

Become Life Loyal to AOII

2008-06-04T20:35:00.000-05:00

"I am Life Loyal" More than 1500 of your AOII sisters have said those four proud words. Join them today and share that bond of knowing that you are a part of some of AOII's most loyal and caring members. You can join by going to www.lifeloyalaoii.org. You can pay the one-time cost of $299, or you may pay $29 per month over twelve months. Benefits of Life Loyal membership include:

Beautiful Life Loyal pin to wear with pride
Personalized membership card
Lifetime subscription of To Dragma
Recognition of Life Loyal status in To Dragma
Automatic fulfillment of the AOII International Operating Fees portion of council dues
Exclusive Emporium discounts
Membership in Working Advantage for discounts on entertainment and family events nationwide

Plus, you get to choose one of three beautiful gifts: a silver beveled jewelry box, a silver business card holder, or a silver mirror compact! Information from a recent mailer from Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity.

Walking for Arthritis Research

2008-05-27T20:31:00.000-05:00

Our VP of Programs, Jenny, organized a team to walk in the recent Kansas City Arthritis Foundation Walk, to raise money for Arthritis Research.

It was a beautiful day for a walk, and several Alpha Omicron Pi alumnae showed up to walk with Jenny. The KC Alumnae Chapter donated $50 to the team.

Here are some pictures Jenny sent:

Comedy Night Fundraiser

2008-05-20T20:49:00.000-05:00

The KC Alumnae Chapter had a new fundraiser this year, and it was FUN! Jenny and Gina worked with Famous Johnny's Comedy Club in Overland Park to set up this fundraiser. The club gave us a bunch of tickets to sell for $10 each, and the chapter was allowed to keep $9 of every ticket sold! We didn't sell as many tickets as we'd hoped, but we had a fun group of 16 people at the club on Friday, May 2. A young local comic warmed the crowd up for the main act, Ken Rogerson. This was a great fundraising idea, because it required no money up front; very little work on our part; and we had great entertainment. We highly recommend Famous Johnny's as a fun night out for a group of friends and we hope to do something like this again sometime!

Founders Day Recap

2008-05-07T20:14:00.000-05:00

Our Founder's Day celebration that was originally scheduled for December had to be cancelled due to icy weather. It was rescheduled for February 23, and we had a wonderful time.

Around 20 collegiate members from Delta Pi chapter made the drive into the city to attend, and 10-15 alumnae members also attended our potluck luncheon. One of our new members this year, Lori, graciously volunteered the clubhouse at her condo complex and it was a perfect location.

Jenny, our VP of Programs, did an excellent job of planning Founder's Day. She even found time to put together four fabulous prize baskets, each with their own theme, to be raffled as a fundraiser for the Ruby Fund. We gave each collegiate member one free raffle ticket, and additional tickets were available for $1 each.

We raised $89 for the Ruby Fund, which also includes two donations mailed separately from other member.

Below are some pictures from our celebration.

Girl's Day Out and Ritual

2008-04-16T18:23:00.003-05:00

Join your fellow Kansas City alumnae for a girl's day out this Saturday! We will enjoy a luncheon at the home of our Vice President for Programs, Jenny, at 1 p.m. We will also conduct our yearly ritual ceremony at this gathering. One of our traditions each year is to assemble goodie bags for the graduating seniors at the nearest collegiate chapter, Delta Pi, located at the University of Central Missouri. The chapter provides us with the names of all graduating seniors. The kits include snacks, along with AOII goodies like pencils and notepads, as well as information about joining the alumnae chapter. New graduates should remember that their first year of alumnae chapter membership is free! AOII International does not charge any international dues (which total $25 this year and next) for the first year of alumnae membership. If you'd like to join us on Saturday for lunch and ritual, please send us an email so we know who to expect! Please also bring some type of snack item to include in the goodie bags, like popcorn, candy, or gum (approximately 10-15 items).

Kansas City Arthritis Walk

2008-04-12T12:29:00.002-05:00

The 2008 Kansas City Arthritis Foundation Walk will take place on Saturday, May 17, at 9 a.m. Jenny, our Vice President of Programs, is leading an AOII Alumnae team in the walk, and currently the team is in 5th place overall, with $675 raised. The team fundraising goal is $1000. Currently the team has five members signed up to walk. Are you interested in helping? You can sign up to walk by going here. Click on "Join Our Team" and follow the instructions. Or, you can donate to the cause. Use this link and get credit for your donation through the AOII Foundation. If you prefer to mail a paper check, you can do that too. Make checks payable to AOII Foundation and send them to: Alpha Omicron Pi Foundation, Attn Arthritis Walk P.O. Box 395 Brentwood, TN 37024 Please be sure to indicate the following on every donation: --AOII name - Greater Kansas City Alumnae Chapter --Team name - KC Alpha Omicron Pi Alumnae --Walk location - Kansas City, MO 100% of your donations will be tax deductible, attributed to your local Walk, and the chapter will receive the credit!

Volunteer with Us

2008-03-26T19:39:00.000-05:00

Every spring, our alumnae chapter chooses a philanthrophic project that we can do as a group, often one that includes our families and friends. This year, we will serve as clothes closet volunteers at True Light Family Resource Center, located at 712 E 31st St in Kansas City, MO. We will volunteer from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 29. You are welcome to bring husbands, significant others, friends, or even children who are capable of folding, sorting, and hanging clothes. Usually after we work on a project like this we also find a good restaurant nearby to eat and socialize in afterwards. Please email us if you are interested in joining us!

Order Spring Plants Now!

2008-03-22T22:29:00.003-05:00

The Kansas City Alumnae Chapter's annual spring flower sale fundraiser is underway! Proceeds from this fundraiser benefit a variety of things including the Arthritis Research Foundation, the Alpha Omicron Pi Foundation, scholarships, local philanthropic endeavors, and alumnae chapter operations. An order form was available in the spring newsletter that recently mailed. If you didn't receive the newsletter but would like to order plants, please email us as soon as possible and we will get an order form to you! Flowers and plants available include:

Marigolds
Impatiens
Begonias
Vinca/periwinkle
Rose moss/portaluca
Petunias
Geraniums
Tomato plants
And a variety of hanging baskets

Plants will be available for pickup at the home of Michele Park in Olathe on May 2. The plants are grown at Greeson Greenhouses in Lone Jack, Missouri. We have had lots of compliments on the hardiness and growth of these flowers. Make sure to get your order in as well as orders from your friends and family!

Planning Ahead for Spring

2008-03-11T19:22:00.003-05:00

We'll hopefully have an update soon about our Founder's Day celebration last month, but in the meantime, here are some of our upcoming events for this spring. First of all, our popular annual flower sale fundraiser is now underway! Partial proceeds from the sale benefit the Arthritis Research Foundation, as well as other philanthropic endeavors such as scholarships. Our plants are grown at Greeson Greenhouses in Lone Jack, MO. Flower sale order forms were provided in our most recent newsletter. If you are not on our year-round mailing list and would like to be, please let us know! If you would like to receive an order form- either to place your own order or to sell to family and friends- please send us an email.

Monday March 10: The daytime group will meet for lunch at Kingswood Manor at noon. Please email us for more information or to RSVP.
Saturday, March 29: Our annual spring philanthropic event will be at True Light Family Resource Center in Kansas City, MO. We'll be volunteering from 10 a.m. to noon and will assist with sorting and organizing clothes. Friends and family who are capable of folding, sorting, and hanging clothes are welcome to join us.
Saturday, April 19: We'll have a girls' luncheon and our annual ritual at 1 p.m. We will also be assembling goodie bags for the graduating seniors at the Delta Pi chapter at UCM.
Friday, May 2: Comedy Night FUNdraiser! We are selling tickets to Famous Johnny's Comedy Club in Overland Park. Tickets are just $10, and we get to keep a large portion of this for philanthropic donations and chapter operations.
Monday, May 12: The daytime group will meet at noon for lunch at The Forum.
Saturday, May 17: The Arthritis Walk, to raise funds for arthritis research. You can make a donation or join us to walk on the AOII team.
Friday, May 23: Playdate at Deanna Rose Farmstead, 9 a.m. to noon.

More details will follow soon about all of these events, but we wanted to make sure you got them on your calendar!

Becoming a Money Diva

2008-02-24T20:09:00.005-06:00

At our most recent evening meeting, we welcomed an investment expert from Morgan Stanley. She tailored her wealth-management presentation to topics of interest to women. Here are a few pictures from the evening. Thank you to Kristen for hosting our meeting!

Our rescheduled Founder's Day celebration was held last Saturday. Approximately 30 women were in attendance, including local alumnae as well as a large group of collegiate women from Delta Pi chapter at the University of Central Missouri. Pictures and highlights of the event will be posted soon!

February Events and Rescheduled Founder's Day

2008-02-03T22:35:00.000-06:00

Happy Winter! After taking a break in January so everyone can recover from the holidays, the Kansas City alumnae are back in full swing with a variety of events in February!

Monday, February 11: Our day group will meet at The Forum, located at 3501 W 95th Street in Prairie Village. Any interested alumnae are welcome to join this group for lunch and fellowship from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. The Forum's phone number is 913-648-4980. For more information, please send us an email.
Monday, February 11: "Becoming A Money Diva!" A wealth management seminar tailored to women will be presented by an expert from Morgan Stanley. The meeting will be held at the home of Kristen McBride and will begin promptly at 7 pm. Snacks will be provided. Please send us an email to RSVP and we will provide directions to Kristen's home.
Friday, February 15: Bring the kids for a Children's Playdate at Wonderscope. Meet member Michele Park and her kids at 10 a.m. Admission cost is $3 to $6 per person. Please send us an email to RSVP so that Michele knows who to look for at the museum.
Friday, February 22: Join us to "Crop 'Til You Drop" and work on your scrapbooks! You can work on your own album or help with the alumnae scrapbook. Plenty of tablespace and tools will be available courtesy of Michele Park, a Creative Memories consultant and alumnae chapter vice president. Even if you don't scrapbook, come on over for the fun! We need help identifying women in some older photographs. Please send us an email to RSVP and we'll provide you with directions to Michele's home.

And finally, we have rescheduled our iced-out Founder's Day celebration!

Join us on Saturday, February 23 at the Clubhouse at Lakeview Condos and Townhomes, located at 13700 W 58th Terrace in Shawnee. Our luncheon will begin at 12 p.m. and conclude by 2 p.m. Please bring a dish to share. More details about the celebration will follow.

Please send an email if you would like more information about any of these events or to let us know that you will attend!

Be Included in the Next Newsletter!

2008-01-30T16:32:00.001-06:00

Our next newsletter will be mailed in March, and we're looking for information to include! Please email us any news or other important information you would like to share, including things like:

new babies
engagements
weddings
graduations
new jobs
pictures
philanthropy events
anything that you think would be of interest to your fellow Alpha Omicron Pi sisters!

The deadline for the next issue is this Friday, February 1.

The Kansas City alumnae publish four newsletters per year. Our August issue is mailed to the entire list of alumnae in the Greater Kansas City area (as provided by Alpha Omicron Pi International). However, due to printing and mailing costs, we send the remaining three issues to a smaller list of women who have either requested to receive all the newsletters, or who have had some type of contact with the chapter in the last five years.

If you are not receiving all four newsletters (or any) and would like to be included, please send us an email!

AOII Mastercard

2008-01-08T23:30:00.000-06:00

Did you spend too much money during the recent holiday season? Next year, earn great gifts for yourself while you shop! Apply for the AOII Mastercard and you can earn great perks such as cash, travel, merchandise, and gift certificates. The card features a beautiful, four-color photograph of the Alpha Omicron Pi headquarters. For additional information about this program, contact AOII Headquarters at 615-370-0920 or send an email to marketing{at}alphaomicronpi.org.

AOII Foundation Survey

2007-12-29T12:25:00.000-06:00

The Alpha Omicron Pi Foundation recently sent out an email requesting members to participate in a survey to assist the Foundation Board with strategic planning for 2008-2010. You can participate in the survey by going here. If you have already participated in the survey via telephone, there is no need to do the survey on the web. The data will be compiled and presented to the board at the January 19, 2008, meeting. The survey closes on January 8.

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-21T10:24:00.001-06:00

The Alpha Omicron Pi alumnae of the greater Kansas City area wish you a safe, happy, and fun holiday season! Check back here after the New Year for more information about our spring events, including a rescheduled Founder's Day.

Gift Ideas: Brick Walkway

2007-12-14T20:37:00.000-06:00

Honor a special sister with a permanent marker at Alpha Omicron Pi International Headquarters! You can purchase an engraved brick to recognize a sister, honor your collegiate or alumnae chapter, or even for yourself. The brick walkway connects the front and rear parking areas on the south side of the Headquarters building, curving under the shade of tall oak trees. In the center of the walkway lies the Founders' Circle, which honors the four founders of AOII. The centennial time capsule, buried in 1997, lies in the center of the Founders' Circle. Click here to download an order form, or for more information you may contact Headquarters at 615-370-0920.

Gift Ideas: Rewards Magazine Program

2007-12-11T16:30:00.000-06:00

Are you still looking for great holiday gift ideas? Any Alpha Omicron Pi member or friend can take advantage of this special opportunity to save up to 85% off newstand prices by ordering or renewing magazines through the REWARDS Magazine program. With over 650 titles to choose from, there is a magazine to appeal to any sister, so reward yourself with subscription today. How can you start buying?

Visit aoii.efundraising.com.
Type in the name of the alumnae/collegiate chapter you represent and click "Find."
Select the name of your chapter.
Click "Buy a Magazine" and start purchasing!

Magazines may only be ordered in the United States. Efforts are being made to make this opportunity available in Canada.

Founder's Day Cancelled

2007-12-08T09:44:00.000-06:00

Thanks to the winter weather that has hit the area, we have had to cancel our Founder's Day celebration scheduled for today. Our alumnae chapter covers such a large geographic area- one could easily drive an hour and half or more from one member's home to another's- and it seems that iciness has descended upon all of our area. Parts of the interstate highways in the area are shut down and there are numerous accidents being reported on the news already this morning. We will reschedule the event for a later date. Big thanks to Jenny for all the hard work she has done on Founder's Day!

Gift Wrap Fundraiser

2007-12-03T20:38:00.000-06:00

The Kansas City alumnae are trying out a new fundraiser this year! We will be volunteering to wrap holiday gifts at Barnes and Noble, located at Town Center Plaza in Leawood. The bookstore will provide a table and signs for us, and they will notify customers of the opportunity to have their purchases gift-wrapped. We're hoping that our gift-wrapping skills will bring us lots of donations from the customers! At this time, we have enough volunteers to fill our shifts. But, you can still help out by shopping a Barnes and Noble while we're there:

Wednesday, December 12, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

You can finish your holiday shopping at Barnes and Noble, AND help out Alpha Omicron Pi at the same time! All donations received will be used for various philanthrophic projects at the local and national levels, as well as chapter operations. If you are interested in volunteering for this fundraiser in the future, please let us know. If it turns out to be successful and we have interested volunteers, we will definitely do it again!

Founder's Day- Mark Your Calendar

2007-11-26T14:55:00.000-06:00

The Greater Kansas City Alpha Omicron Pi Alumnae will celebrate Founder's Day on Saturday, December 8, 2007. The event will be a potluck luncheon held in the Gallery Room of the Heartland Community Church, located at 8300 Lamar Avenue in Overland Park. The luncheon will begin at 11:00 a.m. If you would like to attend, please send us an email to RSVP. Please also let us know what dish you will bring to share. We will honor our 50 year members at the luncheon, as well as award one alumna member as Outstanding Alumnae Member. We will also have a raffle and door prizes to help raise money for philanthropic activities. And, we will be collecting nonperishable food items to donate to a local food pantry. We hope to see you there!

Game Night

2007-11-19T10:40:00.001-06:00

Kansas City area alumnae gathered last Monday at the home of Melania Harris for food, conversation, and trivia.

We played the 90's edition of Trivial Pursuit and quickly decided that most of us were either not very good at trivia, or didn't remember much of the 90's.

Members also brought a variety of snacks- cocoa packets, granola bars, cookies, and candy- to pack up and send to the Delta Pi chapter at the University of Central Missouri during finals week.

It was a fun evening and we are looking forward to more game nights in the future!

National Philanthropy Day

2007-11-14T21:48:00.000-06:00

National Philanthropy Day® is the special day set aside to recognize and pay tribute to the great contributions that philanthropy - and those people active in the philanthropic community - have made to our lives, our communities and our world. This year marks the 22nd anniversary of this special day. Help the AOII Foundation celebrate National Philanthropy Day on November 15. We encourage you to take this opportunity to either donate or get involved with your favorite charity.

Jingle Bell Run

2007-11-11T20:35:00.000-06:00

Be a part of the 2007 Jingle Bell Run and help raise money for the Arthritis Foundation! There are three runs in the Kansas City area:

November 18- Kansas City North
December 8- Lee's Summit
December 9- Overland Park

Individual and team prizes will be awarded for the best time, best costume, and most funds raised. Holiday costumes and jingle bells are encouraged! Run or walk a 5K route with your friends and help raise money for the nation's number one cause of disability. Click here for more information about how you can participate in these events. Don't forget- there are two area alumnae events tomorrow, November 12. Join us for a daytime luncheon or an evening game night, or both! Scroll down a couple posts for more details, or send us an email.

Girls' Night Out in Lawrence

2007-11-06T20:38:00.000-06:00

A small but lively group of alumnae met at The Sandbar in Lawrence on Friday, November 2. It turned out to be a great night for us to be there since it was Homecoming Weekend at the University of Kansas; though many of our alumnae members had conflicts with this weekend that prevented them from being able to attend.

One of the highlights of the evening was the Bar Band, a small group of members of the Marching Jayhawks who travel around to several local bars on the nights before home football games. The Bar Band came in around 11 p.m. and entertained the crowd with the KU Fight Song, alma mater, and some other peppy tunes.

We hope to plan more girls' night out events at various locations around our (very large) geographic area, so if you have an idea for fun night out, please let us know!

November Events

2007-11-04T14:46:00.000-06:00

Join the Alpha Omicron Pi alumnae this month! We have two social events scheduled:

Monday, November 12th - Our Day Group meeting will be at The Forum this month. It is located at 3501 W. 95th St., Prairie Village, KS. The group meets for lunch and fellowship from 12 to 2 p.m. The Forum's phone number is 913-648-4980. For more information, please contact Cherie Smith at 913-642-6073.
Monday, November 12th - Join us at 7 p.m. at the home of Melania Harris for a night of games and fun. Please bring a few treats (cookies, candy, popcorn, etc.) for the University of Central Missouri Finals Survival Kits. We may even break a few of the snacks open to enjoy while we visit and play games. Please email us to RSVP for the event and we will provide you with directions to Melania's home.

Phi Chapter House

2007-11-02T19:24:00.001-05:00

Many of you who read this blog are probably alumnae of Phi (the University of Kansas). This email was sent out this week to Phi alumnae with information regarding the property at K.U.

November 1, 2007

Dear Sisters,

As an alumna of the Phi Chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi, we want to keep you informed of news involving your Chapter. Since closing the Phi Chapter at the University of Kansas over ten years ago, Alpha Omicron Pi has remained in close communication with the university regarding recruitment numbers and the existence of the Phi Chapter house on campus. Because of the state of the house in comparison to other houses on campus, the Fraternity has always known that additional housing facilities would have to be arranged at the time of a recolonization of the Phi Chapter.

During this time, AOII leased the chapter house to the local chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity with the option to purchase the property at a later date. AOII has recently sold the chapter house at the University of Kansas as part of a settlement which concludes several years of litigation with Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. The litigation addressed the circumstances of that lease, as well as the rights of the parties under the option agreement.

Ultimately, the decision was made to sell the property as one means of resolving the litigation. The sale of the chapter house has brought a conclusion to this litigation that was unanimously acceptable to the AOII Executive Board.

Although AOII is committed to recolonizing the Phi Chapter at the University of Kansas, current recruitment numbers are not conducive with extension opportunities at this time. At the moment when the extension opportunity presents itself, we will make every effort to reinstall Phi’s tradition on campus and address proper housing developments that will ensure the chapter is competitive with other sororities on campus.

Fraternally,

Susan Danko

President, Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity

Jane Tessmer

President, Alpha Omicron Pi Properties, Inc

Girls' Night Out

2007-10-30T20:54:00.000-05:00

Join your AOII sisters for a girls' night out on the town this Friday, November 2! Most of our activities take place int he Greater Kansas City area, but this event will be held in Lawrence. We know there are many alumnae in Lawrence, and since the Topeka/Lawrence alumnae chapter closed last year, we're making an effort to reach out to women in the area. We'll be enjoying tropical drinks, a large saltwater fish tank, and the best jukebox in town at The Sandbar, located at 17 E. 8th Street in beautiful downtown Lawrence. Most of us will be there by around 8 p.m. Our chapter president, Becki, has graciously offered her home in Lawrence as a meeting point prior to heading to the bar. If you are interested in meeting us at Becki's, please email us and we'll provide you with her address. Otherwise, we'll see you at The Sandbar this Friday night!

Crate and Barrel Shopping Event

2007-10-25T20:42:00.000-05:00

We received this notice from the Alpha Delta Pi alumnae of Kansas City. It sounds like a fun and interesting event, and it benefits a great cause. Alpha Delta Pi is having their first annual event with Crate and Barrel, Sunday, November 4, 2007, 5-7PM, to raise money for the Ronald McDonald Charities, our national philanthropy. We want to invite you and your sorority sisters, your friends, relatives and neighbors to attend our event. Crate and Barrel will be serving wine, appetizers and dessert. They will be presenting table decorating for the Holidays. They will also be demonstrating some of their new appliances and gadgets for the Holiday shopping season. There will be a few items donated from Crate and Barrel for drawings that day. This is the first weekend that Crate and Barrel will be decorated for the Holidays! So, come out and see what's new for the Holiday Season at Crate and Barrel and help us raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities.

When you donate $20.00, Ronald McDonald House Charities will receive $10.00 and you will receive a $10.00 Crate and Barrel Shop card that never expires! Additionally, Crate and Barrel will donate 10% of the evening's sales to the Ronald McDonald House Charities. You can register online for this event by going here.

Making Mosaics

2007-10-23T20:25:00.001-05:00

A group of alumnae women (and one young boy!) met at Mad About Mosaics last week to get crafty and socialize with sisters. The store is located at 6417 W. 119th Street in Overland Park, in a shopping center behind the Cheesecake Factory.

What a fun idea! At the store, you can select the piece you want to mosaic from thousands of options. There were small items like votive holders all the way up to huge pieces like furniture. Each item is priced to include all the supplies, like the mosaic tiles and grout, so you know up front how much it will cost to finish the project.

The women in our group chose things like Halloween decorations, crosses, platters, and picture frames. Then we got busy choosing our tiles- that was the hard part! The great thing about the store, though, is that they have plenty of examples hanging everywhere to inspire even the least-creative person. We glued tiles, snacked on candy, and chatted for a couple hours.

If you're looking for creative gift ideas or a fun afternoon activity, Mad About Mosaics is a great place to start.

Stonehaus Farms Winery

2007-10-03T20:08:00.000-05:00

Our first event of the year was a great success!

Several "regulars" from the Kansas City alumnae chapter met up with some new alumnae friends at Stonehaus Farms Winery in Lee's Summit. We had a great time sitting on the back patio getting to know each other and sampling the great variety of wines at the winery. (We were underneath a shaded patio to avoid the hot sun...as a result the picture turned out with crazy shadows!)

If you've never been to the winery, it's a great day trip. The winery is located on beautiful grounds, with several buildings available for events, along with a gift shop, wine tasting, and wine to purchase and take home.

We have three social events planned for October and hope other alumnae women will be able to join us for one or all three!

Our First Social Event

2007-09-18T21:10:00.000-05:00

Join your fellow Alpha Omicron Pi alumnae this Saturday, September 22, to kick off a brand new year of fun fellowship, philanthropy, and personal development. We will be gathering at the Stonehaus Farms Winery, located at 24607 NE Colburn Road in Lee's Summit, MO, at 2 p.m. Look for a group of women wearing red! Even if you've never met any of us or attended one of our meetings, come on out. And feel free to bring along any AOII friends! Please email us to RSVP as soon as possible. We look forward to seeing a lot of new faces on Saturday!

Delta Pi Chapter's Fall Recruitment

2007-08-17T18:45:00.000-05:00

We have received the recruitment schedule for the Delta Pi chapter at the University of Central Missouri. Friday, September 7: Philanthrophy Day, Panhellenic Hall, 4-9 p.m. Saturday, September 8: Chapter Day, Panhellenic Hall, 12:30-4 p.m. Sunday, September 9: Preference Day, Panhellenic Hall, 12:30-5 p.m. If you are an Alpha Omicron Pi alumna and would like to attend recruitment or help in any other way, please email us and we will get you in contact with the ladies of Delta Pi. Good luck to Delta Pi during this fall's recruitment!

Getting Ready for a New Year

2007-08-08T20:37:00.000-05:00

It's August, and we all know what that means. Even if you aren't in school anymore, it's still back-to-school time. Maybe you have kids, or siblings, or friends who are still in school. Maybe you work at a school. Or maybe your life has nothing to do with school of any sort- but I bet you still get that urge to shop for new clothes, restock your home office supplies, and other activities associated with going back to school. August also means that it's almost time for the Kansas City Alumnae Chapter to start meeting again. Our first newsletter of the year will come out in the next few weeks. If you haven't ever received our newsletter, email us as soon as possible so we can get you added to the list. We mail four newsletters each year: the first newsletter of the season goes out to the entire area's mailing list provided by International. It's approximately 500 women. Because of the expense in mailing this, however, the remaining three newsletters are sent to a smaller list of of women. Our alumnae group gets together to go over the list, which includes any woman who has shown even a glimmer of interest in the group. Perhaps they paid dues a few years ago; maybe they came to one meeting last year; or maybe we only see them at Founder's Day. If you've received our fall newsletter in the past but then never received another, let us know if you'd like to be added to the year-round mailing list. We're happy to add you! Our Vice President of Programs, Jenny, has put together a fantastic lineup of activities this year with help from the board members. Instead of the typical Monday night meeting once a month, we have a variety of things going on at different times in an attempt to appeal to a wider group of women. We still have plenty of activities on Monday nights, but we've added mom-and-kids playdates, girls' night out on a Friday, a night of scrapbooking, and ballgames for the family. Our Monday evening get-togethers will include things from making mosaics to financial planning. And of course we still have the traditional Monday luncheons once a month. We've also been trying to reach out to new women in new ways by taking advantage of the technology world. We've searched inCircle for women in our area and personally emailed them. We've done the same thing on MySpace. And this blog has helped as well, we think. So what are you waiting for? If you've ever thought about becoming involved with the alumnae chapter, now is a great time. We'd love to add new faces and new ideas to our group!

Convention Photos

2007-07-22T21:44:00.001-05:00

Our Vice President for Programming, Jenny, attended the Alpha Omicron Pi International Convention last month. She shared some photos from her time there. Here are some pictures of the gorgeous resort-like hotel where the Convention was held:

And here are some pictures of the women who attended. The first one is of Jenny and her roommates before the formal evening, and the other photo is of a large group of AOII's lined up on the stairs for a picture.

It was another successful Convention for Alpha Omicron Pi, and the Kansas City alumnae members are thrilled that we were able to send Jenny as our representative this year.

Recruitment is coming up

2007-07-10T22:09:00.001-05:00

Recruitment will begin on many college campuses in the next month or two. If you, or your daughter/sister/niece/cousin/friend will be heading off to college and going through formal recruitment, let us know! If there is an Alpha Omicron Pi chapter at your college, a member of our group would be happy to complete a Membership Information Form (MIF) and provide a recommendation to the chapter. You can email us through this blog and we'll get in touch with you to let you know what information we need. Good luck to all women going through recruitment!

Programming Ideas: Help us plan!

2007-06-11T19:57:00.000-05:00

We are always looking for new ideas to make our meetings more fun and interesting. Here are some ideas for programming from our Alumnae Network Specialist's monthly newsletter. Leave us a comment and let us know what your favorite idea is, or give us a new idea! Planning for next year will start soon. Cooking Class Book Club Discussion Play Dates for Mom’s with young children Family Day in the park/zoo Couples pot luck dinner Wine Tasting/Winery Tour/Brewery Tour Bunco or other game night Spa Outing (manicure/pedicure/ massage) Craft Class (Ceramics, Painting, Basket Weaving, whatever!) Gardening Class Girls Night Out (Dinner, Movie, Theatre show, etc) Summer Pool Party Holiday Party and Cookie or Ornament Exchange Apple/Pumpkin Picking in Fall with Families

Recognize Outstanding Women Leaders in Higher Education

2007-06-06T18:32:00.000-05:00

The National Panhellenic Conference Foundation is seeking nominations for the 2007 Women in Higher Education Achievement Award. This award recognizes an outstanding woman who promotes high ideals and has achieved significant success in her chosen field as a faculty member, staff member, or administrator on a college campus or through association with a professional education association or government entity, which promotes higher education. Recipients will receive a $1000 honorarium. In 2005, the Foundation was pleased to honor Dr. Karen A. Holbrook, President of The Ohio State University and member of Gamma Phi Beta, with this award. Nomination packets must be postmarked by July 15, 2007. A nomination packet can be downloaded here.

Rose Tributes for Foundation

2007-05-27T11:13:00.000-05:00

As part of Convention, Rose Tributes are again being offered for $5 each. Please send your Rose Tribute order and list of names to the Foundation office by June 5, so that cards and emblems can be included in the Convention on-site registration packets. They will also be available during Convention at the Foundation display table. Kansas City Alumnae will be represented at this year's Convention by Jenny Horsley, our Vice President of Programming. Our Alumnae Network Specialist, Lisa Dutt, will also be in attendance. The Rose Tribute fundraising goal this year is $16,225, and all money raised will support the Loyalty Fund. Your Rose Tribute gifts are 100% tax deductible. Thank you for your support!

New Collegiate and Alumnae Chapters

2007-05-23T19:51:00.000-05:00

Alpha Omicron Pi is expanding! The 182nd chartered chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi, Lambda Alpha, was installed at the University of La Verne in southern California on May 5, 2007. Thirty wonderful women were initiated into Alpha Omicron Pi: 27 collegiate members and three alumnae initiates. Susan Danko, International President, served as the installing officer. Delta Xi chapter will be installed May 19, 2007, at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology which is located in Terre Haute, Indiana. The new Rocky Mountain Area Alumnae Chapter was installed April 29, 2007. This chapter is part of the Kansas City chapter's regional team. We are thrilled to have a new chapter join our group! In addition to these new installations, Alpha Omicron Pi has a number of other extension opportunities taking place. An informational meeting and focus groups were held at Virginia Commonwealth University, located in Richmond, Virginia, in March. Alpha Omicron Pi is excited to move forward in the public relations process at VCU. Colonization is scheduled for September 22. For more information, you can visit www.aoiivcu.org. Alpha Omicron Pi leaders also presented at Sonoma State University (Sonoma, CA); and Kennesaw State University (Kennesaw, GA). These Universities have targeted colonization for the 2007-08 school year.

Where does money from the Ruby Fund go?

2007-05-15T19:20:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder who gets the money that you give each year to the AOΠ Ruby Fund? One recent AOΠ Ruby Fund recipient, Lisa Lundy, was featured on a FOX 5 NYC News story outlining the struggles that Lisa has endured in keeping her young daughter alive. You can see the FOX 5 NYC News story here. Members of the Buffalo AOΠ Alumnae Chapter are selling greeting cards to raise money to give back to the AOΠ Ruby Fund and at the same time to help Lisa with her $3,000 a month medical bills. Any greeting cards purchased in April or May from the website will result in a donation to the Ruby Fund with the balance going to help Lisa’s family. The greeting cards are sold in sets of 12 cards for a purchase price of $12.00 per set. For each set of cards purchased, a $5.00 donation will be made to the Ruby Fund. This is a win-win situation for everyone involved. Greeting cards can be purchased on-line at http://www.theroostercrows.com/. This is one situation where you can purchase a set of beautiful greeting cards and help a future Ruby Fund recipient, and a family in great need to boot. Thank you for your consideration of this worthy invitation.

More on Arthritis Walk, and Foundation Awards.

2007-05-11T18:43:00.000-05:00

At Convention, the AOII Foundation will award one chapter with the Arthritis Walk top fundraising accolade. This is in addition to the Sheaf award, which is awarded for the chapter's overall philanthropy not related to the Walk. Many AOII chapters, including Kansas City, participate in the Arthritis Walk and fundraise through Kintera, an online fundraising tool, or by collecting checks and cash to turn in to the Arthritis Foundation. There is an additional process in order to be considered for the Foundation's Walk awards.

Register for a Walk near you at www.arthritis.org. You can join the Kansas City team, Greater KC AOII Alums!
When you're ready to send emails asking your friends and family to donate, selecte the email template on Kintera called "Strike Out Arthritis- AOII Donor Solicitation."
The message your potential donors receive will lead them to the AOII Foundation website to make online gifts. Make sure they indicate that the gift is for the Walk and include the Walk location, your team name, and your name.
If you are raising funds offline, ask your donors to make checks payable to the AOII Foundation. The checks should be mailed directly to the AOII Foundation (including your name, team name, and Walk location).
100% of the money you send to us online and by mail will be given back to your local Walk on a monthly basis. Your local Arthritis Foundation Walk coordinator will be notified of all incoming donations weekly. Your donors will receive a thank you letter from us to be used for tax purposes.

An added benefit is that all funds you raise for the Walk that are channeled through the AOII Foundation will count as AOI giving credit, which could move you up a giving level (or two!).

The AOII Foundation is also accepting application s for the Outstanding Arthritis Walk AOII Volunteer Award. The recipient will be chosen based on fundraising efforts and overall involvement in the Arthritis Walk.

If you know someone who should be nominated for this award, you can complete the application form and submit it to the AOII Foundation by June 10, 2007.

Please consider participating in and/or donating to this worthy cause!

Alumnae Initiate Program.

2007-05-07T13:51:00.000-05:00

Our recent newsletter from our Alumnae Network Specialist, Lisa Dutt, contained the following message from Molly Vice, AOII's Alumnae Development Administrator. With the start of a new year we look back at the many, many accomplishments during 2006. This past year we initiated 15 amazing women into 12 different collegiate chapters through the Alumna Initiate Program! The ongoing dedication and spirit of AOII in these 12 collegiate and alumnae chapters has attracted local women to become members of AOII. Behind every Alumnae initiate is an alumnae chapter. As 2007 is underway I encourage all AOIIs, collegiate and alumnae, to recruit and connect with women who will be an asset to our sisterhood and fraternity now and in years to come. If you have any questions regarding the Alumna Initiate Program, please contact me. It is a simple process and one that will build the strength of AOII. If you know of a woman who would be an asset to our sisterhood, please let us know. AOII is not just for college students, it is for a lifetime.

Arthritis Walk.

2007-04-27T10:24:00.000-05:00

The Arthritis Walk is the annual nationwide event sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation to raise awareness and funds to fight arthritis. Arthritis is the nation's leading cause of disability. It costs our economy approximately $125 million each year. The Arthritis Walk is an opportunity to help improve the lives of 46 million men, women, and children diagnosed with arthritis. Your company, family, or friends can form a team to participate in an Arthritis Walk in your area. The Kansas City Arthritis Walk will be held on May 19, 2007, at the Brookside Trolley Trail. There will be food, entertainment, and information for participants of all ages. You can choose to walk a 1 mile route or a 5K route (approximately 3.1 miles). If you are interested in forming a team, you can sign up online here. Or, you can join our team! Our VP of Programs, Jenny Horsley, is a team captain again this year. You can go here and then click on "more" in the Team Rank box on the right side of the page. Jenny's team is the Greater KC AOII Alums. On the team page, you can choose to make a donation, join our team, or both! Please join us in raising awareness and money for our international philanthropy!

Having Fun and Doing Good Things

2007-04-23T19:23:00.000-05:00

Our philanthropy event at Operation Breakthrough was a great success. We had about 13 volunteers show up- AOII members along with husbands, mothers, and children. We were also excited that our Alumnae Network Specialist, Lisa, drove in from Nebraska to meet us and attend the event.

Our group of volunteers took voucher tickets from the people waiting in line for the donations, and exchanged those vouchers for tickets to pick up their boxes. We kept track of the names of those families picking up donations and helped direct traffic as well. It was a busy day and there were lots of families, volunteers, and donations to keep track of.

After a couple of hours of work, our group headed out for snacks at Taqueria Mexico. We all enjoyed chips and salsa, margaritas, and Mexican food, but I think we all enjoyed the conversation even more. We were very excited to see so many new faces at our philanthropy event as well: Lisa brought along a friend of hers, Melania, who recently moved to the Kansas City area from St. Louis; Kristen, another first-timer, joined us for the day; and this was the second time Laura has attended one of our functions. We hope that all three of these women continue to become involved and we welcome even more of you out there to join us!

A Successful Fundraiser.

2007-04-10T19:37:00.002-05:00

Thanks to everyone who participated in our spring fundraiser by selling and/or purchasing plants!! The plants will arrive from Greeson's Greenhouses on Friday, April 27. They will be delivered to Michele Park's home around 8 a.m. and she could use some help unloading and sorting the plants. If you are available and would like to help out, please email us and we will provide directions to Michele's. She will provide coffee and donuts for any helpers! When our order is placed with the greenhouse, we have to order full flats. Because of this, we often end up with lots of extra plants. Here is a list of extra plants we will have available, which can still be purchased. If you see some on the list that you know you want, email us so we can reserve them for you.

1/2 flats (3 packs) at $9.50 of the following: Harmony Begonias (Bronze Leaf) Mix Prelude Begonias (Green Leaf) Pink Red Rose Moss Sundial Mix French Marigolds Gold Yellow Impatiens Coral Pink Red Violet Vincas White Individual pots of Wave Petunias for $3 per pot (or a mix of 15 pots for $40) of the following colors: Blue (dark purple) - 16 pots available Misty Lilac - 14 pots available Rose - 3 pots available Individual pots of 5" Geraniums for $3.50 per pot of the following colors: Violet - 4 pots available

If you are interested in any of these, let us know so we can hold them for you!

Directions to our Philanthropy Event.

2007-04-06T18:32:00.000-05:00

Please join us for our spring philanthropy event at Operation Breakthrough next Saturday, April 14!! We ask that you be there by 12:30 p.m. to check in, receive instructions, and be ready to begin work at promptly 1:00 p.m. Operation Breakthrough is located at 31st and Troost. The address is 3039 Troost, Kansas City, MO, 64109. Directions from the Northland: 29 South to 35 South Take the Southwest Trafficway exit on the LEFT Turn left onto 31st Street Left onto Troost and park in the lot on your right Directions from the South: 35 North Take the Southwest Blvd exit Turn right on 31st Street Left onto Troost and park in the lot on your right By 71 Highway? Going toward the city, take the Linnwood/31st Street Exit West on 31st Street Right onto Troost and park in the lot on your right If you get lost, you can call Jenny's cell phone. However, we don't want to publish that number here, so please R.S.V.P. and we will give you her cell phone number. You can go into the "View My Complete Profile" link on this page and click on "Email Me" to contact us for more information or to R.S.V.P. Please let us know if you plan to attend so we can let Operation Breakthrough know how many volunteers to expect. We'd love to have you join us, and husbands/boyfriends/friends/(older) children are welcome to come along for the fun! A group of us will be heading to a local restaurant afterwards to share some snacks, drinks, and conversation, as well as meeting with our Alumnae Network Specialist. Hope to see you Saturday!

Spring Philanthropy Event.

2007-04-02T22:06:00.000-05:00

Kansas City area alumnae are invited to join us for our annual spring philanthropy event on Saturday, April 14. Feed The Children is a relief organization that provides food and supplies to the underprivileged. They will be makinga major food donation to Operation Breakthrough, a Kansas City-based group that assists children and families at risks. Our volunteers will help unload the delivery and distribute the offerings to local families. The current plan is to meet at Operation Breakthrough at 12:30 p.m. There will be many pallets of food to be sorted and distributed beginning promptly at 1 p.m. We will need an accurate count of volunteers, so we are urging everyone to R.S.V.P. as soon as you possibly can. We are also hoping to enjoy lunch before the event at Sol Azteca and possibly also meet somewhere for drinks or appetizers afterwards. If you would like to join us before or after the event please let us know your preference as well. Our chapter's Alumnae Network Specialist, Lisa Dutt, will also be joining us for the day to meet area chapter members and officers. This is a perfect time to find out more about what is happening in the bigger world of AOII! Please join us for this worthy event and some fun sisterhood time! Husbands, boyfriends, (older) children and significant others are welcome to tag along!

Badges on eBay.

2007-03-30T12:03:00.000-05:00

A hot topic on AOII's inCircle social networking site has been the sale of our badges on eBay. Here is a statement from Sherry Haman, our Administrative Director of Alumnae Services: Our past International President, Carole Jones, has worked on this issue diligently and has the following to share: Four years ago, all 26 NPC national presidents worked with a fraternal law attorney on the issue of selling sorority badges and insignia on eBay. She wrote a letter to eBay requesting for them to immediately cease and desist from displaying any such pins and insignia for sale. She reminded the company that sororities and fraternities have registered federal trade mark protection and common law rights in the pins and insignia. A response was received from eBay, who declined to cease and desist from selling the pins and believes they are on solid legal ground in its refusal. Our attorney discussed eBay's rationale with her intellectual property specialist partner and is satisfied based upon those discussions that eBay's position has support in the legal principles applicable to this area. The Executive Board of AOII is very disturbed that our badges are sold on eBay and has developed a statement requesting members from selling and purchasing AOII items at auctions (including eBay). Additionally, the AOII Emporium is licensed through Affinity Marketing Consultants. AMC regularly monitors any items sold on the internet that display AOII insignia. Each online vendor is contacted and dissuaded from selling such items, especially those that conflict with Alpha Omicron Pi's founding ideals. Ginger Banks, RT&J Chairperson, has in many instances persuaded online vendors to require that the buyer of the item for sale be an AOII. Ginger has also suggested that AOII's bid on these items in order to keep them from falling into the hands of non-members. Sign on to inCircle and join the "Badges on eBay" group to get more information on this issue.

Order your flowers now!

2007-03-26T18:03:00.000-05:00

The annual plant sale fundraiser by the Greater Kansas City Alumnae is well under way. All orders must be turned in to Michele Park by next Sunday, April 1. Eacy year, the chapter sponsers a spring flower sale, with partial proceeds to benefit the Arthritis Research Foundation as well as local scholarships. The plants come from Greeson Greenhouses in Lone Jack, Missouri. The following plants are available at a price of $9.50 per 1/2 flat, or $18 per flat (6 jumbo packs):

French Marigolds (10" to 12" size, prefers full sun) in gold, orange, and yellow;
Super Elfin Series Impatiens (bedding plants for shade) in coral, orange, pink, red, violet, white, and mix;
Harmony Begonias (bronze leaf, prefers shade) in pink, scarlet, white, or mix;
Prelude Begonia (green leaf, prefers sun) in pink, rose, scarlet, white, or mix;
Vinca/Periwinkle (hot, dry, full sun locations) in light purple, pink, red, rose, white, or mix.
Rose Moss (full sun) in a mix

We also have flowers available in small pots for $3, or $40 for a flat of 15 pots:

Wave Petunia (super high quality, full sun) in blue, light purple, misty lilac, pink, rose, or purple;
Geranium (5", prefer full sun to part shade) in red, pink, salmon, purple, and white.

And, of course there are also hanging baskets available for $17 each. The hanging baskets prefer morning sun and afternoon shade.

Zonal geranium
New Guinea impatiens
Wave petunias (available in pink, lavender, purple, and rose)

The grower reserves the right to make substitutions as necessary. And, as an extra incentive, customers who order $125 or more in plants receive a free terra cotta planter of either geraniums or New Guinea impatiens!

If you are interested in ordering plants and supporting our fundraiser, please complete the order form in your spring newsletter and return it to Michele Park by April 1.

If you did not receive a spring newsletter and need an order form, please email us as soon as possible and we will send you an order form.

Happy planting!

Here's something neat...

2007-03-23T10:50:00.000-05:00

for you University of Kansas fans out there. According to the Kansas chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, Max Falkenstein, famous as the Voice of the Jayhawks, has endorsed the Arthritis Foundation's parent's guide for preventing sports injuries, "Safe or Sorry." You can learn more about this guide and how to receive your free copy, along with information about how to purchase an autographed picture of Max, by visiting here.

A new colonization in Canada.

2007-03-21T20:16:00.000-05:00

Alpha Omicron Pi is pleased to announce the colonization of its 184th chapter at the University of Waterloo on February 4, 2007. This ceremony concluded four days of colonization parties and personal appointments and was held in the Grand Ballroom of the Delta Kitchener Hotel. The Colonization Ceremony was hosted by Allison Allgier, Vice President of Development, and 17 wonderful women accepted bids from AOII. They are a beautiful, amazing group of women with numerous activities, leadership positions, and an average GPA of 3.1. AOII collegians and alumnae from across Ontario and representatives from other Greek organizations attended the ceremony. Continuous Recruitment will be implemented throughout the semester and into fall 2007 with installation targeted for November 2007. Welcome notes for the new colony may be sent to the following address:

Allison Cheung 255 Keats Way, Unit 308 Waterloo, Ontario N2L 6N6 CANADA

Congratulations to our new sisters at the University of Waterloo!

Attention University of Central Missouri students.

2007-03-19T22:15:00.000-05:00

If you are a student at the University of Central Missouri, you may be eligible for the Jessie Marie Cramer Scholarship. The application can be found here. The scholarship is available to female students who will be seniors in the upcoming year at UCM. All eligible women may apply regardless of sorority affiliation. You must be in good academic standing. The application deadline is April 1; the application should be submitted to the scholarships office at UCM. For more information, please email us through this blog. Good luck!

Pearls of wisdom, and a contest.

2007-03-13T17:30:00.000-05:00

You can help the AOII Foundation commemorate it's 30 anniversary and be a winner too! Here's all you have to do:

Enter the Trivia Contest
Answer 10 multiple choice questions
Mail or email the answers to the Foundation by May 31
If you answer all 10 questions correctly, you will be entered in the drawing
Drawing takes place at Convention, but you do not have to be present to win!

The prize is a beautiful freshwater cultured pearl necklace, generously donated by dForsythe. It has a sterling silver toggle clasp and an AOII lavaliere. The necklace is 18 inches long and contains 6mm pearls.

It is also available for purchase through the AOII Emporium, along with a matching bracelet and earrings.

Register for convention.

2007-03-08T20:15:00.000-06:00

Online registration for AOII's 2007 Convention, Where Sisters Unite, opened March 1. Our 49th annual International Convention will be held in Phoenix, AZ, from June 27 through July 1, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa. At Convention, you will experience Ritual Ceremonies, Business Sessions, the Rose Banquet, Convention Awards, Education Tracks, Emporium shopping, Past Internationa Presidents' skits and storytelling, and of course meeting hundreds of your AOII sisters. The hotel itself has many great amenities that will make convention a great vacation for you, including ten dining options, four acres of pools including a Lazy River, a health club, and of course a spa with 41 treatment rooms! The deadline to register for convention is May 1, 2007. After May 1, you can still register with a $50 late fee. Online registration will end May 15. If you aren't able to attend Convention, you can still participate by purchasing a Rose Tribute to honor a sister who attends. Rose Tributes are offered at $5 each, and the recipient will receive a card and an embroidered rose to wear on her Convention badge. You can order Rose Tributes directly from the Foundation by going here to download an order form to complete and mail to the Foundation. You can also order online by going to the Foundation website and clicking on "Ways You Can Help," then "Donate Online," and then completing the form. Visit the AOII Convention website for more details about Convention!

Attention University of Kansas students.

2007-03-06T19:28:00.000-06:00

Are you a student at the University of Kansas? You may be eligible for a scholarship from the Greater Kansas City Alumnae Chapter. The alumnae chapter administers two scholarship funds at KU: The Jessie Marie Cramer Scholarship and the Alpha Omicron Pi Scholarship. The scholarships are available to female students at KU who are juniors, seniors, or graduate students. The Alpha Omicron Pi Scholarship is restricted to members; however the Jessie Marie Cramer Scholarship is available to women regardless of sorority affiliation. So, even if you aren't a member of AOII, or any sorority, you can still apply for this scholarship! Applications are available here or you can send an email through this blog and we can email an application to you. The deadline is April 1. Please encourage any deserving female student who meets the criteria to apply!

Our Latest Newsletter.

2007-03-04T10:09:00.000-06:00

Our latest newsletter should have arrived in your mailbox last week. If you didn't receive one, email us and we'll add you to our year-round mailing list. Once again, many thanks to Illustratus for providing such a beautiful, full color newsletter. It looks great! Some quick items of note:

Our annual spring flower sale is now underway! Order forms are included in the newsletter. If you would like to order flowers and/or help us sell flowers and need an order form, please email us.
Our next day meeting will be Monday, March 12, from noon to 2 p.m. at Arbor Woods.
Our next evening meeting will be Monday, March 19, at 7 p.m. at Gina Kellogg's home.
Our spring philanthropy event will be Saturday, April 14.
The annual arthritis walk will be held Saturday, May 19. More information to follow.

Keep this site bookmarked for more information on all of these events!

Sisterhood at the brewery.

2007-03-01T18:41:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday some of the Kansas City alumnae members, along with some husbands, met at the local Boulevard Brewery for a tour.

Boulevard Brewery was established in 1989 in Kansas City. The brewery offers tours every Friday at 3 p.m., and on Saturdays at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. The tours fill up fast! The tours include a walking tour of the plant, a short video about how beer is made, the history of the brewery, and of course, samples.

The brewery just completed a $22 million dollar renovation, and the tour guide said that people from lots of other breweries have come in to check out their fancy new equipment. Beer making looks very complicated; there are lots of stainless steel tubes running everywhere.

Boulevard was a great place for a sisterhood activity. We learned about a regional business that is local to Kansas City and had the opportunity to visit with each other outside of a normal meeting.

International Panhellenic Badge Day.

2007-02-22T13:47:00.000-06:00

The following information was received from the National Panhellenic organization: "On March 5, 2007, all NPC member fraternities and sororities will share their Panhellenic spirit by proudly wearing their badge or letters. As sorority women, there is much to be proud of on NPC Badge Day. The member organizations of NPC encourage women to become competent leaders on their campuses and in their communities. Membership in a fraternal organization fosters community responsibility and philanthropic efforts. Morover, sorority women know the priceless gift of lifetime friendship. All of these membership benefits shape college women into responsible citizens and civic leaders of the world community. Celebrate NPC spirit and your pledge of loyalty by promoting the value of fraternal membership through organizing and/or participating in a Badge Day event." You can help celebrate the NPC spirit and your pledge of loyalty by promoting the value of fraternal membership through participating in Badge Day. And, what a great reason to pull out those beautiful badges and wear them for a day!