The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Mission Statement To promote the professional and personal growth of women

educators and excellence in education

Beta Gamma News

Education Hall of Fame Member to Speak at April 25th Beta Gamma Meeting By: Bethany Lucas
As the school year comes to an end, we begin looking forward to the lazy days of summer-- sipping iced tea during pleasant reads, seeing new places during leisurely travels, and perhaps sharing a conversation and a summer salad with a close family member or an old friend. Despite the bliss of the blisteringly hot Georgia summers, as educators we always have those lingering thoughts the upcoming school year. What new trend in education will I learn about? What is a new and exciting way I can teach this concept? What new legislation will affect education? With so much discussion about new legislation, funding, and trends, many educators are unsure and uneasy about the future of Georgia's education. At April's Beta Gamma meeting, we hope your questions will be answered after hearing our guest speaker's presentation. We have a wonderful speaker who has served in many areas of education. Our speaker is Mr. Dan Trotter. Dan Trotter was born and raised in Columbus, Georgia and now resides in Harris County. He attended and obtained degrees in education from Columbus State University, Georgia Southern University, and West Georgia College. He taught school and coached basketball for seventeen years and was named Coach of the Year by Tennessee Junior College Athletic Association. He was also inducted into the Martin Methodist College Sports Hall of Fame. Mr. Trotter spent twenty years in school administration and was even named Georgia Elementary Schools' Principal of the Year. Recently he as inducted into Columbus State University's Education Hall of Fame. He retired from Harris County School System this past July and now serves as member of the Harris County School Board. With such an impressive resume, there is no question as to why we asked Dan Trotter to be our guest speaker. Mr. Trotter promises to deliver a presentation that will address new legislation, trends in education, and constants in education. After addressing these issues, he will take questions from members. The last item on his agenda is inspiration; he will leave us with words of wisdom and inspiration. After April's insightful meeting, hopefully as we lock our classroom doors on the last day of post-planning, we can feel at ease and enjoy our books, travel, friends, and family a little more this summer. The meeting and luncheon will be held at First Methodist Church, 206 Broad Street, Manchester, GA, 31816. Please arrive at 10:00 for refreshments; the program will begin at 10:30 with the business meeting to follow. A delicious lunch consisting of Chicken Salad on Croissants; Pimento Cheese on Raisin Bread; Potato Salad; Carrot Salad; Mandarin Orange Tossed Salad, and Lemon Pie for dessert will be served. The cost of the meal will be $10. Please notify your contact person by Tuesday, April 21st to indicate if you will be in attendance and/or if you will be eating.

The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Psi State

April, 2009

Burdette Issue 21

Childrens Books, Bingo Prizes

Donations For Projects To Be Collected At April Meeting

Beta Gamma Chapter is continuing its projects of providing childrens books for DFACS or a similar service agency and of supplying a nursing home or senior citizens center with Bingo prizes. These items will be distributed in the Harris/Talbot area. Collection boxes will be located near the sign-in table at our April meeting. You will want to be part of these worthwhile projects. Please be sure to mark your calendar with a reminder to bring donations!

RECIPE CORNER-Merle Teal

Easy Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas
1 can (3/4 oz.) Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup 1/2 c sour cream 1 cup Pace Picanete Sauce 2 tsp. chili powder 2 cups chopped cooked chicken cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese 6 flour tortillas, warmed (6 inch) 1 small tomato, chopped 1 green onion, sliced

1. Stir soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder in a bowl. 2. Stir 1 cup soup mixture, chicken and cheese in a large bowl. 3. Divide chicken mixture among tortillas. Roll up tortillas and place seam-side up in 11 x 8 shallow baking dish. Pour remaining soup mixture over filled tortillas. Cover dish. 4. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until enchiladas are hot and bubbling. You can top with tomato and onion.

Marys Minutes
Spring has sprung, ladies, and I am so glad! Even with all of the pollen, I think the springtime in Georgia is absolutely divine. The azaleas are blooming, the daffodils are swaying, the Easter Bunny is hopping, and our gracious Lord is risen. How can anyone complain? We in Beta Gamma are coming to the end of my first year in office, and I hope that it has been as much fun for you as it has been for me. I appreciate your kindness, your smiles, and your sweet words of encouragement as I have navigated through this time. Also, I would be remiss if I did not thank my wonderful Executive Board and the amazing Bethany Lucas, Program Chair extraordinaire, for their continuous help and support. You all are the best! I have wonderful news from Psi State Convention; first, our beloved Lynn Skinner is now the District 3 Director! I cannot tell you how proud and pleased I was to attend her installation ceremony at Convention. We in Beta Gamma are so lucky to have a sister like Lynn who is such a go-getter!

Also, Beta Gamma brought home FOUR awards at the state level. We won the Membership Explosion award for initiating at least 4 members with 3-10 years experience and the Outstanding Chapter Yearbook award. We also were awarded the title of Honor Chapter for Dedication to Communication, and our chapter received the In Communicato plaque-Honoring Communications Excellence for exceptional dedication to Purpose 7 (To Inform). I will bring all of these to show off at the April meeting! I was so proud and honored to represent you in St. Simons, and I was fortunate to meet other DKG sisters from across the state. I hope that in 2011, some of you will consider attending Convention; its lots of fun. Also, our elected Executive Board for the next biennium is a wonderful, knowledgeable, and gracious group of ladies who will continue to lead Psi State to even greater heights. Looking forward to seeing you at the April meeting,

Mary

RED ROSES & MEMBER NEWS

Congratulations to Donna Patterson, who has been chosen as Harris County High Schools STAR teacher for 2009. She was chosen by Scott Cogar because she is the reason that I received a 5 on the AP Language Test last year. Way to go, Donna! Best Wishes to Dawn Pickens, who had a baby girl on February 24th. Ashton McKenzie Pickens weighed 6 lbs. 2 oz. Congratulations to Lynn Skinner on the birth of Miss Clair Lynn Kight on March 2nd. According to my sources, she is the most beautiful baby in the world! Another big high five goes to Lynn on her appointment as District 3 Director for Psi State! Great job, Lynn! Best wishes are in order for several Beta Gamma sisters who are retiring at the end of the 2009 school year, they are: Geni Boswell, Sherrell Darby, and Mary Nell Podgorny.

In Memoriam:
Please join me in remembering two charter members of Beta Gamma chapter: Bess Underwood, one of Beta Gammas charter members and its president from 1966-1968 who went to be with our Lord on March 23rd. Also, Patricia Yeager, one of our charter members passed from this life on Saturday, April 4th. Also, please remember the students, faculty, and staff at Upson-Lee Middle School. An eighth grade student enrolled there, Vincent Green, passed away on April 1st.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHTVickie Capel, BETA GAMMAS own musical maestro

school..elementary probably the most. I have such fond memories of teachers; 1st grade: Mrs. Creason; 2nd grade: Mrs. Walraven; 3rd grade:Mrs. Walford; 4th grade:Mrs. Davis and 5th grade:Miss Estes. I still remember so many lessons, ideals and teaching tips from these great ladies. Vickie has always been involved in music beginning in her earliest years in elementary school. She continued to sing in chorus in junior high school and high school and says, I felt very prepared in college with my high school chorus and music theory/appreciation courses. Vickie attended Baylor University, majoring in music education/voice. She had a wonderful educational experience there with many wonderful teachers. In fact, Vickie found out several years ago that her voice teacher who still lives in Waco is a Delta Kappa Gamma sister. During Vickies senior year at Baylor, she went on a life-changing choir tour to Georgia and to Florida. She sang at First Baptist Church in Griffin, Georgia, and fell in love with the South. Her host family, Jerry and Sue Savage, asked her to consider teaching music in Griffin. She thought, Why not? The assistant superintendent, Tom Jones, sent an application to her, which she promptly filled out and mailed back to Georgia. On her birthday, April 3rd, she received a

Everyone in Beta Gamma knows Vickie Capel; she is our own special songbird. Vickie plays piano for us, leads us in singing the Delta Kappa Gamma song at the end of every meeting, and definitely keeps us on our musical toes! As Mr. Jim Capel says, Shes just too wonderful for words! I totally agree, Mr. Jim, but let me try to do her justice in the following bio: Vickie was born in Dallas, Texas and attended public school there, graduating from Justin F. Kimball High School in 1967. Vickie says, I always loved

phone call stating that there was an elementary music position that was hers if she wanted it! Vickie states, At that point there was no turning back. I told my

Mother I was moving to Georgia. It was, of course, God's leadership in this entire part of my life. I moved to Griffin that August [1971] and began my teaching career.....10 elementary schools....1st and 2nd grade music classes. Next year I'll retire at Jackson Road Elementary. Griffin has been good to me and music in the schools and community. Vickie received the accolade of Teacher of the Year for
East Griffin Elementary School in 1994, and she began the Elementary Honor Chorus for Griffin-Spaulding schools, which gave its seventh annual performance in March.

Vickie says, My (future husband) Jim and I met through a mutual friend from Griffin....the music director at First Baptist. Jim was in church work in Greenville, South Carolina. We were introduced and 36 years later we're still making music together. When they married, Vickie gained a 5
year old son, Creighton, and Andrew was born the next year. Vickie states, Our precious grandson Grant (7-303) rounds out the Capel boys. Vickie was asked to become a member of Beta Gamma by Margaret Johnson and was honored by the request. She has been happily involved since 1995 and has served as vice president, president and on the Women in Arts committee. She says, I enjoy being a part of this great organization and count the many fine members as my sisters.

BETA GAMMA BOOK REVIEWS with Charlotte Zuerner Grace by Richard Paul Evans Richard Paul Evans is a wonderful storyteller and you are sure to enjoy reading about Eric and the young runaway girl that he takes in. He allows her to stay in his clubhouse and provides her with food, shelter, and warmth while she teaches him about life which allows him to grow up and mature. Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore This is Gilmore's debut novel, and it's storytelling at its best. Catherine Grace Cline, the witty heroine, grows up in Ringgold, GA and can't wait to leave town and start living on her own. According to Catherine Grace, "sometimes you have to return to the place where you began to arrive at the place where you belong." The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck Twelve year old Eddie only wants a bike for Christmas and has hoped and dreamed that his mom can buy him one even though times are financially tough for the family. Instead, Eddie only gets a hand knit sweater. Sometimes, what we want the most is right in front of us. This is a warm and poignant tale of family, faith, and forgiveness. The Gatecrasher by Madeleine Wickham Wickham has created a memorable character in Fleur Daxeny who spends time looking for rich widowers at funerals. She meets Richard Favour and this time it's not just for the money as she falls in love with him. Wickham has a "clever and sassy style to her writing.

Beta Gamma Birthday Girls

April Vickie CapelApril 3 Gail KennedyApril 7 Geni BoswellApril 13 May Monty Strickland-May 16 Dawn PickensMay 17 Bethany LucasMay 19 Kathy GlissonMay 27 Annette KerseyMay 28 June Bonnie Harris-June 1 Anne Threadgill-June 16 Fannie Wilson-June 17 Jill Harman-June 19 Bay Porter-June 19 Merle Teal-June 23 Ruth Hilton-June 29 July Gracie Ford-July 1 Barbara Corley-July 3 Beverly Wadsworth-July 4 Mary Jane Dunlap-July 7 Wanda Renfroe-July 15 Frances Watson-July 15 Mary Jane Wadsworth-July 18 June Worsham-July 20 Stacy Martin-July 22 Lynn Skinner-July 30

Reminder of Upcoming Dates

Beta Gamma Chapter MeetingApril 25, 2009 at 10:30 at First Methodist Church, Manchester, GA Beta Gamma Executive Board MeetingJune 25th at 10:30 at Atlanta Bread Company, Columbus, GA Southeastern Regional Conference-July 15-18, 2009 in Little Rock, AK Psi State Executive Board-September 26, 2009 in Macon, GA

Mrs. Mary Burdette 7316 Cedar Creek Loop Columbus, GA 31904