Kidney Walk

Since 1971, the Phi Sigma Sigma Fondation has generated funds for the National Kidney Foundation and has more recently sent members to the NKF Transplant Games. The Gamma Pi chapter, at UMBC, has helped contribute to the cause by holding a Rock-A-Thon every semester. Rock-A-Thon is a 26-hour event in which members from our sorority rock in rocking chairs to to raise money- just as dialysis patients rock to stimulate blood flow to their kidneys.

On October 3, 2009 we will be walking a 5K through Georgetown with the National Kidney Foundation. This is a our second time participating in the Kidney Walk.

Why are we Walking?

- Chronic kidney disease is a public health problem affecting 26 million Americans

- One in nine American adults have kidney disease and most don’t know it

- 92,000 people are waiting for organ transplants

- 17 people die each day waiting for an organ transplant

We are asking you to consider supporting our fundraising efforts with a donation. Your tax-deductible gift can be made online by simply clicking on the link here or at the bottom of this message. Any amount, great or small, helps in the fight.

Please help us reach our fundraising goal. This is an exciting opportunity for us to work together to help people understand the need for early detection of kidney disease, to raise funds for research and to help patients and their families. Thank you for your love and support.

Click here to view the team page for Phi Sigma Sigma- Gamma Pi

OPA!

Sisters, Hannah Dier, Tasha Ammenheuser, and Maria Satyshur are currently serving as Orientation Peer Advisors (aka OPAs)!

Feel free to introduce yourself this summer during Freshman and Transfer Orientation!

Photo: Tasha Ammenheuser and Maria Satyshur

Congratulations, Graduating Seniors!

Congratulations to our graduating seniors!

Melissa Bernero
Janelle Bettis
Kate Nunely
Sam Sadtler
Amanda Schwenk


We are so proud of you and wish you the best of luck!

Greek Life Awards Banquet

On May 9, 2009 Phi Sigma Sigma was honored at the UMBC Greek Life Awards Banquet.

Gamma Pi was acknowledged by PHA with the Superior Sisterhood award. During our summer and winter retreats we set sisterhood on our priority list and it feels good to know that others have noticed the amount of care and consideration Phi Sigs have put into the sisterhood we are creating.

Gamma Pi was also awarded the Philanthropy Award- having raised more money for our philanthropic efforts that any other Greek Life organization on campus. Our efforts this year included the National Kidney Foundation Kidney Walk, Race for Autism for the Howard County Autism Society, and Rock-A-Thon and Basket Bingo for the Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation.

Phi Sigma Sigma was also nominated by the university for the Group Commitment to Service Award.

Picture: Gamma Pi's on the way to the National Kidney Foundation Kidney Walk. From left to right (first row) Sam Sadtler, Michal Levitas, Kathleen Englebretson, (second row) Hannah Dier, Liz Pickett, Christine Stryzak, Jennifer Kent, (back row) Julia Smearman, Jenna Green, Leanne Lenhart, Kate Nunely, and Katie Dix.

Congratulations, Jennifer Kent!

On May 8, 2009 Jennifer Kent was inaugurated as Vice President of the Student Government Association for the 2009-2010 school year.

Jennifer and her presidential running mate, Yasmin Karimian are the first all female presidential ticket (in UMBC history) to be elected.

In addition to her involvement with the Student Government Association, Jennifer serves on Gamma Pi's executive board as our Sisterhood Development Chair (SDC) and is the current Social Chair.

Congratulations, Jennifer Kent- you embody what it means to be a Phi Sig!

Mother Pinning

"All that I am and all that I will be, I owe to my mother."

Mother Pinning is an official ritual of Phi Sigma Sigma Fraternity, during which we recognize and honor the important women in our lives- our mothers. This ritual is intended to be an intimate expression of the values of our sisterhood, which we hope our mothers take great pride in sharing
with us.

On April 25th, sixteen Gamma Pi mothers were invited to participate in our Annual Mother Pinning. Each mother witnessed some of the traditions of the fraternity and received an official Phi Sigma Sigma mother pin, featuring the crest of the Fraternity and a long stemmed rose, the flower of Phi Sigma Sigma.

Thanks again to all of the mothers that participated. It was amazing to share Phi Sigma Sigma with you and allow you to enter the pyramid of our sisterhood. It was an emotional experience for us that will remain in our memories forever.

Silent Auction

Phi Sigma Sigma will be volunteering at the 4th Annual Pieces of the Puzzle Gala on Saturday, April 25th. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Howard County Autism Society (Gamma Pi's local philanthropy).

The evening will be filled with wonderful food and drink, music and dancing, and a live and silent auction. The event runs from 7-midnight and will be held at the Ten Oaks Ballroom in Clarksville. Tickets for this year’s event are $ 100 .

You may purchase tickets by signing up below, or by mailing a check to: Howard County Autism Society, 10280 Old Columbia Road, Suite 215, Columbia, MD 21046.

For more information, please contact Ginny Bickell at gala@howard-autism.org or 410-290-3466.

Picture: Scenes from last year's Gala. Second down on the far right features sisters Katie Dix, Liz Walters and Hannah Dier.