DKG Xi Chapter Florida October 3, 2020

XI GRAM
DKG Xi Chapter | Fall 2020 | Vol. I

Xi Business Meeting
Presidents’ Message
Save the Date: Dear Xi Members,

✦ Tuesday Oct. 13, 2020
 The 2020-2021 biennium began with many challenges and
6:30 pm via Zoom
 changes. We might not be able to meet in person at the
present time, but we have many opportunities for all members
Details will be forthcoming. to participate virtually.

New Officers for the The year began with the 2020 International DKG Virtual
2020-2022 Biennium Convention, July 7-10. The sessions and speakers will be
available for up to one year from the event date. (dkg.org)

• Co-Presidents:Pam DeLucia
The Florida DKG Virtual Fall Workshop was held on
and Paula Miller September 19 from 9-12.

(dkgmustateflorida.weebly.com) Sessions are still available to

• Co-First VPs (Program and be viewed.

Meetings): Lucy Davis and

Lourdes Meyer The Xi Chapter Board met on August 26, 2020, and we are
planning virtual meetings for all members. The first Xi
• Second VP (Membership): Business Meeting of the year will be Tuesday, October 13 at
Jane Claud 6:30 pm via Zoom. Details on how to access the meeting
should already be in an email from Pam and Renee. A
• Co-Secretaries: Sharon Quinn reminder email will be sent on Monday, October 12.

and Jane Spence

Several Xi members participated in an informative League of
• Treasurer: Carol Lansdale Women Voters of Broward County Decision 2020 Zoom
meeting on September 29 with Beta Alpha Chapter. Jane
• Parliamentarian: Barb Sabin Koszoru was the Presenter.

• Nominating Committee Chair We value each members’ input, and encourage you to make
2022-2024: Pat Houchens suggestions to any Board Member.

• Communications Liaison--Jane We look forward to a successful biennium, and thank you for
your participation and support of Xi Chapter.

Spence
Sincerely,

• Communications (newsletter)-- Paula and Pam

Neena Grosvenor

• World Fellowship-Risa Katz

DKG Xi Chapter 1
DKG Xi Chapter Florida

 Stepping UP!
We have amazingly
capable technology people
in our chapter! A few still
teach or train teachers, so
they use this type of
technology daily. Others
have mastered it to keep
close to family and friends.
Though we have many
who could host our
meetings, Renee Schwartz
volunteered to do it for us.
Renee hosts multiple
Zoom activities for her
jazzercise group and BTU
retirees. We appreciate
her so much for stepping
up for Xi.
Thank You, Renee.
DKG Xi Chapter
October 3, 2020
Call UP!
During our first Executive Board Meeting when
discussing Communication Strategies as a goal, Paula
Miller suggested having a phone tree as one facet of
the strategy to keep in touch with our members since
we can't network in person at this time. Many thought
that was a great idea.Barbara Sabin in an e-mail
suggested we name it Call UP! using the phone list we
have of our membership. Each member would make a
brief call to check on the person above us on the
phone list. I suggest a slight twist--each successive
month going up another name so we get to know more
people. So, in October, call the person above you on
the list. In November, the person two names above you
on the list and so on. If someone knows they cannot
participate in this, let Paula, Pam or Carol know so we
can make sure everyone gets a call from another Xi
sister each month.
Membership
One area we need to work aggressively on is
membership. This is not easy during a pandemic. We
can’t invite them to join us for a covered dish supper in
OUR clubhouse (LOL), which Pat Houchens tells us has
been totally renovated. Carol Lansdale and Jane Claud
have been identifying and contacting members who
have left our Chapter, but are still in the area to ask
them to rejoin us. If you know of an exceptional
woman who might like to join us, please invite them to
do so.
2
DKG Xi Chapter Florida October 3, 2020

In Loving Memory
Sad News! We lost our dear sisters Diane Valovich and Nancy
Jackson during the meeting year and held Necrology
Doris Schmick Ceremonies for each. Over the summer we lost two more of our
sisters—Doris Schmick and Jean Gray. Carol Lansdale wrote of
her “Doris Schmick joined DKG in 1954 in Rome, Georgia and
transferred to Xi Chapter in 1961, when she and her husband,
Dick, moved to Fort Lauderdale and accepted teaching
positions. Doris joined the Pine Crest Preparatory School’s
Science Department, teaching Advanced sciences, and later
became the Chairperson of the Department for many years. My
husband, Jim, joined her Department in 1973, and we became
lifelong friends with Doris and her husband. We even ended up
Jean Gray buying their house in Pompano Beach in 1995!

Doris was a true “Georgia Peach” and Southern Lady, always

professional and steady. Her students loved being in her classes
and would often return on Alumni Weekends to visit with
her.She became president of our chapter for the biennium
1980-1982, during the Marjean Packard days, when Xi was a
leader as the first Broward chapter. In her later years, Doris
retreated back to her home town in Rome, GA and always
Diane Valovich enjoyed getting our newsletters and cards. She passed away at
age 95 on May 13, 2020. “ After her passing, her nephew gave a
generous donation to our Scholarship Fund in her name.”

Jean Gray was the loveliest woman who joined DKG in 1964 in
another area of Florida. She transferred to Xi in 2013. Neena
Grosvenor wrote of her, “ Jean attended meetings regularly and
enjoyed being in the company of Xi members. In her quiet way,
she contributed to the vibrancy of our chapter meetings. We
Nancy Jackson will miss her kind smile and conversation.”

Necrology Ceremonies will be held for both of them at a future

meeting. Doris in a ceremony celebrating 40 years in DKG.

DKG Xi Chapter 3