WINTER 2023

Vol. 2 No. 17

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
PRESIDENT'S M ESSAGE,
Happy New Year Alabama State,
PP. 1-2

2023 is here. I can?t believe it. This

WEEKEND OF
bus ride is on the expressway. I am in the
WONDER,
last six months of my biennium.
P. 3
Where has the time gone? It has been
an amazing ride. The next six
months will be busy and incredible.
TINSEL TRAIL, P.4
Hang on, Alabama State, here we
go.

CALENDAR ITEMS,
The bus is always on the move. In November, I had the
P. 5
privilege of traveling with my Alabama State sisters.
Madeline, Buchanan, Darlene Freeman and myself went to
SISTERS IN THE
SPOTLIGHT, PP. 6-8 Madeline's hometown of Natchitoches, Louisiana for the
Christmas festival. We had a wonderful time. The bus is
always gassed up and ready to go.
VONDA BALL
TRIBUTE, PP. 9-10 (continued p. 2)

Th e Of f icial Or gan izat ion of t h e

Delt a Kappa Gam m a Societ y In t er n at ion al
w w w.alabam adk g.w eebly.com
PRESIDENT"S MESSAGE, P. 2

Alabama State convention is March 3-5, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Each

chapter needs to be represented. Grab a friend and hop on the bus to T-Town.
I can promise you plenty of food, fellowship and fun. We will also work in some
business and an election. It will be a busy weekend. Don't forget the
Membership Committee is planning the Ceremony of Remembrance. This
ceremony we will be honoring all the dear Sisters we have lost this biennium.
Many come to mind. Past State Presidents, Evelyn Collier, Faye Bedwell, and
Vonda Ball. Many others will be recognized and honored. Two that come to
mind are Gloria Jean Williams and Judy Gilley. Alabama State we have lost
some amazing women this biennium. Join us Sunday morning, March 5 to
honor our Sisters.

Alabama State is offering a pre-convention tour at the Bryant Museum. This

museum is located steps away from the Hotel Capstone. The cost is $5. Make
plans to join us March 3 @ 1:00 p.m. for this tour. Remember this tour is
optional. I know many of you do not like football and Alabama football. That is
OK. We will see you later that day.

Always remember that I am a text, call or email away. See you in T-Town. Take
care and enjoy this unpredictable Alabama weather. My prediction is we will
have snow before the convention.

Penny
AL State Bus Driver
WOW! WEEKEND OF WONDER, P. 3

Alabama State Educational Excellence Committee Weekend of Wonder

submitted by Ann Jones, 1st VP

The October 14-16 gathering of Alabama State DKG sisters can be

summed up with three letters: WOW! Approximately fifty ladies from across the state bused
to Florence, Alabama, for our ?no work? weekend getaway. Special guests included the
International Second Vice President, Dr. Beverly Hall-Maughan, a Florence resident.
Additionally, on Friday night after a tasty soup supper, local historian Billy Warren gave us
insights into the interesting history of the area. The evening was further filled with optional
crafts, trivia, a book swap, and fellowship with old and new friends.
Saturday held interesting sights of the entire Shoals area including Helen
Keller?s birthplace, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, the Music Hall of Fame, and the
Rosenbaum House. On Saturday evening, sisters
participated in a Renaissance
Feast with many in costume. An
added treat at the feast was a
dramatic recitation by Darlene
Freeman, Beta Chapter and harp
music by Dennis Allison,
husband of Joyce of Alpha
Omicron Chapter.
Sunday allowed members to
have genuine spiritual fellowship
as we shared in a service of
thankfulness for the determination of a local Native
American woman, Te-lah-nay, our founders, and one another.
Thank you to all the participants, committee members, and additional helpers
for making our event be a ?Weekend of Wonder.?
TINSEL TRAILP . PAGE 4

TINSEL TRAIL
submitted by
Cindy Dixon, Ph.D., M.A., M.A.

On October 12, Beta Chapter sisters along with three sisters from Gamma
Phi had an evening of fellowship at Tinsel Trail. They enjoyed a stroll
through the Christmas trees and a meal at Mellow Mushroom. Lisa Clark
gave an inspirational moment. Beta Chapter 's December Project was to
supply fast food cards to "Be the Village" that President Cindy Dixon
sponsors through DHR. Be the Village provides fast food cards to social
workers so that they can provide meals for children on the day that they
are taken into foster care. Beta Chapter sisters donated $195 in gift cards
with more expected .
 CONVENTION INFORMATION & CALENDAR, PAGE 5

2023 ALABAM A STATE CONVENTION REGISTRATION FORM

March 3-5?Hotel Capstone, Tuscaloosa
?Get on the Delta Kappa Gamma Bus ? Building and Unifying our Sisterhood"
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PLEASE FIND THE REGISTRATION FORM AT

ALABAMADKG.WEEBLY.COM UNDER THE TAB:
THE ALABAMA STATE ORGANIZATION

*********************************************************************************

Kappa Chapter Sweetheart Vendor Event

Kappa Chapter will be hosting a Sweetheart Craft and

small business event on Sat. Feb. 4th at Holy Spirit
School in Huntsville, Alabama from 9 -3. We will also
have a Life South Blood Drive during the event. Monies
raised during the vendor event will go to help support
Autism Awareness in North Alabama. Vendor
applications are available from Kappa Chapter.
SISTERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT, PAGE 6

STAR M EM BERS

DKG Sister, (Alpha Chapter), educator, and award-winning

real estate agent, Aundria K. Green (Alpha Chapter), is the
recipient of the 2023 Real Estate Grammy Award. The
celebration will take place on March 16, 2023, on the
Mississippi Gulf Coast to honor her for her success in the
industry.

Gennice Burch is currently serving as and 21-23 District V

Director. She has the vision to strive and thrive. She is
dedicated to the success of her chapter and Delta Kappa
Gamma.
Gennice Burch is an active member of Delta Kappa Gamma
Alpha Chapter, District V since 2017. She has served as
Chapter Vice President, currently serves as Chapter
President, while also serving on various committees.
Gennice is currently serving District V 2021-2023 District
Director. Since joining Delta Kappa Gamma, Gennice has
gained valuable knowledge from her attendance in several
state conventions, various workshops, fall boards and
leadership institutes. Teaching high school students
business subjects, to prepare them for the future, is a
passion for her. Gennice graduated from Troy University with a BS in Human
Resources and earned an MBA in International Business from Argosy University,
while receiving highest honors. She is a Distinguished Toastmaster, having served as
Area Director and later became Division Director for 16 chapters. Gennice has also
served in several other Leadership positions in various organizations. She has active
involvement in her church. Gennice has also hosted several events. During her spare
time, she enjoys working out, reading, traveling, music, sports, and spending time
with her family and friends. Gennice is the founder of Real Talk.
SISTERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT, PAGE 7

STAR M EM BERS

Chandra L. Spicer serves as the Alpha Chapter Treasurer

and chairs the Courtesy, Scholarship, World Fellowship,
and Distinctive Service to Education Committees. She has
been an active member of DKG for 18 years and during
that time also worked as the Alabama Fall Board
Treasurer. Professionally, Chandra has been a Teacher of
the Year, Class Act Teacher, Golden Apple Awardee,
Middle/High Math Teacher, Math Coach, Lead Teacher,
and Math Specialist. With over 29 years of experience in
education, she has been making a difference in the lives
of students, teachers, and educators with her passion for
helping others. After retiring in 2020 she became an
award-winning Entrepreneur as the founder of Successful Math GEMS, LLC specializing
in coaching students to excel, elevate, and enjoy mathematics.

Alpha Gamma member Debby Franco has

been named Classified Employee of the Year
at Daphne High School, as pictured receiving
the award from school principal Fletcher
Comer. Debby works diligently with special
needs students.
SISTERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT, PAGE 8

STAR M EM BER
submitted by
Dr. Betty Ann Palmer
Alpha Chapter, Montgomery, AL
Alpha Chapter Webmaster
DKG Sister Claudia Thomas Mitchell is a member of the Montgomery County Board of
Education and Vice-President of Women in Training, Inc. (WIT), a youth empowerment
organization for founded by 12-year-old twins, Brooke and Breanna Bennett. WIT?s
signature program is the WITKITS Campaign to help alleviate period poverty among the
25% of American young people who skip school or miss work because they cannot
afford menstrual products. WITKITS are branded canvas bags full of menstrual,
hygiene, and dental products. WIT provides monthly donations to all Middle Schools in
the Montgomery Public School system as well as many other nonprofit organizations in
the River Region. Over 10,000 WITKITS have been given out in the past 3 years. WIT?s
founders Brooke and Breanna were instrumental in supporting the creation and
passage of Alabama?s new ?period poverty? law, introduced by State Representative
Rolanda Hollis. The law allocates $200,000 to the Alabama Department of Education to
provide grants for menstrual products to students in Title I schools. Women in Training,
Inc. has expanded to include programs to help girls break the generational cycle of
poverty.

Photo Show: Passing out WITKITS to McKee Middle School students at MPS

Video clip: Best news coverage of bill: https://youtu.be/fBzDbJDlxfE

A SPECIAL WHITE ROSE, PAGE 9

A Tr ibu t e t o Von da Ball, Wh it e Rose

submitted by
Wendy Stephens, Pi Chapter President

When you hear the name Vonda Ball, State

President 1997-99, what word comes to mind?
Mentor, encourager, organizer, friend, mother,
grandmother, loving wife or all of the above? As I
remember Vonda; and as I talk with people who
knew her, all of these words really do describe
Vonda. I hope that as you read this article, at the
very least, you will know how Vonda touched so
many lives. Vonda?s husband, Don, knew her as
wife, friend, mother, grandmother, travel
companion, and a wonderful cook. They
entertained frequently and even published a
cookbook with their favorite recipes. They both
loved their family and their friends from Alabama,
Kentucky, and those they made throughout the
world.
As a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, Vonda was a quiet, gentle force who
pushed our state forward. Many of our state leaders were touched personally by
Vonda; but many more have been affected indirectly by those she mentored.
Memories from those leaders will give you an insight into the person she was.
Jerry Sue Brannon, our long time State Treasurer, knew Vonda well. Vonda
and Don had a tradition with her that included a night out during conventions.
They made many great memories and developed wonderful friendship. Jerry Sue
enjoyed working with Vonda while she was State President. Beverly Donaldson,
State President from 1999-2001, served on the Executive Committee with Vonda
for four bienniums. Vonda was a mentor and taught Beverly so many things about
Delta Kappa Gamma. At midnight on July 1, 1999, Vonda texted Beverly to remind
her that she was Beta State President. She wished Beverly the best of luck and
then asked her, ?Beta State is now yours, what are you going to do with it?? They
laughed about it then and for many years after.
WHITE ROSE VONDA BALL, PAGE 10

Merlene Carlisle, State President from 1983-85, remembers

Vonda teaching our state leaders how to ?count points? on how much
jewelry to wear. She also helped them with the dos and don?ts for
dressing for different occasions. Pat Robinson, State President from 2003-05,
remembers being taught what was expected for different occasions and the correct
clothing for different functions. Vonda and Pat went shopping in Mobile after attending
a meeting to select formal attire for state and international functions. She even
encouraged Pat to include some black and red items in her selections. The wisdom that
Vonda shared concerning Delta Kappa Gamma and expectations for leaders has been
shared and passed down to many state leaders.
Vonda was a calm leader; but she knew what she wanted and expected a lot from
Officers, District Directors, and Committee chairmen. Libby Watson, State President
from 2005-07, remembers serving as a District Director under Vonda. Libby remembers
working very hard. Vonda was very organized, wanted to get things done the correct
way, and was wonderful at delegating. They got things done and learned a lot about
leadership skills.
Charlotte Hughes and Mary Richburg knew Vonda from Pi chapter and
remember how Vonda encouraged other DKG members to be leaders in the society
and in their professional life. She was supportive and nurtured leadership skills in
others; and she celebrated their successes. Her knowledge of DKG was extensive and
she shared this knowledge with her chapter. Mary Richburg?s husband worked with
Vonda and Mary was her friend. They saw firsthand how she cared for her students.
Vonda had a heart for others. Whether it was a listening ear, giving words of
encouragement, providing school supplies, or giving tough love. She was always there
for her students.
She helped families in need and encouraged students to reach beyond what they
thought was possible. Vonda enjoyed seeing what her students achieved in life. As a
friend, Vonda would listen and laugh or cry with you. She was always there to help with
a smile; and always made things better just being there. She brought comfort to
difficult situations. Vonda loved her family and enjoyed sharing stories about children
and then grandchildren. When I was State President from 2013-15, I remember her
encouragement when things were not going well. She encouraged me to do what I
thought was best for the state and not worry about what others thought. I needed to
hear that and will never forget those simple words of wisdom! Vonda was many things
to all of the people in her life. She was kind and gentle; but she was knowledgeable and
wanted things done correctly. She mentored students and DKG members alike. She
was a woman who loved her family, friends, and her Kentucky roots. As she rests at
Eastern Kentucky University, we will hold her close to our hearts in Alabama.