October 2008 Wdc Dg Hannah's News Bytes

WDC Delta Gamma

DC Hannahs’ News Bytes October 2008 Special points of interest: • The Fall Kickoff Champagne Brunch was a huge success! See page 3 for a recap. • Please join us in supporting foundation events this fall! See page 2 for more details.

Inside this issue: Special Interest Group (SIG) Calendar

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Foundation Focus 2 Champagne Brunch Recap

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Panhellenic Update

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Well Aware

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Letter from the President Hello lovely ladies! Can you believe it’s October and fall is officially here?! And that it’s been so long since I’ve written a letter to the chapter?

we also had a few chapter events, such as Jazz in the Sculpture Garden, the Newseum tour and the Kennedy Center performance.

First, I had the honor of going to Convention this past June with four other ladies from our chapter. I must say, it was quite an experience to meet so many Delta Gammas. I have never been to Palm Springs before, and I can’t believe it was so hot! Over the summer,

This past weekend, we started off the year with a bang with our annual Champagne Brunch KickOff! With more than 30 DGs, including many new faces, we enjoyed a variety of delicious foods, champagne and sisterhood. I hope you are able to join us for our

October event, which is the Georgetown Ghost Walking Tour on Friday, October 17. And, there are more fun chapter events this fall, such as Let’s Dish Holiday Cooking Party and the annual Holiday Tea. We have a lot in store this year! Happy fall, ladies, and I look forward to seeing you at an event soon. ITB, Tonya Richardson, EX WDC President

What not to miss this month Get in the Halloween spirit with your DG sisters on the Georgetown Ghost Walking Tour hosted with the DGs in DC special interest group on Friday, October 17! Among the historic streets, manicured gardens, and Victorian row houses of DC's finest neighborhood lies deep, dark secrets about a for-

gotten past. Come along to hear about the ghosts and spirits that still haunt our fine little city...if you dare. When: Friday, October 17 at 8:00 p.m. Where: The tour begins at the Old Stone House (3051 M Street NW) Cost: $10 for adults and $5 for children.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Danielle at vpprogramming @wdcdeltagamma.org.

Special Interest Groups (SIGs) Book Club Please save the date for the next DG Book Club on Tuesday, October 7 at 7:30 at a member’s home in Columbia Heights. Please RSVP to Danielle Frottier at bookclub@wdcdelta gamma.org DGs in DC DGs in DC is co-hosting the chapter-wide October event, the Georgetown Ghost Walking Tour on Friday, October 17. See “What not to miss this month” on page 1 for more information. Dineout

DG Trivia : The minutes of September 1879 from the mother chapter proposed an Initiation fee of how much?

Answer: 50 cents.

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Mark your calendars for the next Dineout on Tuesday, October 14! Join us at Matchbox (713 H St., NW - Chinatown/Gallery Place) for sliders, brickoven pizza, and more! For more information, to

RSVP, or to be added to the Dineout list, please email dineout@wdcdelta gamma.org. Lunch Bunch Please join WDC Delta Gamma’s newest SIG, the Lunch Bunch, for a lovely lunchtime get together at the Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown on Wednesday, October 8 at 12:00 pm. Contact Helen for more information or to RSVP at lunchbunch@ wdcdeltagamma.org. Sweetpeas Join DG moms and their sweetpeas on Friday, October 3 at the Butterfly Pavilion at the National Museum of Natural History (located at Smithsonian metro station). Observe the evolution of butterflies and their plant friends in this permanent exhibit, which features an enclosed

pavilion of live butterflies! The main exhibit is free, but tickets must be purchased for the butterfly pavilion. For more info, directions or to purchase tickets for the 10:30 a.m. entry time, please visit ww.butterflies.si.edu/ tickets/index.htm. For more information contact Kerri at sweetpea@wdc deltagamma.org. Winetasting Join the Winetasting group for a "Favorite American Wines" Tasting Event on Wednesday, October 29 at a member's home in the city. With the presidential election coming up, it's only appropriate that we toast to the good ole U.S.A. Sample some great American wines to share and some classic American grub. Please RSVP by October 22 by email to Meredith at wt@wdcdelta gamma.org.

Foundation Focus We have two great opportunities to get involved with Service for Sight. Volunteer at the American Girls Fashion Show and Tea to Benefit the Prevention of Blindness Society The Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington® (POB) is hosting a series of four American Girl Fashion Shows to raise funds and awareness for the Children's Vision Screening program and its Children's Vision and Hearing Summer Clinic. The event will

be held November 15 & 16 in Brookeville, MD (rides can be provided from Metro). If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Jen before October 12 at [email protected]. Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind - Readers & Friendly Visitors Program Participants in the Readers & Friendly Visitors volunteer program are adult volunteers who are matched one-on-one with blind or visually impaired adults. Volunteers arrange weekly meetings with cli-

ents at their homes to assist with activities, such as reading mail, grocery shopping or running errands. If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, sign up for the next volunteer orientation! New volunteers will learn about CLB and about being a guide to an individual with a visual impairment. It is greatly appreciated if you complete the volunteer application forms before attending, but it is not necessary. If interested, please contact Jen at [email protected]

Fall Kickoff — Champagne Brunch! Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to WDC DG’s annual champagne brunch! Well over 30 Delta Gamma alumnae attended the event and enjoyed delicious food (contributed by our members!), champagne, and great conversation. Elizabeth Haile, director of rituals, welcomed new chapter members with an informal ritual inviting them to rededicate to the principles and ideals of the

Fraternity. One important component of alumnae life is service work, both in the local community and through Service for Sight related projects. Women were to invited to volunteer for an exciting upcoming service related activity, the American Girl Fashion show hosted by the Prevention of Blindness Society of Metro DC. Ashly Mitchell, VP: membership, highlighted the benefits of alumnae chapter member-

Lynn Neagley chats with Eleanor Cartwright, who won a prize for being the longest standing member at the brunch!

WDC DG President, Tonya Richardson, presents our hostess, Jen Middleton, with a thank you gift.

ship and encouraged women to purchase alumnae chapter t-shirts to add to their collection. Ashly and Karin Fenn, VP: communications, received awards for their dedication to the chapter from new awards chair Amanda Haff. To close out the day WDC President Tonya Richardson led the group in reciting Delta Gamma’s Oath of Friendship

Danielle Yates, Lauren Marsh, and Amrita Dutta -Gupta take a break from chatting for a photo op.

April Black and Ashly Mitchell proudly display our new WDC DG alumnae t-shirts.

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Panhellenic Update The Panhellenic Association of Washington, DC had its first meeting for the year in September. This year, the group is continuing the successful programs of previous years and has prioritized increasing the involvement by reaching out to more members and chapters.

The first chance to get involved with Panhellenic will be collecting hats, scarves and mittens for area residents so everyone will be warm this winter. We’ll be letting you know how you can participate. If you are interested, please contact Stephanie at panhellenic@wdcdelta gamma.org.

We have a lot to be proud of with our involvement in the Panhellenic Association, which won three awards at the National Panhellenic Association biennial convention. If you are interested in attending one of the meetings, please email Stephanie at panhellenic@wdc deltagamma.org.

Effects. We wish you the best, Tiffany!

new job with the Office of Government Ethics (OGE). Good luck in your new position, Kerri!

WDC DG Gossip Susanne Fitch had a baby girl named Josephine! Congratulations, Susanne! Tiffany Waddell has started her own business called Capital

After 9 plus years with the Air Force General Counsel's Office, Kerri Cox has accepted a

Well Aware: Bystander Behavior You are driving along the highway and notice a car pulled alongside the guardrail. A man is peering into the hood of the car looking hopeless. You quietly say to yourself “I am glad that is not me.” You then motor on and continue about your day. You assume someone else called for help or that the stranded man must have a cell phone and called for assistance. In this type of situation, no one intervened to assist the individual in need. This inaction is known as bystander behavior. A bystander is “someone who witnesses a problem and does not do something about it.” Take a moment and reflect on a few recent experiences – when have you responded as a bystander? Barriers to Intervention

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Why don’t we intervene when another individual needs assistance? Five reasons for lack of intervention are: 1. Social influence.

2. Fear of embarrassment. 3. Diffusion of responsibility. 4. Fear of retaliation. 5. Pluralistic ignorance. Stages of Bystander Behavior A second way to consider our inaction is to see our lack of response through the stages of the bystander model. As you read these five stages, consider your bystander situation and which stage best explains your reason for not acting. In order to illuminate the issue of hazing, the model is explained through this lens. 1. Notice the event. 2. Interpret the behavior as a problem. 3.Belief that one has a responsibility to help solve the problem. 4. Know what to do. 5. Possess the capacity for action. What does this mean for us as Delta Gammas?

Article II of the Delta Gamma Constitution states: “The objects of this Fraternity shall be to foster high ideals of friendship among college women, to promote their educational and cultural interests, to create in them a true sense of social responsibility and to develop in them the best qualities of character.” As members, we commit to uphold these Objects which encourage us to courageously move from inaction to action to ensure we act in a socially responsible manner. By eliminating bystander behavior, we help to develop friendship based on mutual helpfulness and act courageously exhibiting character. References: Berkowitz, A. (2007). Understanding bystander behavior: A “white paper” on bystander behavior to accompany “bystander intervention training.” National Hazing Symposium Resource Guide.