Get ready! This past year, we sisters really put out our services! Wait a minute, that didn’t sound quite right. Let’s try that again. We ladies really gave our all for our community. Hmm, better. The point is, we worked hard to make a difference for people in need. Here’s how –

Our chapter has several stalwart organizations that we partner with every year – our area Food Bank, The Salvation Army, The Chambliss Center for Children, Lana’s Love, The Marty Center, and The Autism Center. Food Banks and The Salvation Army are well known institutions; no extra explanation should be needed for them. The remaining four organizations may be less familiar: The Chambliss Center for Children supplies foster care and education for children and teens who have been removed from unstable home environments; Lana’s Love provides support for pediatric cancer patients and their families; The Marty Center is a pre-school specifically designed to teach and aid deaf and hearing impaired children; and finally, The Autism Center which offers support, education and aid to families with autistic children. Having highlighted these six groups in no way detracts from the importance of other venues that come to our attention through the year as you will soon read.

September and October of 2017 had combined volunteer hours of 175.25. Several of our ladies worked the UnTeal There is a Cure for Ovarian Center golf tournament. We also worked in conjunction with Talbot’s to raise money that went directly to The Autism Center.

November and December had 170.25 hours. All our members went shopping for Christmas gifts for two families, one through The Chambliss Center for Children and one through Lana’s Love. Sisters also wrapped and delivered presents to Kids on the Block (children’s puppet ministry), the Barn Nursery (for Lana’s Love), and Orange Grove patients (center for kids and adults with learning disabilities). Help was extended as needed to Room In The Inn (a shelter for displaced woman and children) and meals were cooked for Hope Church Ministry. A total of $824.21 was spent to provide a good Christmas to many.

January and February of 2018 logged 184 hours. Coats and blankets were purchased ($60.93) and donated to The Salvation Army. 1,111 diapers were donated to Diapers for the Needy, an outreach program for mothers through our area Food Bank. Several of us attended a seminar at Second Life to learn more about what is being done to combat human trafficking while another member attended a similar event sponsored by Street Grace which focuses on rehabilitating people rescued from human trafficking. Soaps and shampoos were donated to Ronald McDonald House. Volunteers worked at the Food Bank filling 450 snack packs.

March and April saw 368.5 hours of service! Easter basket items were bought ($292.03), baskets were prepped, then delivered to The Chambliss Center for Children. Volunteers participated in the Rump Run, a 5K run for colon cancer. Toys and games were donated and delivered to The Autism Center

May and June reported hours of 246.5. Toys were delivered to The Marty Center and $100.00 was given to The H’art Center to purchase art supplies for the physically and mentally disabled. Another diaper drive resulted in 44 pounds of diapers for the Food Bank.

July and  August, our closing months, logged 269 hours. Sisters, via Lana’s Love, delivered pizza to both Erlanger Hospital and Ronald McDonald House. Transportation for a dementia patient in need was provided and children of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) were chaperoned to Ruby Falls and Rock City. $100.00 was given to Scenic Ark – a food truck that delivers meals to the homeless.

Twenty women worked 1,413.5 hours of service and donated $1,377.17. As a group we also have full time jobs, careers, husbands, children, grandchildren, medical issues, surgeries, life struggles, and life celebrations. We are 20 women strong, dedicated to helping others because we can and we care. It is always an honor to report a year’s activities and it was amazing to realize just how much of an impact we truly make. It’s humbling, but again, that’s our mission and we are proud to call ourselves Sigma Beta Sisters.

Submitted by Epsilon Pi Chapter, Chattanooga, TN

2018 Oliver King Maurer Award Recipient