PAK Sorority Keynote

Pi Alpha Kappa Sorority

Keynote

From Your National President….Georgia Turnage

April 2012

What a beautiful Spring we have been having!  I can't remember when the blooms have been so early and so gorgeous.

We all want to thank Frances Koury for her outstanding production of "To Vicksburg with Love".  It was fun to watch the models and remember when we dressed like that: it wasn't so long ago, now was it?  The music made everything even more delightful. Frances, we love you - please keep coming up with these great ideas each year.  You are probably thinking about a theme for next year's show already.

In September we will begin making our plans for our 2013 Convention.  Please contact me if you have any fresh new ideas.  Let's work hard and have a spectacular convention and have a high attendance.

I would like to thank Pam Gee for her excellent and hard work in publishing THE KEYNOTE.  She gets together three issues each year, and that is a lot of work.  The next time that you see Pam, tell her we appreciate the great job that she does.

Summer is just around the corner, and everybody will be traveling.  I hope that your trips turn out to be wonderful, fun, and interesting.  We will want to hear all about them when September rolls around.  Have a wonderful summer!

Georgia Turnage

National President

 

Photos from “To Vicksburg With Love.  

   Thanks to Marian Love Phillips, Omega Chapter.                             

News from the Chapters……

Vicksburg Alpha Beta

Margharita Davis has been enjoying many early spring gardens in MS.  She traveled with Clinton Gardeners to Rosemeade to tour the extensive rose gardens of Patricia and John Arthur Eaves. Many other features abound on their 83 acres in Madison such as lakes, swans, and fountains. She traveled to Port Gibson for a delightful lunch at Isabella Bed and Breakfast (Person Home) and next week will play hostess at Rosalie Mansion in Natchez during their pilgrimage when she’ll get to see more beautiful gardens. 

Pam Gee has been traveling to Atlanta and Richmond, VA, to see grandchildren.  The Atlanta grandsons Blake and Alex will be celebrating birthdays the end of April.  Grandson Michael in Virginia is busy with indoor soccer while his little sister Addison (2) loves to read (the same books over and over and over!)  Granddaughter Anna Catherine turned 12 in March and stays busy with dance and gymnastics.  Pam has lost 38 pounds on Weight Watchers and has begun training to be a substitute for the meetings.

Marie Hernandez says the grounds around Brookdale are simply beautiful with the spring flowers in full bloom.  It seems early for mowers but they have been active for several days. It's safe to say that spring is here and the blessed Easter Season is upon us.  She is hobbling along on bum legs but going to therapy three times a week hoping to correct her gait.  Her good news is she has been watching her diet and using the Sensa she started sprinkling on her food a month before she left Vicksburg.  She has lost 17 pounds and will try for ten more since the first pounds were so easy off.  She adds, “It's hard for me to believe I have only played bridge twice. Once a month ago then we had a virus scare and everything got cancelled. Things are back to normal now. Last week I attended the bridge luncheon they have on the first and third Thursdays. Guess who won high score - - that's right!  Lucky Me!  We have movies on Saturday and Sunday nights (big screen).  One night recently I saw "The Help" and got all steamed up. From all the publicity, it was supposed to be great. It was the usual Hollywood version of what it was like in Mississippi during the 1950's. I must commend my daughter-in-law Joy and my granddaughter Susan Ray for helping me with shopping. They take turns shopping for groceries and other necessities. Fortunately I don't need too many groceries since the dining room is on my floor and I can jump on my scooter and be there in a jiffy.  The chef has the kitchen help put out the most delicious muffins along with steaming pots of coffee stationed in various parts of the building each morning. (I have learned where all of them are located.)   On second thought I might give up my goal of ten more pounds!  I think about you all so often.  Please have a wonderful Easter.  Much love, Marie”

Frances Koury says, “Can hardly believe that it is spring.  Another year with PAK!! Thanks to  each one of you who helped make "To Vicksburg...With Love" a success. I think everyone had a great time.  The food was good and the models beautiful and fun. It was sweet of Johnny Crocker to pull it all together to support our program. I am excited that he has helped with recording the song about Vicksburg. It has now been recorded and being fine tuned to be promoted as a tourist tool.  I'll keep you posted as to the date, etc.  I am planning a trip to Dallas for Stephen Glenn Koury’s (my great grandson) christening after Easter.  God is good. May Holy Week be most meaningful to each and everyone.”

Tracy Trichell's sons, Thomas and James Trichell have started the 2012 Baseball Tournament Season with the Vicksburg Billies.  Their team has been classified as 10 & Under AAA division.  This past weekend March 17-18 their team played up in the 11 & Under Open bracket at Shiloh Park in Brandon, Mississippi.  The team came in 1st place out of 12 teams.  Also, Thomas placed 3rd in the Science Fair at Vicksburg Catholic School and received an Honorable Mention at the District Science Fair in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Vicksburg Delta

In January DELTA CHAPTER collected dog and cat food for the Animal Shelter.  We provided bottle water, napkins, and paper plates to the Child Abuse Prevention Center for their Annual Day of Remembrance Assembly in April.

Beth Haskins resigned in March so she can help her ailing parents who live on the coast.  She has been a loyal and dedicated member of Delta Chapter since the '80s and has held Chapter and National Offices.  We will certainly miss her and look forward to her reinstatement in the future. 

Hal and Joan Morgan spent 17 days in Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii, visiting with "old" military friends who were escaping the cold of South Dakota.  Hal photographed almost every spectacular sunrise and much of the breathtaking scenery. Joan, on the other hand, was concentrating on the beautiful flowers and blooming trees.  Breakfast with fresh papayas, pineapple, and mangoes was something to look forward to each morning.  From our balcony we scanned the ocean for signs of breaching whales and observed several beach weddings.  The most surprising thing was to see hens and chicks EVERYWHERE and to hear the roosters crow at 3 AM under our window!  The downside of the trip was Hal coming down with pneumonia halfway through the vacation and it is something he hasn't been able to recover from.

Josephine Peterson had an early spring trip to visit Richard and his family in South Carolina.  Anders (6) was in his first school production.  He was elected from his kindergarten class to have a speaking part (only 6 were chosen.)  Of course, he was the star of the production!  His older sister, Ella, was in the musical production for the fifth grade.  They attend the Calhoun School of the Arts.  While there, Josephine babysat all four grands while Jodi and Richard had a weekend getaway to Chattanooga, TN, to celebrate Jodi’s birthday.  In late March, she and a friend traveled to New Orleans to attend the wedding of Mark Haulman whose parents are former Vicksburg residents.  It was a fun weekend since the wedding took place in the French Quarter.  Before driving home, they visited Josephine’s niece, who recently moved south of New Orleans.

Joann White writes, “Things are hopping this spring.  I am now “Granny” to seven grandchildren since my son Barry remarried in November.  I am excited to have Cheri as my sweet daughter-in-law.  Paul White, my grandson, will graduate from Jones Junior College this spring.  I am looking forward to his Spring Choir Concert.  Our Delta Chapter met at my home for our March meeting and luncheon.  We are so proud of Helene Benson!  Brea, my foster daughter and her husband Marc plus my Aunt Wilma Russum from Collierville, TN, are coming for a visit – I’d better get busy!”

Member-at-Large Peggy Ward writes, “Greetings from Tennessee where signs of spring are everywhere.  The mourning dove pair are making their nest; the red fox that lives on our p[roperty is preparing to birth her pups; robins are everywhere and life is good.  Our Kentucky granddaughter is a co-op student working this semester at Ft. Knox (civil engineer major); our Tennessee granddaughter is preparing for her work-study trip to Argentina this summer (third year at Belmont University); and Tennessee grandson is second year is religion grad school.  I am starting my third quilt this year and Dan is getting his grass-cutting equipment ready.  Peace and happiness to all my Vicksburg PAK sisters.”

Vicksburg Omega

Marian Love Phillips’ nephew, Marion Edward Love, III, will be united in marriage to Cassie Jo Griffing on April 14, 2012 at the Old Court House Museum.  A reception will follow at the Old Southern Tea Room.  Marian also has another nephew, Joseph Christopher “Joey” Ables, getting married on September 29, 2012 to Candice Landers, at St. Michael’s Catholic Church.  Marian harvested a doe at the Christmas Place Plantation and Hunting Club in the MS Delta on December 27, 2011.  The next morning as soon as she got on her stand before daylight she heard something rustling in the woods nearby.  She could barely make out a hog walking through and did not have her gun loaded in time to shoot it.  There has to be a hog with her name on it and it’s only a matter of time!

Marian will be traveling by plane to visit her youngest daughter, Suzy, her son-in-law, Dennis and granddaughter, Emma, in Fredericksburg, VA, in July.  Accompanying her will be her daughter^, Kathleen and granddaughter, Lucy, who have never flown before.  They will be attending “little” Emma’s 5th birthday celebration. 

Cindy Calais’s granddaughter, Gracie Roberts, participated in the elementary all state choir in Jackson, MS.  She was chosen to sing with 150 students from Mississippi.  

Myrtle Loviza Alvarado notes, "My niece Joanne Wright and I joined my sister Blanche, her two daughters and one daughter-in-law for a wonderful week at Spa Mexico in Ixtapan De La Sal, Mexico.  Exercise, exercise, exercise and wonderful food, beautifully prepared along with massages every day, facials, reflexology, pedicure, manicure and hair treatments - we hated to come home, and are already planning again for next year."