Keynotes February 2011

Pi Alpha Kappa Sorority

Keynote

From Your National President……Josephine Peterson.....February 2011

Dear Sisters,

          I hope everyone had a happy holiday season.  Hopefully the chilly temperatures will help us appreciate spring when it comes.

          I look forward to seeing many of you at “To Vicksburg With Love” on February 8^th.  I hope some of you will call me to join you for one of your meetings if I haven’t had the opportunity to be with you.

          Plans are being made for our national convention this summer.  Convention has been set for June 3-4.  A reception will be held on Friday evening.  Our meeting and luncheon will be at First Presbyterian Church on June 4.  The convention committee will be meeting soon.  Convention committee members are: Josephine Peterson, Georgia Turnage, Jane Brock, Helene Benson, Beth Haskins, Joan Morgan, Janie Curtis, Ginny Horvath, Pam Gee, Anita Hossley, and Janie Seabergh.

          The Scholarship Committee will be meeting to prepare and deliver applications for our scholarship.  The committee includes Josephine Peterson, Ginny Horvath, Alice Hebler, Pam Gee, and Beth Haskins.

          Our sister Linda Christian has been moved to Methodist Rehab in Jackson.  Tommy Trichell, husband of our sister Tracy and Linda’s son-in-law, underwent quadruple bypass surgery on January 24.  Please keep this PAK family in your prayers.

          Our deepest sympathies are extended to the family of Velda Buchanan, long-time Beta Chapter member, who passed away recently.

Love in PAK,

Josephine

To Vicksburg With Love

Tuesday, February 8, Noon

Southern Cultural Heritage Complex

Tickets: $12; Reservations: 601-631-2997

Proceeds to PAK Scholarship Fund and SCHC

Musical guests: Michael Gibson, soloist with First Baptist Church, Jackson, and Betty Jean Patterson, accompanist for the Reflection Senior Choir of FBC, Jackson.  Michael has performed with the

Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, Opera Memphis, and

the Capitol City Stage Band.

 Come and bring a friend!  This will also serve as our Founder’s Day.

2011 PAK National Convention

Save the dates – June 3-4, 2011!

Friday, June 3 – Reception

Saturday, June 4 – Convention meetings, memorial service, luncheon, and scholarship presentation

The convention committee is working out the details.  More information will be available in the April newsletter and in mailings to come.

NOTE TO ALL CHAPTERS FROM SECRETARY JANE BROCK:

I need all the chapter secretaries to please send me the minutes from all their meetings from last year as well as those for this year. Please make sure they notify me when sisters and PAK rats pass away. I have a few that I have noticed, but I want to make sure I have everyone so far. My email is: j_g_brock@hotmail.com , and my mailing address is: 460 Douglas Road, Vicksburg, MS 39183.  This is especially important as we approach convention and our memorial service!

DENVER DELTA CHAPTER

Isolde Meyer reports, “2010 certainly has been a trying year for our aging chapter.  Our best attempts to hold regular meetings were often thwarted due to illness or uncooperative weather.  We are hoping for a better 2011.”

Elly Danko kept her doctors busy with a myriad of ailments.  Elly’s year started with mysterious nosebleeds that occurred every day, causing much concern for her doctors.  She then had leg pains which proved to be a blood clot, and then she was stricken with shingles – a very painful form of chicken pox.  Despite all that, she still made plans to visit her homeland with grandson Daniel and his new wife.  They enjoyed visits with Elly’s relatives and school friends, strolls through the Bavarian woods, and a river tour on the Danube to Vienna.  Elly also spent considerable time this summer in her bountiful vegetable garden.  She also helped her local German Club with its annual Christkindl Markt.

Betty Shea and her husband, Dwight, traveled to see their son and grandsons families in Chicago, and her sister, Luise, who once also was a member of this chapter and still lives in Grand Junction.  Betty’s son, Barry, recently had a terrible motorcycle accident.  After making some repairs, he took it for a short test drive, hit a patch of gravel, lost control, and tumbled, bike and all, down a small hill.  Betty’s daughter, Penny, is helping out his family by running errands.  We are all praying for a speedy recovery.

Walburga Salazar has kept busy this year helping others – as usual.  She spent a tough five weeks housesitting for a friend in Evergreen.  It was tough because Wallburga never figured out how to turn on the furnace, nor how to work the new stove.  Right after she returned home, she received some scary news from her son, Richard.  A routine doctor visit revealed that he was severely anemic and needed an immediate transfusion of two pints of blood.  Wallburga has decided that next year she is going to slow down a bit and take care of herself.  She hopes to save enough money for a trip to Germany.

Isolde Meyer spent three wonderful weeks in Germany with her daughter, Melissa, in March.  They visited friends and family, and even went sightseeing to Rothenburg on the way to an old school friend’s home.  They spent most of their time with Isolde’s sister, Doris, who spoiled them with delicious German dishes.  Back home, Isolde tried to shovel snow off her sidewalk and severely injured her back, sending her to the hospital and then to live with Melissa for eight weeks.  After her recovery, her daughters, Melissa and Heidi and their families spent a week on Lake Powell on Heidi’s houseboat.  Later in the summer, Melissa and her husband, Ron, purchased land in Creede and spent many weekends enjoying the quiet in their 5^th wheel.

VICKSBURG ALPHA BETA CHAPTER

This fall Alpha and Beta Chapters joined forces to reenergize their chapters.  Members have enjoyed several joint meetings including a wonderful Christmas party at Roca in December.  Members presented gifts to their secret sisters and the group played a lively round of “Dirty Santa.”

                         

(Pictures coming at a later date)

Alpha Beta Christmas Party at Roca

Kathryn Chaney says, “I think most know that husband, Mark, had colon cancer and had surgery in late August.  The prognosis is good, but as a precautionary measure he is going through radiation treatments...almost finished!  We have felt the prayers and appreciate all of them!  Then, on a happier note, our son, Carl, has been in the news lately....He is President and CEO of Hancock Bank (Gulfport) and they have just bought Whitney Bank out of New Orleans...a really big deal...made headlines of Clarion Ledger.”

Leigh Cook has been on several trips over the past few months.  On Thanksgiving Day she attended the Saints/Cowboys game in Dallas. In December, she went to the Hard Rock Biloxi and saw Brandon Bennett , an Elvis impersonator, in concert.  She also attended the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville Florida on New Year’s Day. Mississippi State beat Michigan 52 -14.

Bill and Janie Curtis had wall-to-wall company for Christmas.  Sharon and Charles Winfield, daughter and son-in-law, from Franklin, TN; grandson Corey and Teva Winfield from Lakehills, TX, and their children Andrew, Anna, and Elijah; Ryan Winfield from Washington, D.C., and Blair Cook, granddaughter, from Highland, MD.  They joined the three children who live in Vicksburg: Beth  Maggio and David, Justin, and Amanda Maggio; Leigh Cook; and Mike, Denesha, and Cameron Curtis.  “We had a great time being together and bonding with family,” added Janie.

Margharita Davis attended her 50^th Baton Rouge High School class reunion this year at historic Magnolia Mound Plantation pavilion.   She first joined fellow classmate and her childhood friend Bette and husband Emile Vidrine in Lafayette.  While there, she enjoyed watching Bette’s grandson Samuel pick fresh eggs which they later ate at breakfast along with their very own homegrown honey from their bee hives.  Also fun was attending husband Bill’s 50^th class reunion in Water Valley that was held during the annual Watermelon Festival.  Having the old family home for their children and grands able to join them made this a really special reunion.

Pam Gee spent a lot of time driving in the snow these past couple of months.  In early December, she drove to Iowa to visit her brother and enjoyed daily snowfalls.  On Christmas Day, she drove through the snow to Atlanta to spend a few days with her son Scott and his family.  It was much more fun to watch the snow falling than to drive in it!

During Thanksgiving holidays Marie Hernandez was delighted to welcome son Bob Hernandez from Birmingham along with grandson Robert and his wife Carrie from McLean, Virginia. The star attraction was Marie's great granddaughter Helena Marie who will be celebrating her first birthday Feb. 16.  Marie is looking forward to son Bob and his wife Joy to visiting in February to celebrate her birthday.

Three cheers for Mary Lewis’ daughter Cynthia who climbed to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. What a feat!  (Will Mary accompany her on her next climb?!!)

Sue Rowlett must feel like she just climbed a mountain after months of physical therapy following her October 18 knee replacement surgery.  She did get out to play bridge for the first time in mid-January.

Lois Waldbauer’s Christmas was marked by daughter Wendy’s stay at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.  Suffering from heart issues, Wendy had a defibrillator put in.  She is back in Starkville and already back running.

VICKSBURG DELTA CHAPTER

The October meeting was held in the home of Joan Morgan.  Her husband, Hal, presented a program of their trip to Germany, with numerous photos of the gorgeous displays of flowers everywhere.

Mary Lee provided material for everyone to make a Christmas wreath for themselves and some to be presented to nursing homes.  For our annual November philanthropic project, members brought wrapped gifts for the CAP center.  It was voted that we would change our meeting time to afternoons.  Mary served a delicious stroganoff meal with several desserts to choose from.

(Pictures coming at a later date)

Our annual pot luck Christmas dinner was held at the beautifully decorated home of Josephine Peterson.  Following the delicious meal, everyone played Dirty Santa.  We met at Joann White’s home and she and her co-hostess, Beth Haskins, served a delicious quiche luncheon at the January meeting.  Joann’s coconut cake (to die for) and Rosemary’s old fashion jelly cake (yummy!) rounded out the relaxed meal as everyone caught up on news.  Rosemary Murphy, of “Parsley, Sage & Thyme by Rosemary” told us of the evolution of her company.  She provided samples of her products and generously presented members with a jar of her jellies.  Plans were made for the memorial for our dear member, Merrilyn Anthony, who died March 9, 2009.

In October, Joan Morgan traveled to Memphis with her daughter-in-law Jeanette and grandchildren to see Wicked.  Her daughter, Michelle, from Huntsville and a friend, joined them for lunch and the performance.  It was fun to share the day with all of them.  Hal and Joan attended Veterans’ Day patriotic programs at their grandchildren’s respective school.  Veterans and their “sponsors” were recognized individually, students presented a musical play, and the staff held a reception for the guests.  Granddaughter Adia, join her grandparents for the Jackson Symphony concert Cirque de la Symphony, for an evening of music and gymnastic and agility performances on high wire ropes, balls, and humans.  In December we spent two weeks in “frigid” Huntsville, AL, helping Michelle while she recovered from surgery, arriving back in Vicksburg just in time for Christmas. Our granddaughter, Adia, a student at Madison Crossing in Madison MS, won the Book Fair for the 4^th Grade and now heads to the District level.

Josephine Peterson had a busy holiday season.  Thanksgiving found her counting her blessings.  Richard’s family was here for a Thanksgiving feast and her family joined them.  It was a celebration like those of Josephine’s childhood with good food, football, and a house full of relatives and happy children.  Will and Karie’s baby, Nora Ann, arrived by C-section on December 2 weighing 7 lb., 9 oz. and 20 inches long.  Josephine was there for the birth and it was special to see Will come out of delivery carrying Nora.  She is precious.  The Delta Chapter PAK Christmas party was at Josephine’s.  Everyone enjoyed the delicious potluck dinner and the “Dirty Santa” gift exchange.  Josephine’s son John arrived from Arizona on December 22.  John was eager to meet his newest niece so they visited Will’s family on the way to South Carolina.  John and Josephine enjoyed spending Christmas at Jodi and Richard’s with four grandchildren.  She had a truly blessed Christmas!

Joann White reports that she enjoyed the Christmas season with family and friends, especially the Delta PAK Christmas dinner at Josephine Peterson’s and the Singing Christmas Tree at Trinity Baptist Church.  She adds, “Then 2011 ushered in a flurry of events in my family…my sister Tannie had surgery, my brother-in-law had a heart attack, and my great-niece was born and spent two weeks in a Children’s Hospital in Louisville, KY.  It was a welcome change of pace to host our Delta January meeting and I am looking forward to February events.”

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News from Peggy Ward, our Member-At-Large, from Portland Tennessee:

“Life is good here in Tennessee. We had a white Christmas and a white January. Many snow days have provided opportunities to sit by the fire and quilt or read novels. I send a Tennessee country wish for a Happy New Year to all of my PAK sisters.”  (This was e-mailed by Peggy’s granddaughter since the snow prevented her from getting to the mailbox!)

VICKSBURG OMEGA CHAPTER

Omega Christmas Party

Myrtle Curro Alvarado and her husband Bobby went to his 50^th college reunion at the CITADEL in Charleston, SC, in early November.  The weather was perfectly beautiful although a little cold.  On the return home they stopped for a visit with Myrtle’s brother, John Loviza, in Nashville, TN.

Alice Hebler recently returned from a Caribbean Cruise with two of her sisters, Maureen and Maggie.  They went to ports of call of Costa Maya, Belize, Cozumel and Roatan.  They all had a great and wonderful time. 

Marian Love Phillips’ brother, Marion, Jr. passed away on October 31, 2010, from complications of diabetes at the age of 65.  Marian and her husband, Bob, both harvested a deer (doe) the same day at the famous Christmas Place Plantation and Hunting Club near Eden, MS in November.  Both deer were taken with a muzzleloader and weighed 120 lbs. apiece.  Marian was invited by her youngest daughter, Marian “Suzi” Suzanne and her son-in-law, Dennis, to spend Christmas with them and her youngest granddaughter, 3-1/2 year old, Emma, in Fredericksburg, VA.  This was Marian’s Christmas gift once again.  Dennis works for the FAA in Washington, DC and Suzi is now a stay-at-home Mom and is also pursuing her Associates Degree at home online. 

Pam Melsheimer made a late summer trip to Washington, D.C., with her children Ross and Tammy, grandsons, Sean (3) and Jackob (1) and Tammy’s Mom and Dad.  A highlight was visiting the Spy Museum.

Roy and Katherine Turcotte celebrated their 50^th wedding Anniversary on New Year’s Eve.  A Mass with renewal of vows and special blessing was held at St. Michael Catholic Church with Father P. J. Curly, officiating and a reception following the Mass.  All four of their sons were able to attend - Jeff, from Albuquerque, NM, Greg from Seminary, MS; Tim, from Lexington, KY; and Steve, from Vicksburg.  Sorority sisters helped with the reception.  Thanks!  Roy, had to have a tumor removed from his bladder, which was malignant, but had not invaded bladder lining or muscle.  There was a scare that he had prostate cancer but biopsy report was cancer free.  He has started precautionary treatment on his bladder.  God is good, as well as the prognosis.  We are all pulling for you Roy! 

Ina Lott Whittington had a hip replacement on Monday, November 15, 2010, at River Region Hospital and has been at Heritage House Nursing Home recovering.  She is looking forward to going home by the end of January and will be staying with her son until she fully recovers in Delta, Louisiana.  Get well wishes Ina!

Mike and Joan Donovan traveled to White River Junction, Vermont, in October.  They caught the changing colors  at just the right time and was so beautiful.  They also saw a lot of covered bridges and red barns.  The scenery was awesome!  The trip reminded them of the wonders of God’s creation displayed for their enjoyment.

Deadline for the next Keynote – March 25

Valentine Sorority Meeting

Wednesday, February 2, 2011, we will meet at the Senior Center and our program is our Valentine's Party.  Philanthropic is Haven House Family Shelter.  Plus, "To Vicksburg with Love" is Feb. 8.  Cost is $12.  Please make your reservations by calling the Southern Cultural Heritage Center.

Code

GZ24WDTV7G89

Prayer Request

Dear PAK Sisters:

Our Alpha Beta sister Linda Christian had surgery on January 11, 2011, for a brain tumor. She came through the surgery fine, but will have quite a recovery ahead of her. She’s at the Baptist Hospital in Jackson, MS.  Please pray for Linda and her family that God will bring her healing and strength and comfort for her family.

UPDATE:  Thank-you so much for your prayers. They had to take my mom back into surgery because she had developed a blood clot yesterday morning (Thursday, 1/13). She made it through that. Today, (Friday, 1-14 @ 8:48 a.m.) we are at the point before the blood clot develop. She is still on the ventilator, she is moving her right leg and arm. She is trying to open her eyes. The Dr. removed the drain from where he did the surgery and she did not like it one bit! (which is a good sign). My Dad Cell number is 601-415-1951 if you would like to call him but I will try to keep you posted. My cell number is 601-618-9613. I was with my Dad most of Monday through Thursday and spent Wednesday night with him in the ICU waiting room. I went to the visiting hour at 6:00 a.m. then came to work after. My brother Scott is going to spend the rest of the day with my Dad then I will go back over tonight. Since my surgery, I have no annual or sick leave left. I have already started taking some leave without pay. I will be over there this weekend and Monday (since it is a Government Holiday). Thank-you for keeping my mom in your prayers - God Bless you and the other PAK Sisters!

Peace,
Tracy

Todays's (1/16/2011) UPDATE:
I just talked with Joan Morgan and she said Linda is improving. They have taken out the tube in her throat, which is naturally sore. She’s not eating yet because of the soreness. Her left arm and leg have been affected and she has lost some peripheral vision in the left eye. The doctors said the tumor had been growing for 30 years and was huge. They were able to remove almost all of it. Linda should be in ICU another couple of days. Please keep Linda and her family in your prayers.

Pam Gee

PAK January Meeting Tonight

Our January meeting will be tonight at Becky Towne's house on Vicklan Street.  Hostesses will be Becky, Myrtle and Frances. 
 
Our philantropic for January is the Warren County Children's Shelter and below are some suggestion of items to bring that may be helpful. 

Household Items:

Paper goods (toilet paper, paper plates, napkins, paper towels)

Fabulous, SOS pads, clorox

School Supplies:

Book bags

Wide ruled and college ruled paper

Encouraged items; these are always useful to kids here -

Diaries or journals

Departing necessities:

Cute luggage, overnight bags, duffle bags

Omega Chapter 2010 Christmas Party

We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas Party at Jacques Cafe in the Park at Battlefield Inn tonight.  We all had a delicious meal with our husbands and opened presents from our secret sisters for the past year.  We also drew names for new ones for 2011.  Wishing a Merry Christmas to one and all from the Pi Alpha Kappa Omega Chapter!

First Meeting Last Night

We had our first sorority meeting last night which was held at Katie Hossley's lovely home on Duval Street.  It was a very good attendance and she and her co-hostesses prepared a meal of lasagna, salad, french bread and a crunchy pizza desert with whipped cream.  It was so good to see and visit with everyone again since our last meeting in May.

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Pi Alpha Kappa Sorority

Keynote

From your National President.....Josephine Peterson

Greetings:

Finally the long hot summer is over.  Now we have the excitement of football, the expectation of cool, crisp evenings, and the changing colors of fall.

I hope each of you had a relaxing time with family and friends during the summer.

I know each of us a saddened by the death of our beloved Florence Amborn.  She will be missed by all

I look forward to being with each of you at a meeting in the coming year.  Please call me so we can schedule a date for my visit.

May we each become more bonded with our sisters as we work to increase our chapter membership.

Love in PAK

Josephine

Note to all Chapters from Secretary Janie Brock:
I need all the chapter secretaries to please send me the minutes form all their meetings from last year as well as those for this year.  Please make sure they notify me when sisters and PAK rats pass away.  I have a few that I have noticed, but I want to make sure I have everyone so far.  My email is: j_g_brock@hotmail.com, and my mailing address is:  460 Douglas Road, Vicksburg, MS  39183.

Denver Delta Chapter
Isolde Meyer reports, "Time is flying and we have so much to do before winter arrives.  No meeting will be held in September since two of our members are out of town."

President Elly Danko is in Germany visiting friends and relatives with her grandson Daniel and his new wife.  They needed to see where Grandma spent her youth.  While there, brother Karl_Heinz bought them a belated wedding gift of a trip via ship down the Danube.

Betty Shay again visited her son in Illinois where he is raising Alpacas.  She also visited her grandson in the Chicago area and her four great-grandchildren.

Gennie McCloskey, a former member, had visitors from Nova Scotia and Korea where her granddaughter has a teaching job.  Gennie and Betty are still good friends and are both active in church.  They get together for lunch or dinner every weekend.

Walburga Salazar left for Evergreen, Colorado, to house-sit and take care of her friend's golden retriever while they traveled through October.

Isolde Meyer had a big birthday party for her 85th with 60+ guests at the park near her daughter Heidi' house July.  In addition the July event was to also celebrate her grandson Cody's High School Graduation.  Now both boys, Tyler and Cody, are starting college.  Isoide took a 3-day try to Estes Park with friends just to relax and enjoy the scenery.

Vicksburg Alpha Chapter
We deeply mourm the loss of our beloved sister, Florence Amborn, who died on August 15, 2010, as a result of injuries suffered in an auto accident.  Her 90 years were filled with family, friends, and fun.  She was always the life of the party and our chapter and we will deeply miss her.

Most Alpha members confessed to having very quiet summers, spending most of the days inside trying to keep cool and avoid the intense and long-term high temperatures.

Pam Gee enjoyed a wonderful family get-together this summer with her brother and his children and grandchildren and all her children and grandchildren.  Twenty-nine people (14 children ages 11 and under!) gathered in a large 8-bedroom cabin in Pigeon Forge and enjoyed losts of activities and family time for a few days.  In September, she traveled to Prague, Vienna and Budapest.  Not only was the weather great, bu the beautify of the cities was awe-inspiring.  She especially enjoyed the moonlight cruise on the Danube in Budapest.

Frances Koury said it was fun to entertain her grandson Aaron Koury and his bride Elizabeth from Dallas, Texas over the Labor Day Weekend.  Ever since the wedding last October they have been planning to bring her mother and father Bev and Bob James of Dallas to visit and tour Vicksburg.  She acted as tour guide and enjoyed re-discovering the beauty of Vicksburg and why people from all over come to visit our city.  The park was beautiful, the weather perfect, the foliage lush, the story awesome...truly they were on hallowed ground.  They also visited the Court House, Catfish Row, the unique stories of our homes and churches, our place in history.  The want to come back as they didn't get to "do" everything!  Frances notes that, of course, they didn't miss a meal....Jacques, Anchuca, Main Street Market, and Rusty's with some Goldies' ribs added for appetizers and Connie's beautiful cabin on the lake with family made for a perfect weekend.  She hopes you will meet them when they return.  She added, "A fantastic Surprise Birthday celebration hosted by my children, planned with such detail by Connie was enjoyed by some 40 family and friends.  The theme Special K was carried out and individual boxes of Special K were favors, Sally and Chris of Main Street Market served the wonderful food and I appreciate their serving on Saturday (May 22).  Besides immediate family, it was extra special to have my granddaughter Allison and the fiance Damon (who are planning a June 4, 2011 wedding) my brother from Washington D.C. and my nephew and his wife from Texas.  It was a surprise."

Mary Lewis and her family enjoyed visiting their daughter Cynthia at her lake home near Toronto, Canada, this summer.  Cynthia is in training to climb Mt. Kilimarjaro in November.  Mary's grandson graduated from the University of Texas in May.

Jean McKnight's grandson, Edward McKnight IV, was married in June to Maggie Griffing at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center.  They will be living in Vicksburg where Edward farms with his father and Maggie is a nurse at Covenant Health & Rehab Center.

Lois Waldhbauer's son Walter and his wife, Jennifer, of Ohio will be visiting Lois in October.

Vicksburg Beta Chapter
The Beta Chapter first meeting and Initiation Ceremony for new members was held Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at the home of Georgia Turnage - the following new sorority sisters were inducted:  Lee Cook, Beth Maggio, Amy Jackson, Toni Stanchfield, and Joanne Wright.  MiHyang Faulks, a member for two years was inducted as well since the Beta Chapter was unable to hold a ceremony when she joined due to the time scheduling conflicts.

The Beta and Alpha Chapter will start meeting together and will be merging into one group.

Margharita Davis, her daughter Margaret Smith, grandson Hunter and 2 other l35 year old friends from Brandon vacationed over the 4th of July week at Ober Gatinburg; tubed down the Dan River, Dansbury, NC, amongst thirty foot rock cliffs in unbelievable clear water (with some rapids whereupon the grandmother needed a little help portaging).  Then on to Greensboro, NC for a day at Wet & Wild (major water slides).  In September, Margharita celebrated with son Lee on his 35th birthday in Austin, TX checking out possible sailboat purchase to enjoying Austin's city front with Lee and girlfriend Rachel Micklethwait from the paddle boat "Long Star" on Lady Bird River.  Watched & videoed St. Al parade where granddaughter Megan Key Davis, daughter of son Key, marched with the St. Al Color Guard.  Bill and I are enjoying all the fall vegetables from our gardens.

Please, keep the following in your prayers Mark Chaney, Marie Hernandex, Bonnie Bruce, Shirley Summers, and other loved ones that we may not be aware of that need our prayers.

Vicksburg Delta Chapter
Jane Brock's son, Chris Brock, got married this weekend, September 25th, to Amanda Nevels at Crawford Street United Methodist Church.  There reception was in Floral Hall at the church.  Chris received a bachelor's degree in construction and land management from Mississippi State University in 2007 and is project and safety manager for Fordice Construction.  Amanda received an associate degree in business management from Hinds Community College and is store manager at Perfumaria in the Vicksburg Outlet Mall.  They will be making their home in Vicksburg.

After a Western Caribbean cruise this past spring, Beth Haskins spent the summer traveling in MS between Oxford and the Coast.  Daughter, Mary Amanda is attending Ole Miss working on her Ph.D. in health promotion and son Josh is an MSU Bulldog majoring in journalism.  He has had several articles published in The Reflector, the student newspaper of Mississippi State.  Beth is very proud of both of her children.  Husband Phillip retired from the Corps of Engineers in December, 2009, after 49 years of service, but was rehired in January.  (Two kids still in school)  Beth has returned to teaching 3-year-olds after taking a year break and has gotten back into the routine and is enjoying her class.

Mary Lee spent a great deal of time visiting their son and daughter in law in Colorado in May, June, July and September.  It is always wonderful to be with family!  The other reason so much time in Colorado is they purchased 5 acres of beautiful mountain land just west of Denver where they will build their retirement home in a few years.  They are thrilled and excited.  Their Bed and Breakfast has kept her hopping this summer and they feel blessed to have hosted so many fascinating people from all over the world, but have to say, their favorite guests are good old Mississippians!  She has also started selling Premier Designs jewelry part time.  She has a really had a great time doing home shows and meeting wonderful women who love jewelry.  So look out PAK sisters, she will be calling you!!!

This summer has been busy with travel and grandchildren for Josephine Peterson.  In May she visited with son Richard's family in South Carolina.  Anders, her 4 1/2 year old grandson, accompanied her home for a visit.  He loves Mississippi and enjoyed his time here.  In late May, son John ha a business trip to Dallas.  He surprised her with a quick visit on Memorial Day weekend.  In July, Josephine's granddaughters came from South Carolina.  This was their first trip to Mississippi, so they enjoyed touring the park, seeing a magic show, and having a delightful evening cruise on the Sweet Olive.  They loved being with their MS relatives, too.  Josephine and the girls returned to South Carolina to celebrate their baby sister Aspen's second birthday.  In August, Josephine visited a friend in Atlanta.  They enjoyed sightseeing, having dinner on the lake at Stone Mountain, and seeing an amazing laser show.  In late August, she attended her class reunion. She saw many of her high school friends she hadn't seen in 20 years.  She said, "It was a fun weekend reminiscing about our days at Yazoo City High."  She concludes, "The big news in our family is that Will and Karie are having a baby girl.  We're all excited!  I'm looking forward to cooler weather, club activities, and some college football games."

Sally Riddle said she chose to stay in Vicksburg this summer instead of traveling and, as a result, got to do some special things here at home.  She said it was fun getting the Delta Chapter members together for coffee when our members-at-large, Peggy Ward, visited in July.  She said, " We don't usually get to see everyone in the summer."  She also enjoyed helping her granddaughter, Jo Lynn, get settled in her new apartment with her sweet baby girl, Mary Ester.  Mary is saying a few words, waling everywhere, and eating table food.  She'll celebrate her first birthday in October.  Sally closes, "I'm looking forward to traveling, now that the weather is cooler, and will visit my brother in Naples, Florida.  The many local fall activities will keep me busy between now and Christmas."

Joann White shares that her foster daughter Brea Hugley married Mark Mendoza.  She says, "The wedding was lovely - I enjoyed decorating and preparing with my sisters.  My sorority sisters helped us celebrate."  On August 5-7, she attended Water Valley's 41st Annual Watermelon Carnival.  The carnival featured her sister-in-law's "Denise Brown Pottery" and her niece and her husband's band, "Busted Screen Door."  All her siblings were there.  Joann's grandson, Paul White, is attended Jones Community College on a choral scholarship and is studying computer engineering.

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News from Peggy Ward, our Members-At-Large, from Portland Tennessee:
"Life in the country north of Nashville gets busy this time of the year with harvest activities.  A good time to get away - so a trip to Vicksburg worked beautifully into my plans.  The trip to Vicksburg was busy.  I brought friends from Olney, IL. (home of the white squirrels) to stay with me at the White house.  The hostess, Joann White (Delta), provided great food, wonderful side trips to Natchez, Monroe, and, of course, historic Vicksburg.  Did I mention Joann cooks great desserts?" Peggy says she really misses her PAK sisters.

Vicksburg Omega Chapter
Andrea Francis, daugher of Vera Marshall Brown, is recovering from a hysterectomy in Mandeville, LA.  We wish her a speedy recovery.

Joan Donovan and husband, Mike, traveled to Carmichaels, PA, in June to a model airplane contest.  This is an annual event and this was thier 7th trip there.  Eveyone had a great time and it was fun fisiting with friends they had made.  The ladies went on a shopping spree one day to Ligonier, PA.  It was fun going to the different little shops.  The guys had a ball flying their planes.  Joan even flew a plane.  On september 22, Joan and her husband left  for Tulsa, OK, for a contest and will be leaving out again on October 1st for two weeks to Vermont and return on October 12, 2010.

Marian Love Phillips's husband, Bob, has been hospitalized several times in the last few months but is doing much better now.  They took a trip to Water Valley, MS, to the Watermelon Carnival for the frist weekend in August.  While there they had a booth at the carnival selling her husband's copper trees and Hershel Howells' two books that he wrote, Lim and Jeff's God.  It wa a fun time visitng with the Howells and their friends.  Marian' step-daughter, Jessica Kathryn Huckabee of Santa Fe, NM and Braddock Preston got married in Sparks, NV, on September 18, 2010.  She and her husband were not able to attend the wedding.  Her brother, Marion (Buster) Love, Jr., had to have both of his limbs amputated because of diabetes on September 27, 2010.  Please pray for his recovery.

Ina Lott Whittington's husband, Wlliam Floyd, died on Wednesday, August 11, 2010, at the G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery Veterans Administration Medical Center in Jackson.  He was 73.  He was born in Crystal Sprins, MS, and leave a daughter, Rhonda Whittington, a son David, three grandchildren, two brothers and numerous nieces and nephews.  Floyd and Ina owned and operated the Green Thumb Nursery for a number of years and was the owner of The Hut Restaurant prior to his retirement in 2005.  He was a member of the American Legion Post No. 3, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Knights of Columbus Council 898, where he was a past grand knight and a former member of the Elks Lodge and the Moose Lodge.  He was a communicant of St. Paul's Catholic Church.

Vera Marshall Brown's daughter Julie Walker, has been battling cancer.  Please continue to keep her in your prayers also.

Anita Zorn Hossley and Chris Patin attended Glynnis LaGarde's wedding in Washington, DC on August 7, 2010.  They flew up on August 6 and flew home on August 8.  It was a whirlwind trip.  Anita also spend Labor Day with her daugher and family in Baton Rouge, LA.  Janey Seabergh, Chris and Anita are involved in the 150 celebration of Catholic education in Vicksburg.  She and Janey were involved in the luncheon on September 24 after the Mercy Day Mass at St. Aloysius.

Our Omega Chapter has a new slate of officers and they are:  President, Anita Hossley, 1st Vicksburg President, Vera Brown, 2nd Vice President, Janey Seabergh, Secretary, Laura McCallum and Secretary, Alice Hebler.



Circle the date of Sunday, November 14, for the Candlelight Series with the Mississippi Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. at Holy Trinity Espicopal Church.  This free concert has proven to be one of the most anticipated events of The Four Season of the Arts program.  Please suppor this.

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