With NPC Badge Day just around the corner (3 March, y'all), our own SWTXBelle has her annual column of the importance of NPC membership ready to go. Enjoy:
A Belle's Eye View
Annual celebration of sororities is approaching
"It’s two weeks until the annual celebration of sororities.
"March 3 will be the day members “recognize their lifelong commitment to service, community and sisterhood … . All national and international sorority groups representing different ethnicities join in the celebration — including Facebook members who are linking for a virtual rally” (National Panhellenic Conference).
"In the past, I’ve spotlighted the many panhellenic contributions to the community through their commitment to philanthropy, the leadership skills developed through sorority membership, the eternal values contained in the creeds of the groups and the overall support of women that National Panhellenic Conference groups have given to their members for more than 150 years.
"These are all still very valid reasons I, and my sorority sisters, can be very proud of our sisterhoods and celebrate all of them on March 3.
"This year, however, as I was musing on what my Gamma Phi Beta membership has meant, I thought about the future.
"Upon joining a sorority, new members used to be called pledges. This represented the fact that the new member had made her initial pledge, but had not been fully initiated.
"Today, the term is “new members;” but in a way, the concept of being named by your pledge is one that shouldn’t be abandoned.
"All sorority women have made a pledge — a promise — to fulfill the vision of their founders throughout their lives.
"When I wear my badge, I wear the symbol of that pledge, that promise, and I hope I never lose sight of the need to live our core values — love, labor, learning and loyalty — every day. But that promise is about more than me.
"When I wear my badge, I am linking directly to the four founders of Gamma Phi Beta; but what is sometimes forgotten is that I am also linking to Gamma Phis yet to come.
"Yes, we have much to be proud of it, but I hope that we don’t miss the fact that our promise is also to the many young women, some of whom haven’t been born, who will wear our badges in the future.
"Times have changed in mind-boggling ways since those early years of women’s groups in the mid-19th century. What hasn’t changed is the need for women to support one another and to improve themselves, their colleges, their communities and their nations.
"This March 3, I will be thinking of the promise contained in the many badges I see — a promise to young women to make sure that all of the positives I have found in sorority membership continue to be available; a promise to share the joy I’ve known in my sisterhood; a promise to never lose sight of the power of women who join together.
"If you are a sorority member, I hope you will wear your badge on March 3 and let those who see you know that you are part of an unbroken line of empowered women who are making a difference in the world.
"If you see women wearing their badges, feel free to ask them why they are proud to wear their badges.
"You may well be surprised at just how awesome an experience sorority membership has been for those in your life."
Your thoughts, dear Greek Letter Denizens?
NPC Badge Day 2014
I'll probably wear my most recent acquisition, since it's from my chapter and the chapter guard reflects that. I have to remember to mail back my wonky badge to HJ today!
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