WOMEN of the year...

[BSP SassieLuLu]

THE STORY BEHIND THE GIRL (WOMAN) OF THE YEAR PIN

“A Trophy is lovely on the mantle, but a little hard to wear!”

So said Helen Kidd in explaining how she and Joey Boldt, both of
Michigan Preceptor Eta, Adrian, happened to design the Girl (Woman) of the Year pin.
Helen and Joey had been very active in sorority and honored as Women of the Year. The idea of a Girl of the Year pin was discussed by the members of their chapter for many years upon the approach of Founder’s Day. The chapter felt the Girl of the Year should have a visible badge of identification such as the Valentine Queen wore.



“True, the Girl of the Year did have a trophy and a charm for her
achievement band, but neither can be seen by very many,” reasoned Helen.
“I remembered the trophy and how beautiful Diotima looked posed on the top. I wondered if that same figure could be centered in a pin.

“At that point, I stopped—I’m no artist! But I immediately thought of my friend Joey and called her. We got together with the trophy and she started sketching.”

The completed sketch was sent to Lura Beth Friel, Division Chairman for Michigan chapters at the time. She passed it on to Marge Thomas of Beta Sigma Phi’s Gift Department at that time. Marge was so enthusiastic about the idea of a Girl of the Year pin that she gave the sketch to a jeweler, who translated it into metal in time for inclusion in the Torch’s August 1967 gift catalog. Two of the new pins were sent to Preceptor Eta chapter to be awarded to Helen and Joey as an expression of appreciation by International.


Thus the excitement which each Girl of the Year feels during the
conferral of the honor on Founder’s Day each year hence will be shared in some small way by Helen and Joey.


“Can you imagine the pride Joey and I feel about our sketch being
accepted and used as a piece of jewelry to be worn by our sorority sisters?” asks Helen. “It gives us both a tremendous thrill!”


from the April 1968 issue of The Torch, paraphrased by Marilyn Ross