Chi Omega - Kansas State University

Χ Ω 2 The Cardinal and Straw Kappa Alpha's 100th Birthday is One Year Away What Do You Remember? "I remember all the fun being on door duty! Lots of people coming in after hours. Also, everyone's buzz. Girls would go nuts now! No cells!" – Mimi White Balderson '68 "Bid Day was always fun. The house that morning was so exciting and joyful (and sleep deprived)! The owner of Kite's wife was a Chi Omega so they closed it to the public and hosted us for the afternoon. Lots of singing and, of course, Picture Man! The pledge paddle mornings found the pledges coming to the house before dawn, waking their moms and presenting them with their paddles in the living room. Picture Man was there too! Afterwards we took our moms to breakfast—not allowing them to change out of their pajamas, take curlers out of their hair, or anything. Of course it wasn't nearly as funny when WE were the moms the following year! "We shared a house with every Chi O on campus. The older ones kept the traditions going and the younger ones in line. It was really like a family. Pledge sneaks—both as a pledge and as one of the upperclassmen kidnapped by a younger class to go along on theirs! Finally getting to wear the letters and crest after initiation. And being one of a 13-member pledge class, we felt kind of special when at the house on Wednesday nights." – Jill Tobler Erickson '74 "My memories of Chi Omega begin with rush (now known as recruitment). I will never forget the last night when I visited Chi O and another choice. I am thankful I went to Chi O last because I looked horrible from the tears of joy. I immediately knew I would be loved forever by Chi Omega. My second favorite memory was finding out who my pledge mom was. We had a scavenger hunt that led us to the zoo. Jana Carson Burnside '72 was a senior at that time and I only got to spend one active year with her. However, Chi Omega is truly forever. She is still the best pledge mom ever. Then there was the pajama paddle party where my sisters wore orange juice cans in their hair. Really? "Memories of living in the house for three years, changing rooms and getting a new roommate each semester was the foundation of Sisterhood Forever. My roomies are some of my best friends today. Being rush chairman was not only a great memory but the beginning of my career. I never dreamed I could have a large leadership role. It meant so much that my sisters trusted me and elected me for that position. It gave me the self- confidence to go out into the real world with leadership, relational, and organizational skills." – Marilyn McCrillis Nichols '75 A s we near Kappa Alpha's 100th anniversary, we want to collect and preserve your memories of Chi Omega. Take just a few minutes to jot down a note about what your Chi O experience meant, what you remember from Bid Day, who was your best friend, or any- thing else that comes to mind. Send your recollections to Alicia Harsh Anderson '73 at xocentennial@hotmail.com. "After we were initiated, each of us had a room to go to in the Green hall. Every active in the house gave each of us a hand written notes to congratulate us on our initiation. "We had two to three phone booths upstairs to use for phone calls. Each active was assigned a so-called Morse code. Mine was .._. The buzzer went off constantly because that is how we communicated with anyone in the house who had a phone call. If someone had a long distance call, you buzzed their Morse code five times. You were able to tune out the noise and just became accustomed to the buzzing. It was fun because you knew if a sister received a call she was expecting or, if someone received a long distance call, it must be important. "I remember the fraternities having little sister organizations. And no one kept food in their rooms. The only snack we ate was popcorn. We had juniors and seniors leading our Chapter. Rarely was there a sophomore as an executive officer, except as pledge trainer." – Alicia Harsh Anderson '73 V enues have been reserved and hotels are blocked! We're underway for the celebration of the (and our first) century. It's not too early to start making plans to attend. The 100th reunion will take place April 17-19, 2015. Because of the positive feedback we received in 2010, we're making plans to have another casual gathering on Friday night in Aggieville. Saturday the active members will host a luncheon at the Manhattan Country Club and that evening will be a formal event in the ballroom at the Hilton. Hotel information can be found on our Chapter website: chiomega.com/kappaalpha. We plan to use this site to update information and details about the weekend as it unfolds. Please note that hotel reservations can't be taken until April 20, 2014. We have a lot of resources and talents among our alumnae. If you have access to a business that might be helpful with our reunion planning (such as printing, party favors, etc.), please contact me. We have begun to research these areas, but welcome the help of sisters. The Chapter's alumnae liaison will serve as the reunion chairman on the active side and will soon begin engaging the help of her undergraduate sisters in forming reunion committees. We welcome any alumnae who would like to serve on our alumnae reunion committee. There are many jobs than can be handled from afar with the help of e-mail and the Internet. Those closer to Manhattan will be able to assist with the more hands-on details. We look forward to hearing from any and all interested in being a part of the preparation of this exciting event. While still in this early time of preparation, we are open to suggestions of any kind. It will be here before we know it! Loyally, Jill Tobler Erickson '74 xojerickson@yahoo.com

• Cover