Delta Delta Delta - University of Missouri

DDD page 5 Congratulations, Spring 2020 Graduates! Amanda Abd '16 Chelsea Basore '16 Sophie Brant '16 Holly Brinker '17 Kendall Chase-Waggnoer '16 Kendall Condict '16 Halie Dampf '16 Nikki Dampier '16 Janye DeSanto '16 Madison DeVelasco '16 Delaney Dorman '16 Miranda Duro '16 Emma Epley '16 Spencer George '16 Sydney Gerber '16 Allison Gerkens '16 Natalie Gibbs '16 Olivia Grayson '17 Miranda Hagar '16 Melody Harty '16 Gwyneth Helm '16 Taylor Holbrok '16 Natalie Hoppe '16 Molly Jackson '17 Celia Johnson '16 Shannon Kling '16 Mae Lattner '16 Marissa Lem '16 Bella Mangan '16 Kristen McClary '17 Sunny Miramonti '17 Angela Monatano '16 Zoe Nordstrom '16 Mary O'Brien '16 Hayley Ockerhausen '16 Maggie Pyle '16 Sydney Rogers '16 Jaime Ruskey '17 Slone Salerno '17 Celestene Sebag '17 Hannah Shay '16 Zoe Shoro '16 Hunter Siegfried '17 Madi Sieli '16 Caroline Smith '16 Jen Sutterer '16 Lily Touchette '16 Katie Turnbeaugh '16 Madison Whitley '16 Rachel Valentine '16 Ashlee Younghouse '16 Delta Xi Welcomes Reverend Mel West to Founder's Day Last fall for our 2019 Founder's Day celebration, Delta Xi was extremely fortunate to have the Reverend Mel West as our guest speaker. Mel, a retired Methodist minister, has led a remarkable life. He served in the Marine Corps during World War II. Mel's extensive résumé of humanitarian work includes the founding of many notable charities such as Missouri Heifer Project, Missouri Habitat for Humanity, The Recycling Warehouse, The Prison PATCH Program, The Green Hand Project, and three homes for battered women. Mel also served on the international board of directors for Habitat for Humanity, Heifer International, and many others. Mel is probably best known as the founder of Mobility Worldwide, which is an organization that supplies wheeled carts (Personal Energy Transportation) for disabled people in third-world countries. More information on this charity that has changed the lives of so many can be found online at mobilityworldwide.org. Another notable distinction is the honorary doctorate Mel received from the University of Missouri in May 2019, just three days short of his 95 birthday, recognizing his lifelong commitment to humanitarian work. Mel lives at Lenoir Senior Living community with his wife, Barbara, whom he married in 1945. Mel captured the hearts and attention of collegians and alumnae as he told his story. When Mel first arrived on campus, he came to Tri Delta just looking for some work at the end of summer before fall semester 1941. He did a few jobs around the house, such as painting, mowing the lawn, and washing windows. When the housemother returned, he was hired on the recommendation of the maid, Hattie Miller, and the cook, Beulah Gray. Mel was given room and board in exchange for keeping the coal fire in the furnace going, washing dishes, serving meals, fixing plumbing, and whatever other odd jobs that needed doing. He was paid 30 cents an hour for five hours of work a day. This was "big money" in those days according to Mel. He also told delightful stories of helping with rush parties and women sneaking into the Tri Delta house after curfew hours (quite foreign to our collegiate women today). He emphasized how fortunate we are to belong to Tri Delta, an organization of women who support each other during their collegiate years. However, he also emphasized that our memberships are best if cherished for a lifetime. Mel believes that the friendships we form during our collegiate years will help to carry us through our lives. Mel impressed our collegians so much that they plan to volunteer at Mobility Worldwide to assemble carts this fall. It is safe to say that all in attendance at Founder's Day 2019 believe Mel is a wise and godly man. For further information about Mel, please contact Heidi Riemann Miles '80 at heidimiles@me.com. Reverend Mel West serves as the guest speaker for Delta Xi's 2019 Founder's Day celebra on.

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