Alpha Chi Omega - University of Florida

Spring 2018 Newsletter

Gamma Iota Chapter of Alpha Chi Omega at the University of Florida

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page 2 The Carnation Chronicle S pring is here and the house is looking great. With the new year comes a new group of women leading the chapter. With recruitment right around the bend, please cut out and mail any recommendations to the chapter house or e-mail them to the VP of recruitment, Parker Allen '16, at ufaxorecruitment@gmail.com. Our summer plans include sprucing up the front of the house and the entryway. We love to have alumnae come by the house to see the recent updates. Your feedback on projects is always appreciated, so feel free to e-mail me with any comments, questions, or concerns. Loyally, Elaine Almond '96 House Corporation President elainealmond@yahoo.com Recent Updates Make the Collegians Feel at Home Alumnae Are Always Welcome "I s it free?" Anne Lutz Koon '78 remembers asking ever so graciously, to an Alpha Chi Omega member who was awaiting her reply to a dinner invitation at the chapter house. Anne recalls the girl was wearing an ΑΧΩ lavalier necklace with matching lyre that reminded her of pins her mom had worn. When Anne fi rst came to the University of Florida, being in a sorority was not among her priorities. In the summer of 1977, she had accepted a student assistantship under legendary Sports Information Director Norm Carlson. This, along with a goal of earning her bachelor's degree in English in only three and a half years, was where Anne's thoughts were committed. Nonetheless, Alpha Chi women are known for their diligence. After accepting the initial dinner invitation, Anne began having dinner at the chapter house more regularly. This prompted her to ask questions and soon learned that these women shared many of the values and aspirations that she did. One night, while in her dorm room, Anne was greeted by a group of Gamma Iotas who wanted to give her an offi cial bid to the chapter. "I called my mom and confessed that I had been going over there to eat and meet the women and they were asking me to join, and I needed her opinion. She cut me off and told me to hand over the phone to the girl." Anne would not fi nd out until some years later what her mom, Judith Gabel Roeling '55, said to the women that night but she can easily restate it now. "My mom said, 'Do not let Anne know that I want her to join. If you do, she will never join for that fact alone.' My mother and I had often butted heads on decisions when I was younger, and perhaps that is why she never talked much to me about ΑΧΩ when I was preparing for college. She wanted me to join but knew I wouldn't if I thought the idea came from her." The spring following graduation, Anne and her husband, Phil, were married and moved to Tallahassee, Fla., where she went on to earn her master's degree in English education from Florida State University. As an alumna, Anne has remained dedicated to Alpha Chi. While living in Tallahassee, she served as an alumnae advisor to the Beta Eta Chapter. "When my son was fi rst born I would take him with me to chapter house meetings. Luckily, all the women in the house loved him so I had plenty of volunteers wanting to hold him." Then as Anne's daughter, Erin Koon '09, was starting school at the University of Florida, she was also unsure about joining a sorority. "About two days before recruitment began, Erin told me that she wanted to go through recruitment to weigh her options." Just as her grandmother and her mother before her, Erin also found a home at Gamma Iota. During the 2012 hall of commitment ceremony, Anne was asked by Erin and several alumnae to read at the ceremony. "The words were so accurate that halfway through my part, I began to cry because I realized how big of part a Alphi Chi has played in my life, my mother's life, and my daughter's life." "There are three valuable pieces of advice I can share with undergraduate members that I learned. First, take advantage of the leadership roles you earn, work as a team, and don't be afraid to make a difference. Second, choo se a tangible profession that you can start immediately after graduation. Everything else will fall into place as it comes along. Finally, keep in touch with your Alphi Chi family. Regardless of where you are, ΑΧΩ is there." Anne and Phil live in Gainesville, Fla. You can reach her at koonal@gm.sbac.edu. Once Reluctant, Forever Grateful Anne Lutz Koon '78 Refl ects on Being an Alpha Chi Anne Lutz Koon '78 with her daughter, Erin Koon '09, also known as Alberta the alligator.

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