Alpha Chi Omega Founders’ Day Luncheon

On October 13, 2018, members of Delta Pi Delta Alumnae Chapter met in the Community Room of Bayview I at Bonita Bay Condominiums in Bonita Springs, Florida.   This was the first meeting of the 2018-2019 season, and Marjie Taggart was our hostess. Members brought their favorite salad or dessert, and the lavish buffet had something for everyone.

Bayview Condominions porte-cochères

The Bayview I Condominions North entrance is on the right

Upward view of Bayview I Condominions

Tropical garden in front of the Bayview porte-cochère

Location of the luncheon in the Bayview Community room

Alpha Chi Omega sisters gather mid-October each year to recognize the fraternity's fall founding at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, on October 15, 1885.  Alpha Chi Omega's Founders chose "Alpha” because they were forming the first fraternity in the school of music and “Omega,” since they thought it might also be the last such fraternity.  The lyre was chosen as their official symbol since it was the most important instrument played by the Greek gods on Mount Olympus. 

Some symbols and traditions remain rooted in our founding, like our colors and the lyre, while others have been adopted and refined as the fraternity has grown. The mission of Alpha Chi Omega is to enrich the lives of members through lifetime opportunities of friendship, leadership, learning and service; and our primary philanthropy, adopted in 1992, is Domestic Violence Awareness. In honor of the seven original Alpha Chi founders, our chapter will give $7 on behalf of each of our members of Delta Pi Delta to the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation.

New member Mary Booth (Beta Eta at FSU), Mary Bradley & Kaley Lather (Kappa Xi at U of West Florida and Advisor to the Kappa Chi Chapter at FGCU)

Phyllis

New member Carol (Gamma Lambda at Kent State) and Pat

Carol (Delta Mu at U Mass) & Johannah (Alpha Delta at U of Cincinnati and daughter of Delta Pi Delta founder, Wilma DeCamp) 

Valary & Donna

Brenda, Phyllis & Carolyn

Julie, Betsy Opyt (Gamma Mu at Ball State and our speaker today)  & Pat

Margi & Kaley

Hostess Margie & Ann

Carol, Valary & Johannah

Shirley 

Buffet table

Buffet table with salads

Betsy's Nut Butters are across the table

The buffet line begins

Betsy Opyt is a registered dietitian, entrepreneur, spokesperson, and President/CEO of Betsy's Best, a line of gourmet nut and seed butters featuring food ingredients for a healthy lifestyle. She brought along some of her nut butters for us to sample.

Betsy graduated from Ball State University, where she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega. She then went on to become Miss Indiana, 2000. After winning Miss Indiana,  Betsy took her platform for a healthy lifestyle to many schools and communities working with the Indiana Department of Education. The Betsy's Best Brand has created a scholarship for the Miss Indiana program that will give back to an organization that helped Betsy begin her career. 

Betsy described to our group how her product began with her homemade peanut butter, which she made to appeal to her daughter’s discerning taste buds. Then she made enough to sell  at the local Farmer’s Market, and so began Betsy’s Best Gourmet Nut and Seed Butters. Famous for their outstanding taste and light, crunchy texture, Betsy’s Best Healthy Nut Butters are now available in almost 2,000 stores nationwide and on Amazon.

Betsy, an Alpha Chi at Ball State in Indiana, became an official member of our alumnae group, 

Delta Pi Delta.

Birthday Girl Marcia

Kaley on her way home after the luncheon

Brenda, Shirley & Marcia leaving the building