I started writing this, my first newsletter as your National President, from Canada and
have just returned to México after having been gone for months so that I could be at the birth of my first grandchild!
As many of you know, I am now a new grandmother and a new mother-in-law and hope to get better at these roles. I am truly enjoying being a grandmother, and my heart breaks to think that I have to live so far away from this little angel that God has given us, baby Abraham. I am also learning to be your President, and I am excited about the many possible projects “infinite possibilities” we can do during this biennium of 2020-2022. I am worried that the COVID 19 pandemic will not allow us to be with each other soon but look forward to keeping in touch in other ways as we explore new avenues of service and growth as individuals and as a group.
This past June – in the midst of the pandemic - was both joyous and sad.
First, on “The Longest Day” (June 20th) we celebrated our very first virtual National Convention.
High praise and many thanks go to our sister Rócio Salas who showed her amazing skills in technology and helped us get together and provide an interesting and heartwarming opportunity to see each other and enjoy an inspiring PowerPoint slide show of the many wonderful altruistic and educational projects that Alpha Delta Kappa Mexico carried out in the
past two years. Please see our ADK Mexico website for the entire PowerPoint.
https://sites.google.com/a/alphadeltakappa.org/adk-mexico/in-memoriam
We welcomed our International Vice President for our South Central Region Cindy
White and had sisters also join us from Canada, The United States and various parts of Mexico. Long term member Fran Gamboa even logged in from her car while travelling to a beach in the Yucatan near where she is quarantining in Merida! It was also a pleasure to see the photos of the various ways sisters contributed to “The Longest Day” fundraiser for The Alzheimer’s Association-one of the charities ADK
sponsors-most especially how new Eta member Beatriz Venegas marshalled a group of teens and professional like firefighters, police and volunteers, - all wearing masks - to participate in a 5 K walk in the Temixco-Morelos heat. Wow!
Many thanks go to our Past National President Lorraine Castañeros for her dedication
and innovation during these past two years. Lorraine´s theme was “ Choose Kindness”
with a beautiful Logo. Thank you, Lorraine!
Sadly, we also had to say goodbye to our dear sister Susan Cuevas just nine days later at the end of June. Susan epitomized kindness and was a dedicated and loving member for many years. She also served as one of our past National Presidents for Mexico.
I didn’t have much opportunity to know her better, but the moving memorial service
showed how much she was loved by all of our sisters.
Donations were made in her name to Domus Alipio (our National Altruistic Project - a
shelter for women and children), The Alzheimer’s Association, and a special needs
school on the verge of shutting down due to the pandemic. Thank you to all of you who
remembered Susan with such love.
We celebrated Susan’s life at our first ever-virtual Omega ceremony – the remembrance that Alpha Delta Kappa members worldwide hold for their departed members, which was held on July 11th with over 50 family, friends and sisters present again from various cities and countries. One of the guests, Past International President Sue Pelchat, invited us to share our experiences putting together a virtual memorial, and Nancy Murray wrote a heartfelt article about this for publication in the International ADK’s magazine “The Kappan”.
Cindy White was again present and also asked to be allowed to post our ceremony on the regional website as a model for others who might need it.
Thank you to the organizing committee and especially to Angela Florio and Nancy
Gurrola for spearheading this effort and to Roger Cudney and Laura Belmar for sharing their beautiful singing voices. You can hear them and read Nancy’s article at our national website along with our entire PowerPoint presented at the memorial service. We will miss her very much. Rest in peace, dear Susan.
By now, I hope that everyone is familiar with our new national logo- “Love What You
Do!”, and to remember that everything that we do should be done with love.
How is this possible? Just remember that our three pillars- World Understanding,
Altruism and Excellence in Education - all suggest that we need to be surrounded by
people who are committed to and enthusiastic about ADK’s goals, purposes and mission and that we should start with ourselves.
I would like to encourage the long- term sisters to write or call the newer ones and vice
versa. There are some sisters that are absent as well for many reasons, and I think that is a great opportunity to go looking for them and see who are they and what they are doing. Get to know each other, ask about their jobs, their families, and their experiences in ADK.
When I first started in ADK, I remember every month I received a call from a dear sister, Yolanda Ravelo who could not go to our meetings because of illness. She did not know me well yet she always was so excited to invite me to the monthly meetings, ask questions, talk about her time in ADK and her journey as a Literature teacher in the schools. She has already passed away, but she left this shining example for us all.
I know many of us are so busy teaching, planning, learning about new technology and
how to best navigate the pandemic, but please remember to take time to show love,
inclusion, compassion and caring for each other as well.
Together, with kindness, our possibilities are endless. Love what you do, and let those
feelings to shine through.
I
look forward to these next two years with you - my beloved sisters- working together to grow and help others with love in Educational Excellence, Altruism and World
Understanding.
CONGRATULATIONS TO:
PHYLLIS ARRIAGA on her 90TH BIRTHDAY in May.
Seen here on right with Meche, Azalia and Donna. It was taken right before we closed down. We later had a virtual birthday celebration for her.
PLEASE SAVE THESE DATES:
Educational Symposium
Tuesday, September 1, 2020 – Deadline for Proposals for The Educational
Symposium at The Alpha Delta Kappa International Convention (July 10, 2021).
Our President Elected and National Membership Chair, Mary Younker and our
Immediate Past President, Lorraine Castañares will be participating with these themes:
1-“Being Bold: Empowered Pathways to Learning, Leadership, and Sisterhood” by Mary
Yonker
2-“Empowering teachers to be a Better World” by Lorraine Castañares
3- You can still send your proposal.
*Friday, August 28, 2020 - South Central Regional Celebration
If you haven’t had the opportunity to travel to a Regional Conference, you will have one
now! Before Friday, August 28th, please sign up for our Free virtual Regional Celebration
held on that day. Our sisters from our South Central Region-Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma,
Texas, and Mexico - will share a variety of activities that day. Please sign up on the
The international website for this event.
You might even win a door prize!
Saturday, August 29, 2020 – All Regional Virtual Conference
On Saturday, August 29, 2020, we will have our First Ever all regional virtual Conference
with the theme is All for One and One for All: United in Sisterhood!
After the webinar you be able to participate in a variety of Enhancement Sessions and
Leadership Training. Please register and get more information on the international website.
* Monday, August 31, 2010 –Chapter Needs Assessments Deadline (See below)
*Thursday, September 10, 2020 – “Distance Learning” by Mary Yonker.
All are invited.
WELCOME TO OUR NEW NATIONAL BOARD 2020-2022
NATIONAL BOARD
1-MARLI CAMARGO – President
2-LORRAINE CASTAÑARES - Immediate
Past President
3-MARY YONKER - President-Elect
And Membership Chair
4-MARTHA DOMINGUEZ- Treasurer
5-ELIZABETH ELMER-Secretary
6-LUCY HUTCHINSON-Chaplain
7-PAOLA RODRIGUEZ-President ETA
Chapter and Sargent of Arms
8-MARTHA GONZALEZ STUART-President
Gamma Chapter
9-ELIZABETH ELMER-President Epsilon
Chapter
TO ALL MEMBERS REMEMBER YOUR OPINION COUNTS:
Let your chapter presidents know your opinions.
The Chapter Needs Assessments are due August 31. This can be filled out online up to August 31 by Chapter Presidents. A questionnaire for members is also included this year on the website. Let’s hear from you all.
Let´s do it, team!
We’re off to a good start!
Lorraine Castañares - Past President
2018- 2020
Marli Camargo - National President
2020 – 2022
Mary Yonker - President Elected
2020 - 2022
