ESA Presents Gift to Methodist Health System Foundation

The ESA Theta Pi Chapter of Texas recently presented a $14,000 gift to Methodist Health System Foundation. The gift will help the Women’s Imaging Center at Methodist Charlton Medical Center ($12,000) and the PSAP-Prostate Screening and Awareness Program ($2,000). The grants enable Methodist to provide routine mammograms to women would would be unable to pay to to financial limitations. The PSAP program at Methodist has tested more men for prostate cancer than any of hospital-based program. Epsilon Sigma Alpha has always tried to help the cancer services at Methodist. In turn Methodist is a sponsor for the ESA Cancer Awareness Race.

ESA Hope for Heroes

ESA members participated in the Tulsa Veterans Day Parade to show their support for Hope for Heroes: An ESA National Event. Members of the Tulsa Area Council walked next to this car decorated by members of ESA. The car was also featured at the St. Jude Give Thanks Walk in Tulsa. The members of ESA that participated said they had numerous opportunities to spread the good works of ESA.

The ESA members in Kansas also received a letter of appreciation from a Staff Sergeant in the US military. It reads:

I received several care packages over the past two weeks and enclosed was an informational flyer with this email, so I wanted to take a few minutes to respond & say thank you.

Karen Knorp-Brown from Wichita, Kansas was the addressee and I would like to write to you to acknowledge her hard work and service as well as personally thank her through your organization. The flyer also mentioned Kim Kummer as the Kansas State President, so thank you to her as well.

I read a little bit about your organization on your website & I also want to thank all of you for all of the hard work and service you provide for all of the causes and people you support.

Thank you!!!!

ESA Member Excels at Stillman

Kellena H. Leech also known by her friends as Tiah considers herself to be a jack of all trades and she has really displayed that while attending Stillman. Leech started at Stillmanin 2003 and ever since it has been a roller coaster ride full of on and off campus activities. While at Stillman, Leech played basketball, ran track, played in the band, sang in the choir, served as president and modeled for Sophistication Unlimited Modeling Troupe, served as vice president of the UNCF-Pre Alumni Council, became a member of Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority and Epsilon Sigma Alpha International, and was in the Campus Queens Association, serving as Miss King Hall and Miss Beta Phi Beta. She also served as a Student Ambassador to the Office of Admissions and was a volunteer with Student Government Association. She was a student orientation leader for 2 years and a contributor to the yearbook staff and student publications. She currently works with the Office of Marketing & Public Relations as a student journalist and photographer. In 2006 after accomplishing so much at Stillman Leech decided to go into active duty with the army. Leech covered more than 50 press conferences while in Iraq and took many photographs. Leech is now a graduating senior and will be presenting her senior project soon. Her project is a journalism exhibit call "VII Measures" and will feature work done by Leech over the past 7 years. After experiencing everything that she has she knows that it has made her who she is today. "I learned how to be well-rounded and cherish my family after years with the band, choir, modeling troupe, and the non-Greek community," said Leech.

Fifteen Students Earn President's Volunteer Service Award

Fifteen students at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, TX were awarded the President's Volunteer Service Award. Most of the students honored are members of the Delta Chi Chapter of ESA. The President's Volunteer Service Award is a White House initiative that was created to encourage Americans to improve their communities through service. To earn this award, students must complete at least 100 hours of community service during the 2009-2010 academic year.



Angelica Rodriguez, pictured here, is a member of Delta Chi and has earned a bronze medal (awarded for 100-174 hours of service) for the second year. To read more about these OLLU students and the President's Volunteer Service Award, click here.

Chapter Donates Gift Bags to Victims of Domestic Abuse

The Tau Tau Chapter of Summerville, NC recently donated 30 gift bags filled with soaps, lotions, snacks and other items to the Summerville Police Department's Victim Advocates Office to be given out to victims of domestic abuse.

"The whole idea is to remind them that as bad as things might seem right then, someone cares," said Susan Broyles, Tau Tau member. "These bags may not change the situation they are in, but it may make it a little better."

The chapter got the idea after contacting the Summerville Police Department and asking if there were any projects they could help with. They were soon contacted by the Victim Advocates Office. They were told that the office had many stuffed animals and toys for children victims, but they had nothing for the mothers.

"Epsilon Sigma Alpha International Tau Tau Chapter is a local chapter looking for ways to improve/help our community," said SPD Captain Jon Rogers. "They are always looking for projects they can do to help others and we really appreciate them for doing this."

To read the full article, click here.

Looking for ways to get more involved in your community? Think about contacting your local police station and ask about how you can help!

Tabs for St. Jude...it's a team effort

In the past, the Beta Pi Chapter of Huntsville, AL collected soda can tabs for the Ronald McDonald House. At the 2009 St. Jude Mall Walk at Madison Square Mall in Huntsville, Beta Pi members saw members of the Good Shepherd Catholic Church carrying signs to support Maddie, a St. Jude Children's Research Hospital patient and church member. After speaking with members of the church, Beta Pi unanimously decided to direct their support to St. Jude and little Maddie.

Judith Londene, Alabama ESA St. Jude Senior Coordinator's husband Fred, through a business contact, was able to gather 276,575 tabs, filling the trunk of his car. Beta Pi members collected 30,000 tabs. On April 6, 2010, a record 306,575 tabs were delivered to the Good Shepherd Church to be recycled and exchanged for money for St. Jude.

Well done, Beta Pi. It is through your dedication and kindness (and lots of soda) that you make a difference in the lives of the kids of St. Jude.

With ESA help St. Jude Dream Home is a Success

After having his name drawn from nearly 9,000 entries, Dan Adams is thankful every time he drives down his street to his home. Dan Adams was the winner of the St. Jude Dream Home giveaway in 1996. The St. Jude Dream Home giveaway is coming up on it's 20th year of operation. The fundraiser started in Shreveport and grew from the idea of Dr. Donald Mack after someone in 1991 offered to donate a prefabricated home. The event has turned into one of St. Jude's biggest events and has raised more than $155 million since its start in 1991. Mack assembled the help of Epsilon Sigma Alpha to handle all the tickets sales for the giveaway. "The first year was a hard year," said Martha McGee, one of the original ticket sellers. "It was a learning year. We were doing everything by hand. We had a loose-leaf notebook, and we numbered everything by hand." Once the popularity of the event grew the members of ESA began to play a much larger role in the giveaway. "We staff the dream house during open houses, we work at the telethon when it's in conjunction with the dream house," McGee said. "We answer the 10 millions questions people have to ask. We still handle all ticket sales."