| Delta Delta | |
|---|---|
| ΔΔ | |
 | |
| Founded | November 21, 1930 |
| College | McGill University |
| Location | Montreal, QC |
| Homepage | Delta Delta Homepage |
| Media related to Delta Delta Chapter | |
Delta Delta, McGill
Founded November 21, 1930
McGill University established in 1821, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Initiates: 1,111 (as of June 2018)
Charter members (12):
Janet Ellen Baillie, Marion Lyle Brisbane, Phyllis Edith Brooks, Margaret Stuart Burris, Margaret Elizabeth Cameron, Jean Gertrude Campbell, Mary Lodivia Campbell, Winifred Marion Harris, Margaret Russell Hay, Helen Church Hendery, Marjorie Gertrude Lynch, Eleanor Caroline McBride
Fraternity Officers:
Katie Azuma (Howard), Traveling Consultant 1994-1995; Whitney Ralston (Wignall). Traveling Consultant 1995-1996.
Fraternity Loyalty Award:
Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients:
Additional Outstanding Delta Delta Alumnna Recognized by the Fraternity: Phyllis Horn (Kallek), Graduate Counselor 1942-1943; Sandie Snyder, Chapter Consultant 1993-1995
Contents
The Early Years
The secret society Omicron Sigma Theta was founded at McGill University in the 1926–1927 academic year. As the group enlarged, it became interested in affiliating with a national or international fraternity and petitioned Kappa Kappa Gamma. The petition was approved at the 1930 Convention.
Installation took place November 21 at the Windsor Hotel with Alice Tillotson Barney, Minnesota, Fraternity Vice President, who would become President in a few weeks, and Marie Bryden Macnaughtan, Missouri, Grand Registrar, presiding. The official installing chapter was Beta Psi from the University of Toronto, and Kappas from Middlebury and St. Lawrence assisted.
Twelve charter members were installed, and a tea followed the ceremony. That evening the charter members took part in the initiation of six alumnae, and the next morning there was a pledging service for 12 coeds. At this time, the newly formed Delta Delta Chapter met in one room on Shuter Street, and it was with great rejoicing that the chapter finally acquired its former house on Sherbrooke Street in 1933.
Among the early activities were a fall weekend in the Laurentians for the pledges to ease them into routine, teas for brothers, fathers and mothers, and a Christmas party for underprivileged Montreal children given by all the Greek groups on campus.
Delta Delta was never destined to be a large chapter, but it grew during those first years in spite of the Depression that swept the land. Most of the members were town girls, and they gathered to study together and plan activities that were fun.
At the 1936 and 1942 Fraternity Conventions at the Seignory Club in Montebello, Quebec, and also at Murray Bay, Quebec, in 1950, the actives were hostesses and enthusiastically welcomed their sisters from across the border.
Honors and Traditions In 1949, the McGill Women’s Ski Team consisted of all Kappas. Two were also on the Canadian team that competed at the 1932 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, N.Y., and the next year one represented Canada in the World Championship at Aspen, Colorado. Another was runner-up in both the Quebec Provincial Golf Championships and the Invitational Golf Tournament in Jasper, Alberta. Another member was the Provincial Fencing Champion. A Kappa skier was runner-up for Carnival Queen.
Four Delta Delta members were in the 1957 production of McGill’s annual Red and White Revue, the oldest college show in Canada. The revue, “My Fur Lady,” had two runs on campus and also toured Canada giving 150 performances.
Community affairs have always been an important part of chapter activities. In 1961, chapter members joined 700 fraternity men and women to canvas 30,000 homes in a two-hour blitz that opened a very successful United Appeal Campaign of the Montreal Welfare Federation. Debbie Huston, a pledge, won a prize for collecting the most money. The event was given a boost by the appearance of John Wayne, who met many of the Kappas. This project is still supported by McGill Panhellenic groups.
Delta Delta was recognized again in 1965 when Panhellenic selected the chapter to portray “Rush Week at McGill” in a feature story in the Montreal Gazette. This resulted in favorable response from many areas and effectively promoted all campus groups. However, the next time the Greeks made news in a Montreal publication it was to reflect a changing trend.
A story in the Montreal Star in 1972 described fraternities and sororities as the “last gasp of elitist society” and claimed that they reflected apathetic and anti-establishment feelings which had set in on many North American campuses. Although there was support from the McGill administration, by this time many groups had left campus. There were only four of the 15 sororities remaining, and fraternities suffered a similar fate.
Delta Delta Chapter, one of the survivors, had decreased greatly in size due to lack of interest of women students. This resulted in financial problems, and the chapter was forced to curtail activities. In an effort to combat the downward trend, new informal one-to-one rush techniques were tried with each member trying to interest an incoming student in joining. Small philanthropies combined with fun and fellowship kept the chapter going.
There was a real attitude of determination to survive among the remaining actives. With the continued loyal support of the alumnae, and this optimistic attitude, the future of Delta Delta was bright.
The previous information was excerpted from The History of Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity, 1870-1976. The information that follows has been gleaned from available resources including Chapter History Reports, chapter meeting minutes, letters and comments from chapter members and alumnae, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity Archives, and The Key. Each chapter is expected to update its history record annually. Contact Fraternity Headquarters at kkghq@kkg.org with questions.
From 1975-1979 the liberty of women continued, and exemplary females such as Margaret Thatcher and Eva Peron held positions of power in politics. The McGill Kappas were very optimistic, outgoing, and took full advantage of the opportunities afforded to them. Delta Delta Kappas were great role models of educated, strong, independent women, in pursuit of self-sufficiency.
Highlights of the 1980s
In the eighties the atmosphere was more relaxed with the role of women in the workplace increasing greatly. This time was a great one to be female, with Kappas experiencing the niceties of chivalry and the freedom now afforded to women. Women were excited by the opening of previously male-dominated industries to women. Chapter meetings were held every Monday night proceeded by dinner. Each week, a different sister, or a team, cooked for the whole chapter with a sometimes very limited budget that was as low as $10 to feed 20 or more women. One of the actives at the time remembers that her favorite meal was a great simple soup made from canned tomatoes, broth, frozen mixed vegetables and Italian sausage. She says it was a nice change from all the pasta that was usually served and that it was the best thing to have in an odd mismatched mug while catching up with what your friends had been doing. Food was very central to the memories of Delta Delta members. For instance, pre-initiation dinner was always a potluck with a diverse assortment of foods to try.
One alumna recalls a banana pudding that was known throughout the chapter as the delicious “nana pudding.” Delta Delta’s greatest sense of pride in 1988 was its members. After the previous year’s personnel and other problems, the chapter rose to the challenge. The outstanding officers worked together to make the chapter a better place and keep everyone’s spirits high. It was the year when Kappa got back on its feet, and the members returned to the ideals in which the members believed. The chapter members were happy with themselves. Fraternities and sororities alike on most occasions made Kappa their first choice for socials, philanthropy events and sporting events. Kappas were heavily involved in all IFC-related events and thus had the opportunity to meet with all groups on campus as well as non-fraternity members. This helped to give all the fraternities at McGill a better name within the McGill community.
The chapter hosted a Panhellenic evening and invited the other sororities for a B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Banana) Sundae Party. The other sororities were invited for tea and dessert.
During the year, the members did a lot of work on the house. They painted the dining room and walls of the chapter room and mounted the KKG letters on the outside of the house.
The biggest challenge during 1988 was to tackle the responsibilities of Kappa on our own. The majority of the previous year’s executive had graduated just after the installation of the new officers. With this lack of experienced members on the executive, it was surprising that they accomplished as much as they did. The fun was put back into Kappa and with it followed the responsibility. The goal for the year, Having Fun while Getting the Work Done, was met. Offices that had been neglected in the past were brought to new heights, alumnae were brought back into the picture and the chapter finally was given the advisory board support it needed. The alumnae began forming a McGill Alumnae Association with the help of Mrs. J. Reese.
It was a delight to have more than 150 of the men’s fraternity members attend the pledge cocktail party which honored our 15 pledges. Four chapter members attended Alpha Province Meeting in Syracuse, N.Y., which was successful and motivational. More than $200,000 was raised for the Missing Children’s Network by collecting coins in cafeterias at McGill.
For the first time in awhile, Pledge Weekend was held more than three hours away at one of the member’s cottages. The theme was Club Kappa (Club Med), and the event featured great music, food and entertainment by a fantastic froup of members. Rush in 1989 featured a Welcome to the Jungle theme, and the attendance was the best yet. With the committees working together, each event had its own specific theme and flair. Maybe it was because of the chapter’s great work that it pledged such an amazing class! One horrifying event was when a member’s hair caught on fire during initiation, prompting the chapter to begin using electric candles for all ceremonies.
There are also memories of the Province Meeting which was held in Syracuse. The challenge was arriving on time. Three vehicles left for the same destination, but each took a different route. They arrived in the span of four to twelve hours. A philanthropy event that was hosted once, and only once, was the infamous 24-hour trampoline-a-thon.
Highlights of the 1990s
The chapter’s most important event of 1990 was its 60th anniversary celebration which was held at an alumna’s home in Westmount, Quebec. This celebration was the first event to be organized and promoted by the chapter’s new alumnae organization which was coordinated by Cynthia Price. This new alumnae organization took great pride in supporting the chapter and assigning advisers to the chapter offices.
Another important activity this year was painting the main floor of the house. It was the sisters and pledges who together removed wallpaper and repainted the old Victorian-style house. It was such a big improvement. A friend of the chapter president built a set of KKG letters which were hung on the outside door. Delta Delta placed second in the interfraternity talent show with the performance of a lip-sync called Rock through the Ages. There was 100 percent participation by chapter members in this event.
Delta Delta had 27 members in 1990 and was one of four sororities on the McGill campus. The chapter was active in the Panhellenic and InterFraternity Councils. There were 18 fraternities and sororities on the campus this year with the 19th being established that year. The interest in joining a Greek group at McGill was growing as the chapter entered the 1990s.
During this year, campus Panhellenic implemented an entirely new rush system which worked very well. In remembering 1991, so many exciting events come to mind. Pledge weekend took place in January with the ten pledges providing the members with an evening titled Mystery Dinner Theatre. Greek Week was scheduled for the end of January. The chapter again came out in full force for every activity and even took second place in the All-Greek Talent Show. The Sapphire Ball was the biggest social event of the year. Some of the most recent alumnae returned, and a highlight of the evening was when one of the 1988 pledge class members announced her engagement. The chapter pledged ten new members during formal rush.
Delta Delta is one of four sororities on campus. At the end of 1991. the chapter was composed of 32 actives and pledges. The campus Panhellenic organization was growing increasingly strong, and this year it implemented an entirely new rush system which worked very well.
Because McGill was such a large university, the Greek System became a very effective way of shrinking the school. Having received so much negativity from the campus, the fraternities and sororities drew closer together to counteract the misconceptions.
The chapter’s challenges in 1991 were twofold: restructuring its Super Committees and trying to improve its image on campus. Fraternity-bashing on the campus made the year very difficult for everyone in the Greek community. The chapter increased its philanthropic fundraising by participating in as many university events as possible. The members hoped to become more visible and enlighten the campus about their already substantial philanthropic events and causes in which the chapter was involved.
Delta Delta was quite small, so it revamped the Super Committees in order to make everyone more efficient. It was hoped that, by stressing connections between offices, a network of shared ideas would be created. The chapter hosted a pledge social where the pledges were introduced. Also, the members living in the chapter house launched a large scale clean-up and renovation. The kitchen was almost entirely redone by the members, and the entire house was repainted.
Fall semester 1994 began with Panhellenic’s largest formal rush in recent years. Delta Delta and the other women’s fraternities pledged quota, and Panhellenic considered raising the chapter total. The chapter returned in September 1994 with 19 active members and pledged 12 new women during fall rush.
The 1994 General Convention in conjunction with phenomenal efforts by the Vice President-Standards led to an increased sense of pride in Delta Delta. Receiving the following awards at the 1994 Convention inspired the members to work harder and take pride in the chapter. It let the members know that small chapters do have great potential. The awards received were first place for Ritual, Greatest Scholarship Improvement and an Honorable Mention for Risk Management. To summarize, Delta Delta took great strides in increasing chapter morale, participation and organization.
McGill University is located in the heart of downtown Montreal, the largest bilingual city in the province of Quebec, Canada. McGill is a highly competitive, academically oriented university and an undergraduate population of approximately 15,000 students. It boasted a diversified student population with both anglophone and francophone students from across Canada as well as many American and international students.
In 1994, the Greek system at McGill was not recognized by the university administration or by the student government, despite the fact that it represented approximately 800 members. McGill’s Panhellenic Council was composed of four women’s groups that included Kappa Alpha Theta, Gamma Phi Beta and Alpha Omicron Pi in addition to Kappa Kappa Gamma. Each of the chapters had a chapter limit of 35 members.
Working with the Inter-Greek Letter Council (IGLC, formerly known as the InterFraternity Council), Delta Delta approached the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) and submitted an application for the IGLC to obtain club status thus becoming recognized by the University. The vote taken by the SSMU did not go in favor of IGLC, but the margin of defeat was only three votes. IGLC took its case to a Judicial Board Review and wouldn’t know of the board’s decision until the fall of 1995.
Another challenge in 1994 that was successfully faced was when Delta Delta paid off its insurance debt to the Fraternity. Again this year, Delta Delta faced a chapter morale and spirit problem. The Vice President-Standards and her committee were able to boost chapter morale to new heights. Along with this accomplishment came more chapter support for its activities and happier members.
In 1994, many chapter alumnae turned-out for both Founders Day and Initiation. The Founders Day Tea was highlighted by the presentation of a video showing our founding sisters and Kappa Kappa Gamma history. Fraternity Education focused on a stress management workshop this year. Addressing the pressures of academic achievement and commitment to the chapter, the workshop helped the members learn how to more appropriately channel stress so it would work for them.
For the fourth consecutive Halloween, the members put on costumes and went trick-or-treating for UNICEF. They invited the men of Phi Kappa Pi to help collect the money for this charity. While they all counted the money they had collected (more than $500), tea and hot chocolate were served. The year closed with a Holiday Dinner with the men of Zeta Psi. This year the men did all the cooking, including turkey with all the trimmings for 30. This was a fantastic way to close this very successful year for Delta Delta.
At the Fraternity’s 1994 Convention held in Florida, Delta Delta received the Ritual Award for 1992-1994. In 1996, the chapter was pleased to welcome former a Fraternity Field Representative and former Delta Delta president as its chapter adviser, began to reorganize more efficiently and concentrated on having a thorough officer training period. The chapter rallied around the idea of financial responsibility and accountability. Due to the strength of the chapter, it was selected by the Fraternity to pilot the new six-week pledge program. After fall formal rush and initiation, the chapter had a total of 28 active members. In 1996, McGill University had grown to more than 20,000 undergraduates and 10,000 graduate students. McGill University had worldwide reputation for excellence and for supporting top-notch educational programs in a variety of fields.
The Greek system at McGill continued to be quite small in relationship to the campus population as a whole. During 1996, the Inter-Greek Letter Council (IGLC), an umbrella organization helping to gain University recognition for all fraternities and sororities on the campus finally received recognition by the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU). This recognition allowed the Greek organizations to have a voice, presence and funding on the campus.
There were 700 members of Greek-letter organizations at McGill. The Panhellenic Council represented 100 women who were members of four sororities: Kappa Kappa Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta, Alpha Omicron Pi and Gamma Phi Beta. A local sorority became an Alpha Epsilon Phi chapter and the fifth member of campus Panhellenic. In 1996, the chapter faced several challenges. Financial responsibility became a key issue for the members, and emphasis was placed on bills being paid on time. There seemed to be a quite a turnover in officers so emphasis was given to strong officer training. It was a goal of the chapter to have well-informed, highly prepared and trained officers. Another challenge was the enforcement of the live-in rule to keep the house filled.
This was a busy year for Delta Delta. The activities included the annual ice skating mixer at the Bell Amphitheatre with the men of Sigma Chi, the graduating sister potluck dinner in April, formal and informal rush and trick-or-treating for UNICEF with the men of Phi Kappa Pi which raised $400. The first week of December found the chapter buzzing with study fever as finals were about to begin, however the members made it to the point where they could celebrate Christmas as well as Chanukah with the annual Holiday Potluck dinner. Delta Delta Chapter had a very successful 1997. It met its academic goals by having a GPA above the all-sorority average. This fall was the second time it used the new member program. The members continued their philanthropic work at the Royal Victoria Hospital’s Palliative Care Unit as well as with UNICEF. The chapter continued to be small with 35 members able to live in the house. It had continued success in the campus Greek community. Delta Delta was proud of its ethnic and educational diversity.
In 1998, Delta Delta experienced an eventful year. The most significant event happened at the beginning of the fall semester when the chapter moved from its location on Durocher Street to a beautiful townhouse at 538 Milton Street in the McGill ghetto in Montreal. The chapter rallied together to help clean and organize the house so it would be in livable condition for four members. The house proved to be a great source of pride for Delta Delta as well as a source of envy for many in the Greek community on campus.
The chapter kept busy participating in several philanthropy events and mixers with on-campus fraternities. Chapter members visited the Palliative Care Unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital, a special ward where terminally ill patients are kept as comfortable as possible during their last days. They served tea and snacks to patients and their families to brighten their day.
The chapter held its annual Halloween drive to collect money for UNICEF and participated in the Greek Week philanthropies each semester. Delta Delta had an outstanding 1999. While the chapter was on probation for actions that took place during the previous calendar year, a lot of progress was made, and chapter morale increased dramatically. One of the largest problems that was solved this year was the lack of communication that seemed to be causing stress among members. Although this problem has been remedied, further improvements could be made concerning the timelines of reports and interaction with our PDC and RDC.
The chapter recruited four new members during formal recruitment and three new members during continuous open bidding. Following initiation, two of the new members took leadership positions in the chapter. Academically, Delta Delta prospered in 1999 with more than half the members meeting their GPA goals. The chapter exceeded its goal of 3.0 for both winter and fall semesters.
The Delta Delta chapter house at 538 Milton Avenue was filled this year with four chapter members and two non-members. The chapter initiated 16 sisters this year with 13 members returning for next academic year. Montreal’s McGill University is home to more than 25,000 Canadian and international students. The rich culture of the largely francophone Province of Quebec proves to be an asset to McGill’s students’ education. Delta Delta’s greatest challenge this year was to meet the guidelines of the chapter’s probation. The chapter did well on all aspects of inter-chapter communication. The chapter redefined its sisterhood this year through better listening, responsibility and respect for others. Another challenge the chapter faced was lack of motivation in recruitment events which are vital for the chapter’s survival. The chapter proposed to start planning recruitment events earlier and increase attendance at all events. The chapter felt the shorter length of the university recruitment period will work to its advantage.
In 1999, the chapter undertook its traditional events such as recruitment, initiation, weekly Tuesday meetings and the annual chapter retreat. In addition, the members participated in social events such as mixers, inter-Greek activities and Kappa-only events.
A New Millennium: Highlights
In 2007, Delta Delta welcomed two sisters into the chapter in the winter semester. It had a very successful Sapphire Ball. Members also raised more than $300 with the annual philanthropy event Spaghetti for Spelling. Six sisters joined the chapter in the fall semester. Kappa had another very successful philanthropy event called Kappa Kuisine which raised about $620. Delta Delta members commemorated Founders Day successfully, sharing it with alumnae. Last year was also the first full year spent in the new chapter house.
There are four sororities including KKG and nine fraternities recognized at McGill. We are a tight-knit, supportive community that works together to have our voice heard on campus. The chapter is welcoming, friendly and a home-away-from-home. It currently has 18 active sisters of diverse backgrounds. Five are graduating this semester. The sisters come from many faculties including arts, science, education, social work and management. Delta Delta welcomed five sisters into the chapter in winter semester 2008. It had a very successful annual Sapphire Ball. Members raised more than $300 with the annual philanthropy event Spaghetti for Spelling. Six sisters graduated in May. The chapter house moved to a new location in the summer. Seven sisters were initiated in the fall semester. The philanthropy event called Kappa Kuisine successfully raised about $300. Alumnae and undergraduate members shared Founders Day. One sister graduated in December.
The highlights of 2009 include the initiation of 14 new members; the retreat; Spaghetti for Spelling, an annual philanthropy event where the chapter raises money for RECLAIM, a local literacy organization; Sapphire Ball held at Griffintown; Kappa Kuisine; Founders Day Brunch; a visit from Alpha Province Director of Chapters Michelle Cain, Toronto; and chapter officer elections.
McGill University has four Panhellenic sororities: Gamma Phi Beta, Alpha Omicron Pi, Kappa Alpha Theta and Kappa Kappa Gamma. There are also six recognized fraternities. The total number of Greeks is approximately 300. McGill Greek Council holds events throughout the semester including Greek Week and events benefiting philanthropies.
Last year, the chapter reached 27 members. Delta Delta is a diverse, close-knit group of young women. Highlights in 2010 included reaching the fundraising goal for Kappa Kuisine, Spaghetti for Spelling, the retreats held each semester, winning Talent Night at Greek Week both semesters and helping Sigma Chi with Team Breakfast fundraising for Montreal Children's Hospital.
McGill is located in the heart of downtown Montreal. Our apartment is a few minutes from campus. Delta Delta is a small chapter, roughly 25-30 members each semester. The smaller numbers allow Kappas to know each other very well. Delta Delta Kappas step up to take on more responsibilities as girls often take on multiple positions.
Province Meeting in April 2011 was an amazing experience, and it was a great way to celebrate the chapter’s 80th year. Fall Retreat was also a remarkable way to strengthen the bonds of sisterhood. The chapter was fortunate enough to move into its new house. The space it affords was such a blessing during recruitment. The chapter is working on instituting a House Board for its new, beautiful facility. Delta Delta welcomed a pledge class of 18 new members during the fall – the highest pledge class number in years. Notable Current Events Officer transitions ran incredibly smoothly and were made possible by the carefully planned and flawlessly executed Leadership Day by the outgoing Vice President-Organization.
There were protests regarding tuition hikes held in the downtown Montreal district, outside of McGill’s gates. McTavish Street had become strictly pedestrian in the last few years making it much easier and faster to get to class. It is also a nice place to spend time outside during the warmer seasons, as benches and landscaping have made it more accommodating.
Highlights of 2012
Province Meeting of April 2011 was an amazing experience and it was a great way to celebrate our 80th year as a chapter. Fall Retreat was also a notably remarkable way to strengthen our bonds of sisterhood. We were fortunate enough to move into our new house. The space it affords us was such a blessing during recruitment. Furthermore, we welcomed a pledge class of 18 new members during the fall – the highest pledge class number that we've had in years. Notable Current Events We are all looking forward to the upcoming Spaghetti for Spelling Philanthropy event in February 2012 that aims at raising money for a local literacy organization known as Reclaim. Significant Sources of Pride Officer transitions ran incredibly smoothly and were made possible by the carefully planned and flawlessly executed Leadership Day by the outgoing VPO.
Campus: There were quite interesting protests with regards to tuition hikes held in the downtown Montreal district, outside of McGill’s gates. McTavish street has become strictly pedestrian in the last few years, which makes it much easier and faster to get to class. It is also a nice place to spend time outside during the warmer seasons, as benches and landscaping have made it more accommodating.
Chapter: We are excitedly working on instituting a House Board for our new, beautiful chapter facility. III. Chapter Challenges: (Describe them and how the chapter met and overcame them.) Our first big challenge was responding to the growing size of our chapter. With a pledge class of 18, it took a lot of work to re-evaluate our new member program and make it effective for our lovely pledge class Rho. However through much teamwork and quick thinking we were easily able to adjust it as was needed. Our second challenge was the confusion that arose surrounding the Nominating Committee during elections. There was confusion regarding the basis that the committee put candidates forth. To overcome this challenge, the Nominating Committee held a session describing their role, which is to present to the chapter the best-qualified candidate in their opinion. They also apologized for creating the confusion within the chapter.
Highlights of 2013
Winter Recruitment was conducted. Unfortunately because of tabulation errors within the chapter, 2 too many bids were issued and then had to be voided. This was very upsetting and heartbreaking for the entire chapter. Due to this, initiation was pushed back to May 1. Once fall recruitment rolled around, we were able to initiate one of the two girls. This made the whole chapter extremely happy! She is back where she belongs.
Initiation went extremely smoothly, but because it was occurring during finals, we were missing our President, VPO, & VPS. Luckily, our hard working VPAE, Ms. Michelle Shames, was able to take the role of leading initiation.
In February, we had a wonderful sisterhood retreat at Ms. Gena Boulay’s accommodating and spacious home. It was a great weekend getaway full of fun, surprises, and an enrichment of sisterhood. Our philanthropy event in February, Spaghetti for Spelling was a major success. We raised money for RECLAIM, a non-profit literacy organization located in Montreal. In total, Delta Delta raised $970 dollars, which was then donated.
In March, Sigma Chi fraternity hosted their first annual Jack Layton Winter ball. It was in honor of the late NDP, leader of the opposition, and Sigma Chi Alumnus Jack Layton. 20 of our members supported the fraternity by attending this event. The fraternity thanked Delta Delta chapter for being their most supportive and “featured” sorority at the event by giving us a beautiful card and a basket of flowers that contained white roses and irises. These two flowers together signify both Kappa Kappa Gamma and Sigma Chi. Having this connection with other Greek members is extremely important to our chapter. Ms. Alysha Fiorio, one of our sisters was elected Sigma Chi sweetheart. Our strong Panhellenic relationships really shows since two other nominations also came from our chapter.
The VPAE, Ms. Michelle Shames, supported all of the sisters through finals period with challenges to go venture off to different libraries and to also meet up with other sisters. This created sisterhood and scholarship. The VPAE also started a “library crawl” and various other challenges to motivate the chapter to study.
Fall Semester: Fall Recruitment was an extreme success. It was two weeks of fun and excitement for both new members and active members. Our Panhellenic Executive (Vice-President Recruitment), Ms. Amelia Mounsey worked diligently towards the most successful recruitment yet: with a 200% success rate. Campus quota went from at least 10 new members from passed years to 25 new members. Although we gained many sisters, we were still under quota; therefore we conducted COB the next following week. With that, we finished with a total of 23 new members, which is our biggest pledge class yet!
The House Chairman, Michelle Shames conducted improvements on our beautiful house. The walls were completely repainted blue and we also obtained new furniture for our chapter room. These improvements were definitely recognized during recruitment by all of the compliments that we received. Hard work really does pay off! In the fall, we held our annual Kappa Kuisine philanthropy event. $925 was donated towards the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
A picture of Delta Delta on our Fall retreat was featured in the Fall 2013 issue of The Key.
During a Greek community philanthropy competition, Delta Delta raised the most amount of money out of all of the other sororities and fraternity’s combined. All funds went towards the Canadian Red Cross’s Hurricane Relief Fund in the Philippines.
On Campus:
Beautiful McGill University is the home to an intelligent student body. Besides for the beautiful campus, McGill is situated in a melting-pot city. This city attracts a multicultural body, making it such a diverse environment.
Having a diverse city to structure our college experience, Delta Delta has sisters from all over the world. From Norway to China and back again, our sisterhood is extremely unique and diverse.
McGill University is full of intelligence and motivation. Inventions such as Velcro & Radon were all founded here at McGill. The initiative that these inventors took really motivates the future students here on Campus. Established in 1821, McGill University strives at being at the top of all rankings for academia as the student body strives for excellence. Our motto-By work, all things increase and grow- describe the origins of where this hard work is attained, our inner strength.
Highlights of 2014
Winter Semester:
• Delta Delta Chapter did not conduct Winter Recruitment in 2014, but instead focused on shaping stronger relations of sisterhood, appreciation and knowledge of ritual, and a time to put in action our core values.
• Winter retreat was spent playing laser tag and enhancing chapter unity. The sisters formed teams and competed against each other in a friendly fashion. The evening also included sharing stories at a pizza party.
• In February, we were fortunate enough to welcome Jordan Newsom, a Leadership Consultant, to our chapter. The chapter benefited greatly from her lessons on strengthening sisterhood. The chapter was encouraged to build off of each other’s talents and combining them effectively. We are successful when we learn from our mistakes with the constant support from the wearers of the golden key.
• On March 28th we celebrated the event that everyone looks forward to: Sapphire Ball. The party was held at the gorgeous Newtown restaurant. The evening consisted of delicious meals, flowing dresses, and various faces from across the McGill Greek community and friends’ of the Delta Delta sisters.
• Regarding another of our pillars, that of philanthropy, we held our annual Spaghetti for Spelling event on February 7th at Gamma Lambda Chapter of Sigma Chi Fraternity House. Each sister prepared homemade Italian dishes. We were able to raise over 500$ for a Canadian non-profit: RECLAIM Literacy. This organisation helps adults in Montreal with reading, writing, and basic mathematical skills.
• At the end of the semester we donated our surplus Philanthropy budget to the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation of Canada: a total of 250$.
• As per our tradition, we held a Senior Sister Night celebration for our graduating sisters. We all shared memories, tears, and ice cream cake. Although our sisters ended their university lives at McGill, they always have and always will be part of our Chapter. We are in constant contact with many of them and this just goes to show how strongly we believe that being a Kappa Kappa Gamma sister is not only for four years, but for life.
• The chapter’s GPA in Winter 2014 was 3.26. The women of Delta Delta strive to do as best as possible: several of our sisters earned a 4.0 GPA and were in their respective Honours programs.
• During the summer, our House Chairman diligently worked to improve our house. The house renovations included: painting the walls with our beloved blue hue, upgrading our kitchen with new floors, cabinets, and appliances, and creating a brighter and happier environment. The details in the décor highlight Kappa symbols and bring out the best in our home.
Fall Semester:
• The sisters of the Delta Delta chapter commenced a new school year in the vibrant city of Montreal with a tremendously successful recruitment. Delta Delta Chapter had the largest pledge class out of all four sororities at McGill University.
• Pledge Class Phi consisted of thirty-one diverse women who enrich the chapter in an incredible way. Many came from different countries and years of study, and all of them enhanced the chapter with their respective talents and ideas. This was the largest pledge class yet for our chapter!
• Shortly after Bid Day, on October 2nd, a group of sisters volunteered work at TD Bank’s Book Celebration with First Book Canada. They distributed and read books to elementary school children. Our chapter strives to positively impact the community in which we live.
• Also in October, we had an ice-skating sisterhood retreat. This was especially important in getting to know each other better: but also so much fun! Even though we had quickly become a significantly larger chapter, events like these promoted and enforced our sisterhood.
• On November 7th we held our annual Kappa Kuisine philanthropy event with an all-you-can-eat buffet at the Gamma Lambda Chapter of Sigma Chi house. This year, the event was even closer to our hearts because funds raised were donated to the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Society of Quebec in honor of Carol Skinner, a chapter alumna, who was recently diagnosed with the disease. We were able to raise 1,000$ towards this wonderful research fund.
• During the final days of November, nine of our sisters were honored to receive invitations to Sigma Chi’s Christmas Dinner party. Our efforts to strengthen ties with the Greek community show through since the event included many people from organizations on campus. It was a wonderful social opportunity to positively represent Kappa Kappa Gamma!
On Campus
• During the Winter Semester we partook in the Inter-Greek Letter Council’s Greek Week with the other fraternities and sororities at McGill University. We raised over 500$ for Five Days for the Homeless. This organization helps our local community by working with people that live with the bare minimum and in the harsh conditions of our city’s winter.
• For the Fall Semester Greek Week, we were able to donate cans of food and promote our sisterhood by planning a comical kitchen skit for talent show, decorating a cart for Chariot Races, and building a sculpture made out of cans.
• The Greek Community of McGill University is growing constantly. This school year a new fraternity, Alpha Sigma Phi, established a colony. We were proud to support the Fraternity’s expansion to Canada.
Meeting and Housing
• We hold meetings every Thursday at seven p.m. in our house on 3668 Durocher Street Apt. #1 Montreal, QC H2X2E8.
• Since 2008, the Kappa House has been located on the first floor and rented by the chapter along with five sisters that live in the facility.
• When the chapter was founded on November 21, 1930 the sisters met in one room on Shutter Street, and it was with great rejoicing that the chapter finally acquired its former house on Sherbrooke Street in 1933. Afterwards, in the summer of 2008, our chapter was able to acquire the house we now meet and live in on Durocher Street.
Woman Behind the Badge:
• Our sister Hayley McGlone, the Events Chairman of our chapter, has her great great aunt’s badge. This beautiful badge belonged to Martha Douglas and has the date 4-16-27 engraved in the back.
Highlights of 2015
Winter Semester:
Delta Delta conducted informal Winter Recruitment on the 19th, 20th, and 23rd of January. The first night was an apple cider, pate, and cheese mixer. The second round was a relaxed sugar cookie decorating event. The final night was a formal evening in which all sisters were dressed in black formal attire. Our chapter Initiated two sisters – Miyah and Abigail – on March 21st.
During our Winter Retreat we had Big & Little Reveal and several sisterhood activities. We shared special facts about ourselves and the sisters had to match each unique fact to the respective girl. Some of them included: "I have a fear of butter", "I am a black belt", and "I am 22 years old and have been to 22 different countries".
We are proud to say that Delta Delta was featured on the “Positive Public Relations” webinar on February since we created a new website for our chapter (http://mcgill.kappa.org) The website has helped us showcase our chapters’ activities and has been a great tool during recruitment for potential new members to see what we represent.
Our annual even “Spaghetti for Spelling” happened on February 13th to raise funds for First Book Canada and the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation. The event took place at the house of our brothers of Gamma Lambda Sigma Chi. Comrades from the Greek community and other friends of our sisters fought through the -30 °C temperatures of Montreal and attended the home-made Italian buffet. Overall, the event was a success and we were able to raise seven hundred fifty dollars!
Sapphire Ball at the Omni Hotel on March 14th.
Some sisters volunteered at the Mission Bon Accueil-Welcome Hall Mission by teaming up with some brother of the Alpha Sigma Phi chapter. This organization donates groceries, serves warm meals, hold workshops, and provides shelter for Montreal's homeless.
Fall Semester:
Our chapter conducted Fall Recruitment during a week in mid-September. We welcomed twenty-two new members to our chapter! On Bid Day we painted "KKG" letters, cooked some burgers and hot dogs on a barbecue to enjoy the warm weather, and had a great day doing ice-breakers and activities to bond as Kappa sisters. We initiated twenty sisters on November 15th and will be initiating the other two new members in our Winter Initiation.
We celebrated Founders Day yet again this year, but it was even more special since we pinned our Kappa alumna Gloria with her 65th year badge!
Delta Delta participated in McGill’s Right to Play’s Spin-a-thon on October 7th. Several of our sisters did spinning for six hours at the Y-intersection on campus next to a couple other fraternities, clubs, and varsity teams of our university. We were able to raise over four hundred fifty dollars for children’s educational programming.
Our philanthropic event “Kappa Klothing Drive” occurred during the final two weeks of October. It consisted of a clothing recollection for the Women’s Center of Montreal. With the help of fellow organizations in the Greek Community and our sisters’ loved ones we were able to fill twenty large bags with coats, shirts, sweaters, pants, hats, scarves, etc. just before winter comes!
We also partnered with McGill’s Homework Zone Organization on November 2nd to volunteer at the Pierre Elliot Trudeau School. At the school, our sisters read and held writing workshop for several children in the Fourth Grade. Fun activities were incorporated into the workshops and we provided each child with a book at the end of the activity to inspire the love of reading.
This semester we continued our support for ALS research by hosting our philanthropic dance-a-thon event “A Little Shuffle for ALS” on November 22nd. We collaborated with the brothers of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at the McGill Gymnasium Complex and raised one thousand two-hundred dollars for the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Society of Quebec. We had a dance instructor lead a class, and four Greek organizations choreographed different shows.
At the end of March we participated in McGill’s Winter Greek Week and won first place overall. Also, we are proud that Kappa Kappa Gamma was the organization who donated the most for the Benedict Labre House – a day center which provides meals, clothing, and several programs and services for the homeless in Montreal.
During the Fall Semester’s Greek Week – which took place from November 16th-20th - we partnered with the brother of Alpha Epsilon Pi and Alpha Delta Phi. We raised funds in a by-donation bake sale and won first place overall for the second consecutive time!
The Greek community in McGill University continues grow. This Fall Semester Sigma Alpha Epsilon established a colony on campus and the women of Delta Delta are proud to support the Fraternity’s expansion to Montreal.
Highlights of 2016
Delta Delta had another amazing year together, with our chapter continuing to expand in numbers with each recruitment season. We recently welcomed 35 new members into our chapter, spurring on conversations about potentially moving to a bigger house in the future to accommodate our growing numbers. With campus interest in Greek life increasing, our Panhellenic Council has decided to bring in a new sorority, with girls from Kappa sitting on the committee to help bring about this change.
Our chapter has continued with Delta Delta specific traditions such as Blue and Blue during Inspiration Period, and we’ve incorporated new ones as well, such as our usage of the GIN system to track our study hours. We have since incorporated suggested study hours into our weekly meetings, recognizing a sister each week for the most amount of hours logged. Similarly, we created a points system to reward sisters for being consistently involved within the chapter; sisters gain points for participating in sisterhood activities, having a good attendance record at events, amassing study hours and the like, with the top scorer announced at the end of each month.
In conjunction to the implementation of study hours, Kappa was named the sorority with the top overall GPA this semester. This shows a huge improvement from the last round of rankings, showcasing our dedication to academics. We were encouraged by our VPAE via fun, month-long library crawls, nerd of the week contests and sisterhood study sessions held throughout the semester.
A challenge we faced as a chapter was our involvement with rituals. We’ve worked hard at improving our knowledge of rituals, using help from our LC and Marshall to guide us. The results were seen in the fact that Delta Delta was able to execute both our fall and winter initiation ceremonies flawlessly. Similarly, we also worked towards improving communications between officers during the year, receiving a communication workshop from our LC and discussing strategic ways to improve on it during chapter council meetings.
Chapter Philanthropy: In February, Delta Delta held a Chili for Charity event with the brothers of Phi Kappa Pi that truly tested the chapter’s cooking abilities. With the help of some inspirational Pinterest posts and a few hours spent in the kitchen, we were able to raise $400 for First Book Canada. It was a great night filled with hearty chili, crispy garlic bread and sisterly bonding. Towards a similar cause, sisters went to a local primary school to read to first and second graders later that month, leaving the children with new books in hand and smiles on their faces. In November, KKG gave back to local charity initiatives by donating 11 Christmas boxes to the Montreal Shoebox Project, with the total equivalent to all the boxes valued at $550. These boxes will be given to women shelters across Montreal during the holidays, a tradition we hope to continue in coming years.
Along with supporting our own, philanthropic ventures, Delta Delta members also made an effort in participating in charity events held by other greek members. Kappa ladies were well represented at Theta’s Touchdown football tournament, Gamma Phi’s Moonball competition and AOPi’s archery tag. In addition, Delta Delta members participated in Sigma Chi’s weeklong Derby Days event, helping the brotherhood raise money for the Huntsman Cancer Institute.
Not only do we participate in philanthropy events hosted by fellow Greek organizations, our chapter also contributes to our campus’ many other charity driven events. This is the second year in a row that KKG has participated in Right To Play’s Spin-a-Thon, with sisters from Delta Delta representing the first Greek organization to join in on this charity event last year.
Note to Chapter Registrar: Please refer to your chapter archives including chapter meeting minutes and back issues of The Key to fill in any gaps in the above historical highlights. If your chapter archives are not complete, please research your university library, campus newspaper and yearbook archives for newsworthy information about your chapter. Please double check your work for accuracy. Contact chapter Advisory or House Board members, local Alumnae Association members, or your Province Director of Chapters for assistance. Your efforts will ensure a complete and accurate history of your chapter for future generations to enjoy!
Highlights of 2017
Delta Delta welcomed twenty seven news members into our family during the Fall Recruitment.,. We are proud to say that this year our chapter enjoyed the best retention in years, as all the pledged new members were initiated!
Our Membership Chairman, Adrienne Bramson, ensured that we executed our strongest recruitment to date. This year's recruitment was smaller than last year’s- in which we pledged new members - because of the colonization of an Alpha Phi chapter at McGill University this semester.. The overall nature of our chapter did change as we played a large role in welcoming the founding women at McGill. Committees were set in place to help with the smooth transition and to support their growth at McGill.
The women of Delta Delta continue to support the Philanthropy events of other chapters on campus. We also noticed that Greek life is becoming more prevalent on campus as our chapters become more involved at McGill. Thanks to our Flair Chairman, Emily Yang, we are always in our letters on campus and showing the rest of the McGill community how brilliant our women are. Our chapter has continued with Delta Delta specific traditions like a modified Blue and Blue meeting during Inspiration Period, Black Formal meetings, "Nerd of the Week", "Fleur-de-Lys and Broken Keys"and "Hoots and Salutes", “Lady Minerva” scrapbook, and a “Supportive Sister” bra. We even started new initiatives like weekly prizes for people who come to meeting and a final prize to the woman with the best attendance this semester. The chapter also started Marshal Minutes during meetings where we highlight one or two aspects of our Ritual. Delta Delta Standards also has had a strong year, with many shining moments of sisterhood and improvements that have been implemented to improve how Standards can better serve our chapter.
Our sisterhood event in the winter was self-care themed, with yoga, make your own smoothies, and notes of love written by sisters. Over the Winter and Fall semester our VPS, Casey Osborne, worked closely with our President, Andrea Papini, her advisor Gena Boulay, and representatives from headquarters to increase Standards’s support of young women in the chapter who are struggling with their mental health. Delta Delta Standards began using the Alternative Standards Contract with girls who need support, and we have seen only positive results marked by increased overall attendance and less loss of membership.. Additionally, our VPO, Crystal Tian, sent out a weekly newsletter to the chapter members and meeting agenda to President and Recording Secretary, Mackenzie Akeson, until the Fall 2017 Leadership Consultant, Sydney Taylor, suggested a positive change in the system. We have implemented this change so that there is better communication between Chapter Council and the rest of the Chapter.
Our chapter GPA improved this year, bringing up to being named the sorority with the second overall GPA this semester. Our VPAE continued to do library crawls, rewarding women with the highest and most improved GPAs, and Nerd of the Week (which celebrates the woman who studied the hardest that week). She also created more specialized Period of Concern terms to help improve their areas of weakness. In addition, we are happy to share that one of our chapter members was a recipient of a scholarship from the Kappa Kappa Gamma foundation for this academic year!
We still hold meetings in the chapter room of the Kappa house. Our President, Treasurer, and House Chairman have been strengthening the relationship with our chapter’s House Board. Two meetings were held between these chapter officers, the House Board, two chapter advisors, and Suzanne Giffen (a specialist of the Housing Committee from headquarters). As the House Board is in its second year of operation, we experienced some difficulties at the beginning, but collaboration and stronger communication skills have allowed for greater success.