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→Highlights of 2019
==Highlights of 2019==
The 2019 year started off strong for the Gamma Chi chapter, as we participated in the GW Panhellenic Association's formal recruitment. We welcomed 42 new members of Gamma Chi in GW's University Yard. Following this initial bid day celebration, we traveled to the National Building Museum in downtown DC, where we held a race car themed event to celebrate our growing chapter. The new member experience period was filled with meetings with each of the Chapter Council members, including a special Risk Manager and Marshal meeting, outlining the roles and responsibilities of becoming an active member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. The New Member Courses were filled out altogether during these meetings to ensure they were accurately completed and turned in. Big Little Week occurred and the new members met their Bigs and Families on the National Mall, by the Lincoln Memorial. This was an exciting morning for everyone, especially considering the reveal took place at the Lincoln. Big Little Week is one of Gamma Chi's most beloved traditions, as the Littles receive many treats and Kappa gear the week leading up to the exciting reveal. Inspiration Period is where many events took place to prepare PC 19 to become initiated into Gamma Chi chapter. The Marshal held an Intro to Inspiration Period meeting, outlining the events that were going to take place and making sure all new members were comfortable with the initiation procedures. The Marshal webinar encouraged the position to make sure no details of Fireside and Initiation were left out, ensuring everyone's comfortability. The returning of the new member pins took place. Following the ceremony the VPAE and Marshal teamed up a plan a fun Kappachino study event, where there were many snacks for everyone to enjoy while studying. The big sister hood event is where baked cookies and made bracelets as a chapter. Each of the PC 19 members were there which was so special. Here they were able to mingle with older members of Gamma Chi, as well as their own pledge class. Following Fireside, PC 19 had a sleep over in the District House basement on campus. At the sleepover, new members enjoyed pizza, bonding activities, and games to prepare them for the exciting morning that followed. Both events were held in the Marvin Center. Kappa alum and a few Chapter Council advisors attended these ceremonies, sharing support for the newly initiated members. A brunch was organized by the New Member Chairman, exclusively for PC 19 to connect, once again, and enjoy some breakfast together.
Sesquicentennial Celebration: We placed heavy emphasis on the importance of Founders Day, as well as Kappa traditions. During each formal chapter meeting, history nugget was read aloud to inform members of the incredible history our sorority has. Many ritual reviews were planned to continue to educate members of our amazing and scared ritual. The newly elected 2020 Chapter Council is already working hard to plan fun and educational events and meetings geared toward Kappa's 150 anniversary.
2020 has been quite an eventful year for Gamma Chi. In January, we were able to hold recruitment in person and recruit 33 amazing girls! We were able to celebrate Bid-Day at the national mall with our new sisters. In February, we had our first Kappa event, a Mardi-gras themed social event called Krewe de Kappa. We then participated in our first Sisterhood event of the year: A Rumble Boxing class! Soon after was Big Little week. After a week of spoiling our new members, we held our reveal by the Washington Monument. On the 28th, we were fortunate enough to be able to visit the Boys and Girls club, which is an organization that we hold close to our hearts. As March started, so did our inspiration period. Before our new members were initiated, we held our annual get together where new members and a handful of officers were able to hang out, enjoy pizza and cookies and get to know each other better. We successful initiated 29 girls on March 7th. A few days later, we held our first Sisterhood event with our now-initiated sisters! Following this Sisterhood event, GW notified us all that we would be doing online school due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This changed our chapter operations significantly. Despite not being able to see each other in person, we continued to hold chapter via Zoom. As we could no longer visit the Boys and Girls club in person, we participated in an online fundraiser that Go Puff held for the Boys and Girls club in April. In order to keep our sisters connected, we wanted to continue with our Sisterhood events, and we were able to host a virtual yoga class. Although we didn't get the opportunity to say goodbye to them in person, we hosted a Senior Sendoff virtually on April 26th. On May 6th, Gamma Chi made history when we conducted our first ever virtual initiation. The four remaining girls who were unable to attend initiation in March were able to be initiated in a one-of-a-kind virtual ceremony. Throughout May, we were presented with the opportunity to donate resources to the Boys and Girls club as they were opening a daycare for the children of essential workers. Following many protests over the summer after the passing of George Floyd, Gamma Chi held a "listening Session" via Zoom in which we discussed diversity and inclusion within our chapter and beyond. We were fortunate enough to have our facilitator, Marla Williams, join us. As the Fall 2020 semester came around, we learned that we would not be resuming in-person learning and that all campus activities would continue to be suspended. As the Boys and Girls club was still seeking permission to operate, and we weren't allowed to meet in person, we were unable to hold our annual Kappa kickball for philanthropy week. Though out October, we continued to place importance on staying in touch with our sisters, as we held Kappa Ketchups, in which we would have a video chat in small groups to catch up and see how everyone was doing. 2020 was a very important year for Kappa Kappa Gamma, as we celebrated our 150th Founders Day! We held a formal chapter and performed the Virtual Founders Day Ceremony. We were lucky enough to be joined by our advisors, and we held a virtual recognition of the members of our advisory board as well. We made sure to end October off strong with another virtual Sisterhood event. This time, we were joined by Kacy O'Brien, who helped us all relax and unwind ahead of mid terms with a mediation workshop. On November 8th, we were able to hold virtual elections for our brilliant new Chapter Council.! We are so proud of the new leaders of our chapter. A couple days after elections, we were able to volunteer at the Boys and Girls club virtually which was such a nice experience, despite the distance. Despite not being able to connect with the children at the Boys and Girls club, we held a Thanksgiving fundraiser for them virtually! Although we faced many limitations to our operations this past year, Gamma Chi has continued to remain an engaged and active community.