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landmark. Formal and post-formal cocktail were the last events of the spring semester and both events
were a great way to send off our senior sisters who were moving on to bright futures!
==Highlight 2016==
This year was incredibly eventful and successful for the Epsilon Gamma chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. We accomplished many wonderful things and are proud of the progress we have made over the past year! We started the year with a fun winter cocktail on January 22nd at the Strowd. That was followed up by a Loggers and Joggers themed mixer with Sigma Phi Epsilon at Country Fried Duck on February 2nd. During the Spring of 2016, Epsilon Gamma initiated 4 new members. For bid day, we had a build your own ice cream sundae bar where the new members were welcomed with sisters from each pledge class. Our third event was our fourth annual Heart Breakers cocktail on Valentine’s day at the Strowd and sisters wore their best 80’s attire and danced the night away. For new member retreat, we attended a pottery painting facility where we spent the evening expressing ourselves and getting to know each other.
On February 24th, Epsilon Gamma began our philanthropic year with a benefit night at Artisan Pizza Kitchen. We enjoyed delicious pizza and raised $235 for Reading is Fundamental. On March 2nd we partnered with Pi Beta Phi to host Read Across America day in the pit. Members of Kappa and Pi Phi worked together to distribute informational materials. In addition, Kappa sisters purchased Pura Vida bracelets, with going to benefit our end of the year bookfair. After a 6-week new member education period, the new members were initiated at the Delta Beta (Duke) chapter on March 5th. We mixed with Lambda Chi Alpha at Pantana Bob’s on March 5th and enjoyed the Hawaiian theme in preparation for spring break. On March 23rd our sisters competed in the annual Greek Groove competition using a sports themed dance routine. While Epsilon Gamma didn’t win our sisters put on an amazing performance and had a lot of fun. On April 7th Kappa Kappa Gamma hosted Its on Us with Sigma Phi, Chi Psi and Alpha Chi Omega. It’s On Us is a national campaign that fights sexual assault on college campuses. Kappa Kappa Gamma worked closely with Sigma Phi and our other partners to customize this initiative for UNC. This event had over 800 people in attendance and raised $8500 for the Orange County Rape Crisis Center. The event itself began with speakers, including Chancellor Folt and Lauren Debskii, a survivor of sexual assault. Attendees then participated in a reflective walk around both quads. The event was concluded with dinner and respectful discussions in small groups.
The Epsilon Gamma chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma has always had a strong sisterhood and this past year was no different. In the spring of 2016 the chapter attended a Durham bulls minor league baseball team game on April 8th. Sisters ate hotdogs and french fries to their heart's content, while watching the Durham bulls barely win the game in the 9th inning. After coming back from break, we had everyone’s favorite event of the year, Formal. This was held on April 16th at Top of the Hill Distillery. On May 7th Epsilon Gamma hosted a brunch for all the seniors to wish them well and celebrate their years at UNC and in Kappa Kappa Gamma. Throughout the year, Kappa Kappa Gamma collected money and books for a primary school in Thomasville, North Carolina. Many of these children do not own books, and the summer can be debilitating in terms of their literacy development. To combat this problem, Kappa Kappa Gamma distributed approximately 4500 books, which allowed each student of Thomasville to select and take home 5 books. This event was held May 16th.
We started off the fall with formal recruitment where we sang songs, met potential new members, and even had a fun new cheer, which was borrowed from our sisters at Ole Miss to make sure our excitement & pride for Kappa shined through. To adjust with the new "no frills" policy, we incorporated our colors, light blue & dark blue, in our decor to show Kappa spirit! After all of our hard work, 42 new sisters ran home to us on bid day! During the Fall of 2016, we welcomed 42 new members into sisterhood of Kappa Kappa Gamma. For bid day on September 7th, the theme was “Go Kappa – That Blue and Blue looks good on you.” Our house was decorated with two banners, blue streamers, and blue balloons. When new members arrived at the house, they received a new tank top as well as a bag with fun Kappa gifts. Both new members and sisters alike enjoyed the inflatable slide, photo booth, and DJ. To help welcome our new members we had our first cocktail on September 9th on the day after Bid day to celebrate. To immerse the new members into all things Kappa, Epsilon Gamma took the new members to Sky zone, a trampoline park, for their new member retreat on September 16th. The girls jumped the night away, making lasting friendships and great memories.
On September 18th Epsilon Gamma hosted a academic excellence banquet to celebrate the 94 sisters who made the Dean's list last year, 47 of whom made the Dean’s list both semesters. Continuing our annual tradition, Kappa Kappa Gamma partnered with Kappa Alpha fraternity to host Q for the Cause on September 22nd. This benefit dinner is held at the Kappa house and raises money to support Earlier.org, a nonprofit that funds breast cancer research and that was started by an alumna of Epsilon Gamma chapter. To help our sisters celebrate family weekend, Epsilon Gamma hosted a parents cocktail at the Ackland Art Museum on the 23rd.
In the fall of 2016, the chapter held its annual sisterhood retreat at Camp Hanes a YMCA camp in Boone, North Carolina from September 30th to October 1st. Over the entire weekend the chapter took part in a bonfire with s’mores, a talent show, team building exercises, canoeing, and jumping into the lake off a giant inflatable. One group of sisters even won Starbucks gift cards for being the first group to complete one of the balancing activities during team building. On October 13th we celebrated founders day with fun games and treats and even had a friendly competition between our sisters about who knew the most about Kappa’s history. On October 26th Epsilon Gamma had our big/little reveal where the new members found out who their big sisters were! Finally, the chapter took a trip to the North Carolina State Fair on October 15th, where sisters rode fair rides, toured the fair-grounds, and sampled everything from fried oreos to candy apples while attempting to win stuffed animals at fair games. We then had our mixer with Sigma Phi Epsilon on October 26th with a fun and festive Halloween theme.
At the end of an 8-week new member education period, the new members were initiated on November 5th. Both the pledge class of Spring and Fall of 2016 are great additions to the Epsilon Gamma chapter. We have enjoyed every moment spent with these new members, and as sisters of Epsilon Gamma they bring not only enthusiasm but also appreciation of what it truly means to be a Kappa sister. With the presidential election this year, many of our sisters took the opportunity to get involved on campus and registered voters so that everyone could do their civil duty. Our sisters also kindly offered to help with the initiation of our new sisters at North Carolina State University and 50 sisters traveled to State to help with the installation. The sisters of Epsilon Gamma also had the incredible opportunity to meet the fraternities current president at the installation. After that, we had our Semi-formal at R&R Grille on November 12th to enjoy some time with our sisters and dates before Thanksgiving break. We had our last event of the year with Pi Lambda Phi at the Library on December 1st. The theme was ZooNC and this event was planned by the event assistant and everyone had a fantastic time.
Epsilon Gamma was awarded the academic excellence award at convention this year for most improved academics. We were also awarded the Chapter Progress award by our Panhellenic community and a senior Emily Beaty received an Outstanding Senior Award also from our Panhellenic community.
When we returned to school in August for the Fall 2015 semester, we got straight to work on fall
truck, bid day was a success.
Once recruitment ended and school had settled in, Epsilon Gamma had our annual "Q for the Cause" barbeque dinner, with all funds going to Earlier.org. By partnering with Kappa Alpha Order, we were able to raise more money for our local philanthropy. Earlier.org is an organization started an Epsilon Gamma alumna that works to find an earlier test for breast cancer. We continued our work with Reading is Fundamental, by going to several elementary schools and reading with the children at after school programs in the Triangle. This year, we also partnered with Pi Beta Phi to celebrate Read Across America Day on March 2. In the spring of 2015, after many months of collecting children's books, we donated over 4,000 books to a North Carolina elementary school. October was a busy month for Epsilon Gamma. We held big-little reveal on October 8th and we were all excited to welcome new members to our families. Our new members attended their new member retreat at ourhouse where they played games and got to know each other better, a good time was had by all. Wecelebrated Founder's Day on October 13th with a special ceremony, where we welcomed alumni back,and indulged in some delicious desserts. Blue and Blue Banquet and Initiation were held the weekendof October 24th and 25th. We were delighted to call our new members our sisters! Social events alsoplayed a large role in the fall semester.
We had a “Lazy Afternoon” date function following recruitment, a parent’s weekend function, a