Gamma
Phi Beta Leaders at the White House
Last April, several Gamma Phi Beta leaders visited
the White House while in Washington, D.C. meeting
with members of Congress. Our National Panhellenic
Conference Delegate and NPC Secretary, Betty Quick
(Indiana), participated in an all-Greek effort
to encourage U.S. Congressional representatives
to support legislation that will benefit Greek
housing. The proposed legislation seeks to amend
the federal tax code to allow the use of tax-deductible
contributions to Greek foundations to pay for
needed updates at sorority and fraternity houses,
such as safety improve-
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From
left: Krista Ritacco, Bonnie Payne, Betty
Quick, Linda Johnson |
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ments.
Linda Johnson (Vanderbilt), International President,
and Bonnie Payne (Denver), Foundation Executive Director,
joined in the effort to educate government officials
of the need for change.
Krista Larsen Ritacco (Colorado-Boulder), then Director
of the Counselor's Office which is in charge of all
communications at the White House, provided a behind-the-scenes
tour of the West Wing for Linda, Betty, and Bonnie,
including a visit to the Oval Office and the Press Briefing
Room, plus a chance to watch the lift-off of President
George W. Bush on the Marine One helicopter from the
White House South Lawn. Another highlight of their time
in our Nation's Capital was celebrating with over 70
Gamma Phi Beta alumnae sisters at the McLean, Virginia
home of D.C. Alumnae Chapter President and newly-elected
Foundation Trustee, Lynn White (Colorado-Boulder).
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This
trip is an example of our potential impact when
we align with other Greeks. NPC groups are represented
on more than 620 college and university campuses
in the U.S. and Canada and in over 4,600 alumnae
associations, making up 3.6 million sorority
women. We exist because we create through our
ideals an ever-widening circle of service beyond
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membership.
And because of this, college administrators, recognizing
the values of Greek-letter organizations, continue to
welcome our presence on their campuses. (See Sorority
news for a extension update).
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