34
Congratulations
By Kayla Worthy, Alpha Sigma Alumnae, Leadership Conference Officer
This year at the 2017 National Leadership Conference, sisters have the chance to do something truly extraordinary! Sisters will visit Give Kids the World Village in Kissimmee, Florida on the first day of conference to serve the community and celebrate what makes our sisterhood so special.
GKTW was established in 1989 and is a 79-acre, nonprofit resort in Central Florida that provides weeklong, cost-free vacations to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.The Village and its community partners provide children and their families accommodations in fully-furnished villas, transportation, tickets to theme parks, meals, daily entertainment and much more. Each year 27,000 children in the United States are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. Half of all children eligible for a wish through a partnering wish-granting organization choose to visit Central Florida and its collection of theme parks and other attractions.
Sisters who attend conference will embrace the “Be Extraordinary” theme of the event by becoming “Everyday Heroes” to the children and families they serve. We will be given a tour, eat lunch, and be a part of the Winter Wonderland event on Thursday, July 13th. All the families and children will be engaged
in various activities and YOU will have the opportunity to learn their stories and make a magical impact during their trip to Florida. This
event is close to the heart of our sisterhood and the National Conference team is excited to kick off this annual event with an act
of service to bring our diverse sisterhood together.
One of the most important pieces of feedback the National Conference team received last year was a desire for a more impactful and organized service project. This need for including a well rounded service initiative during conference created the Service Director position held by Sarah Ortiz. She is an Addictions Counselor and 2013 initiant of the Delta Alpha Chapter with a passion for service who has seen first hand the difference face to face interaction and contribution to the community makes. Service Director, Sarah Ortiz says, “Service isn't just a passion for me, it's part of who I am. Having the opportunity to coordinate this project for my sisterhood is being able to share my love for service with the added bonus of sharing my home state. My hope is to be able to share a once-in-a-lifetime service opportunity with sisters from across the nation. Give Kids the World is chance to give families a memory that will last beyond a lifetime.”
As we approach conference please look out for more information regarding the service project via the conference website and social media. Prior to the event there will be a webinar held with more specific details. For now, please note transportation will be provided to the event and lunch will be served at the village. More information is to come and we look forward to having everyone there!