It was two years ago when the Beta Rho Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International first heard about the Dresses for Africa Project. At that time, Jan Cohen, the Penn State Extension Family and Consumer Sciences/Family Resiliency Educator in Susquehanna County, presented a very informative power point program which highlighted her trip to Africa and the Little Dresses for Africa Project done with the Susquehanna County 4-H. At that time the International Project for DKG was “Schools for Africa” and members discovered that building schools wasn’t all that the children in Africa needed. They needed clothes to wear so they could attend school. The chapter offered support by paying the postage to ship the dresses. As time went on, chapter members wanted to take a more active part in the project and so they began making some of the Dresses for Africa.
Some of the members of the Beta Rho Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International spent a day in Hallstead working on the Dresses for Africa Project. The members are (l-r) Pat Arnold, Carol Goodman, Debbie Stevens, Cindy Wooden, Lansdale Shaffmaster, and Sheri Wolfe. Taking the photo was member Cindy Reynolds who also worked on the dresses that day.
The story behind the dresses is an interesting and heart-warming one. Little Dresses For Africa is a non-profit Christian based organization that is committed to showing girls that they have worth through the simple act of providing them with something that makes them feel special. These girls can now attend school proudly.
In early October, a day was set aside for Beta Rho Chapter members to work on the dresses at the Mason’s Lodge in Hallstead. Seven members came together, some with sewing machines, others with fabric and scissors, and some with an iron and an ironing board. It was a fun and profitable day for chapter members Pat Arnold; Carol Goodman, Chapter President; Cindy Reynolds; Lansdale Shaffmaster; Debbie Stevens; Sheri Wolfe; and Cindy Wooden. It will also benefit some little girls in Africa.
The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International is a professional honor society for women educators with more than 100, 000 members. Established in 18 member countries around the world, the Society defines its mission as promoting professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education. The Beta Rho Chapter is one of sixty-three chapters in Pennsylvania whose members are key women educators in Bradford, Susquehanna, and Wyoming Counties. In addition to the Dresses for Africa project, the chapter is supporting early career educators (S.E.E.) by providing teaching supplies and materials for teachers at all grade levels early in their careers.
