A National Philanthropic sorority focusing on art, literature, music and speech & hearing.

My love of gardens..

 

I have always loved flower gardens! I got that love from my grandmothers; they both had beautiful flowers in their yards. When I was a little girl, I spent time helping them “feed their gardens,” as they used to say. I would look forward to walking in the yard and talking about each flower and asking questions about them. I soon learned that most of them had been residents for years. They were my grandmother’s friends! They talked to them every day, walking with their coffee cups in hand, visiting each part of the yard to see what was happening with all their best friends! I came away from my childhood with a green thumb. I cannot keep a houseplant alive to save my soul, but my yard is beautiful! I love visiting with my “friends” too! A few of the flowers and plants in my yard were my grandmother’s and great grandmother’s. If you nurture a plant with love and care, they will remain vibrant for generations. These plants that have survived are priceless heirlooms to me. I was so lucky that my mother and grandmother moved many of their precious friends with them to their new gardens when they moved to a new home. Every flower has a season and when it is over, you must nurture it so that it comes to visit again. Plants need love and pampering when they start to lose their energy. I am always sad to say goodbye to each one, but I look forward to the time when they come back next year.

 

Friends, like flowers, require nurturing and care. We must water them with kindness, enrich them with love, and give them the sunlight of our presence. By doing so, we allow our friendships to blossom and grow, just like a beautiful garden in full bloom.



Taffy Day

National President

Omega - Lebanon, IN

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” – Mother Teresa

 

It’s been a month since our national convention was adjourned. Whether this was your first time there or you are a seasoned veteran of the whirlwind of business meetings, nightly parties, and temptations from the sales room, that post-convention let-down is real. Or maybe you’ve never had a chance to go but are wondering what all the fuss is about “the LTP” or “the Helicon” or “POOTY.” (no, that does not refer to housebreaking a toddler)

 

Here are some suggestions for how to keep your Psi Ote battery charged between conventions—or until you can get to your first convention:

 

If you are reading this, then chances are you are already a subscriber to our National Newsletter. Make sure your chapter officers are subscribed;  encourage the rest of your chapter on board to subscribe as well. You will get more details about recent news and upcoming events or deadlines that impact you, and you get them in a timely manner on or around the first day of the month. You don’t want to miss out on something fun or important because you didn’t see the newsletter. We also pull material from our Facebook accounts to feature in the newsletter, so make sure your chapter page stays active. If you don’t have a chapter page, this is a good time to get one so we can help tell your stories.   


If you are on Facebook, follow our national page (Psi Iota Xi-National) and search for, then request to join, PIX Sister Chat. The National page is our public front door with mostly pictures and posts from council.  PIX Sister Chat is a private group where we share stories from chapters and individual sisters as they work their fundraisers or carry out service work in the name of our sorority. We have a few simple questions you need to answer to be admitted to the group and moderate it to filter out spam or controversial posts. We keep it clean and on topic!


Consider making a chapter outing or road trip to another chapter’s fundraiser such as purse bingo nights or to pick up orders of candy or flowers that your own chapter doesn’t offer. You get to know sisters from other places and maybe come home ready to start something like these in your own community. Even if you don’t, there is nothing quite like getting on the road with sisters and getting better acquainted along the way. Many of these activities will be publicized in the newsletter and/or the PIX Sister Chat page, so watch for them!


Finally…The best way I know to keep my love of Psi Iota Xi stoked is to share it with others. This year I am collecting stories of how sisters help bring other sisters into their own or another chapter. I already have two myself, one from West Central and one from East Central. They both started at convention.   I would love to have at least one cool or out-of-the-box story from all six districts before we are all together in Indy next June. You can give me as many or as few details as you are comfortable sharing, and I will only publish them in the newsletter and not on Facebook. We have women out there who need us as much as we need them. Share how you did it and let’s grow our national area along with our local chapters.

 

In the meantime, remember to “bloom where you are planted” and have a blessed chapter year!

 

Missy Cooper

National Conductress

Gamma Nu, Brownsburg, IN


Hello all and welcome to August! I cannot believe that we are already a full month out from convention and what a wonderful convention it was. I want to thank Mickie and the Upsilon chapter once again for being such amazing hosts and for making this year’s convention so memorable.


Speaking of convention, who all got to see the girls from the Alpha Delta chapter in Decatur shine in the lip sync contest?! They did such a great job! Those girls also sold shirts and other goodies in the sales room and started each day with a smile. It was great to see them and catch up!


When I think of this time of year, I think of going back to school and a fresh start. Often, we think of having a fresh start in January as the new year begins but I challenge you to change that way of thinking and as summer (hopefully slowly) comes to a close and fall begins, we think of ways to jumpstart our chapters and start fresh and new again.


I am excited to see what this new beginning brings and to grow both personally and within our sorority. May you all have a wonderful and safe end to your summer. 


Lauren Burk

Northeast District Officer

Gamma Sigma, South Bend, IN

National Convention Recap

National Long-Term Project Update

Ellyn McCall of Hear Indiana was presented a check from Psi Iota Xi for $15,000 at the 2025 Psi Iota Xi National Convention as a part of the ongoing Long-Term Project. The funds will go towards Hear Indiana scholarship opportunities for speech-language pathology or doctor of audiology graduate students pursuing the study of Listening and Spoken Language.


It was also announced at National Convention that we are only $21,000 shy of the $100,000 goal to complete this long-term project. If every chapter donates $250 this year, our goal will be met!

Terri Resler, 2024-25 National Project Chair and Mickie Hansen, 2024-25 National President, presented a check for $15,000 Ellyn McCall, Chief Executive Officer of Hear Indiana, at the 2025 National Convention.

2025 National Award Winners

Largest Amount Per Capita For All Music Projects

NE - Alpha Eta, Bluffton, IN - $520.00

NW - Gamma Beta, Remington, IN

EC - Eta Iota, Parker City, IN 

WC - Eta Lambda, Beech Grove, IN

SE - Zeta Tau, Milroy, IN

SW - Beta Beta, Sullivan,

 

Largest Amount Per Capita for Fine Arts Projects

NE - Theta Theta, Fort Wayne, IN

NW - Beta Alpha, Flora, IN - $744.71

EC - Zeta Beta, Anderson, IN

WC - Eta Lambda, Beech Grove, IN

SE - Alpha Omega, North Vernon, IN

SW - Alpha Omicron, Vincennes, IN

 

Largest Amount Given to All Cultural Projects

NE - Beta Gamma, Peru, IN

NW - Beta Alpha, Flora, IN

EC - Alpha Phi, Fortville, IN

WC - Gamma Nu, Brownsburg, IN

SE - Zeta Tau, Milroy, IN

SW - Zeta, Bloomington, IN - $16,050.00

 

Largest Amount Given to Literature/Literacy

NE - Beta Gamma, Peru, IN

NW - Beta Alpha, Flora, IN - $15,306.94

EC - Alpha Phi, Fortville, IN

WC - Beta Tau, Frankfort, IN

SE - Epsilon, Columbus, IN

SW - Eta Alpha, Nashville, IN

 

Largest Amount Per Capita For Literature/Literacy

NE - Alpha Rho, Garrett, IN

NW - Beta Alpha, Flora, IN - $900.40

EC - Alpha Phi, Fortville, IN

WC - Beta Tau, Frankfort, IN

SE - Epsilon, Columbus, IN

SW - Zeta Gamma, Fort Branch, IN

 

Largest Amount Per Capita for Speech and Hearing

NE - Alpha Eta, Bluffton, IN

NW - Chi, Brookston, IN

EC - Kappa, Kokomo, IN 

WC - Gamma Xi, Crawfordsville, IN - $970.36

SE - Iota, Rushville, IN

SW - Alpha Beta, Seymour, IN

 

Largest Amount Per Capita for Other Projects – Community Outreach

NE - Pi, Fort Wayne, IN - $1,562.08

NW - Beta Alpha, Flora, IN

EC - Beta Iota, Farmland, IN

WC - Gamma Nu, Brownsburg, IN

SE - Zeta Tau, Milroy, IN

SW - Zeta Gamma, Fort Branch, IN

 

Largest Amount Per Capita for All Philanthropic Projects

NE - Alpha Eta, Bluffton, IN

NW - Beta Alpha, Flora, IN - $2,847.48

EC - Alpha Phi, Fortville, IN

WC - Gamma Xi, Crawfordsville, IN

SE - Zeta Tau, Milroy, IN

SW - Zeta Gamma, Fort Branch, IN

 

Largest Amount Given to a Single Project

NE - Pi, Fort Wayne, IN - $36,000.00

NW - Beta Alpha, Flora, IN

EC - Kappa, Kokomo, IN

WC - Gamma Xi, Crawfordsville, IN

SE - Zeta Tau, Milroy, IN

SW - Alpha Omicron, Vincennes, IN  

National Projects

At the 2025 National Convention held in Indianapolis, June 28 & 29, the membership voted to financially support the following national projects:

 

St. Joseph Institute’s Early Intervention - $2,000

 

Bethel University’s American Sign Language and Interpretation Department Student Scholarship - $2,000


American Speech-Language Hearing - $2,000

 

Camp Shout Out - $1,500

 

Metropolitan Opera, Laffont Competition Auditions - $2,000

 

Riley Cheer Guild – Music Therapy Studio - $3,000

 

Hoosier Art Salon - $4,000

 

Decatur Sculpture Tour - $1,000

 

Hear Indiana Camp - $1,500

 

Literature/Literary Grants - $3,000

 

The total amount of Psi Iota Xi's contribution to these projects is $22,000.

 

The forms for the 2025-2026 proposals will be forthcoming in the months ahead.  

 

Loyally,

 

Valerie Helms-Mejia

National Project Chair

Alpha, Muncie, IN

Milestone Celebration

Iota Lambda, Ferdinand, IN, recently celebrated 40 years of service to Psi Iota Xi and their community. Congratulation ladies on the amazing legacy you have created in your community.

National Council Email

National Council is available to talk with Chapters and members anytime questions or concerns arise. Please don't hesitate to reach out to National Council if they can assist you.


Contact us at: info@psiiotaxi.org

email_icon.jpg

Have you ever wished you could invite all Psi Ote sisters to your chapter's fundraiser or special event?


If you are planning an event or fundraiser (in person or virtual) and would like to share your invitation with Psi Ote Sisters from other chapters, let us know. The newsletter is great way to reach many sisters and hopefully increase your attendance or sales!


Electronic money transfer apps like Venmo plus virtual platforms like Facebook Live make it possible for even our most distant sisters to participate in another chapter's fundraisers with ease. You can support your sisters across the organization, and you might even get a few ideas for your own chapter!


Advertising in the newsletter is easy, just email JanePatton@PsiIotaXi.org and she will do the rest.

Chapter Happenings

Eta Alpha, Nashville, IN - Amy Oliver and Stephanie Dunn volunteered in the name of Psi Iota Xi to pass out food bags to Brown County families. Every child in Brown County is eligible to a food bag, including milk, thanks to Brown County Schools and Chartwells.

Eta Omicron, Kalamazoo, MI - Helped to facilitate the donation of children's books received at National Convention to Read and Write Kalamazoo.

Epsilon, Columbus, IN - Donated $6,200 to Imagination Library to help supply free books to children in their community.

Beta Psi, Delphi, IN - Members braved the summer heat to help with games at the Carroll County 4-H fair.

Chi, Brookston, IN - When its county fair time these Psi Otes are ready to roll, cookie dough that is. Many hands made light work of their annual preparation for the cookie booth.

Iota Chi, LaGrange, KY - Showing off their Psi Ote spirit, Iota Chi participated in the annual Oldham County Day parade.

Iota, Rushville, IN - Tried their hand at the art of floral arranging. Everyone had the same supplies, but each bouquet was as unique as the Psi Ote who made it.

Alpha, Muncie, IN - Tiffany Arnold, Executive Director, and Nikki Fan, Board President, of Youth Symphony Orchestra of East Central Indiana were all smiles after receiving a check for $10,000 from Alpha Chapter.

Upsilon, Greenfield, IN - There are a limited number of commemorative convention t-shirts and tote bags left. For the t-shirts available are sizes S-2, M-6, and 2X-5 for $20 each. Only 7 tote bags are left for $10 each. Orders will be first-come, first-served. To order, send a Facebook DM to Upsilon Chapter and they will work out a payment and delivery method.


Click here for Upsilon Chapter's Facebook Page.

Vita Mary Kippenbrock

11/12/36 – 7/7/25

SW – Iota Lambda, Ferdinand, IN


Click here to view the memorial page.

Carolyn Brink

5/12/30 – 7/9/25

NW – Alpha Xi, Logansport, IN


Click here to view the memorial page.


Elke Bridge

9/27/41 – 7/11/25

SW – Alpha Beta, Seymour, IN


Click here to view the memorial page.

Linda Kay Carnes

1951 – 7/8/25

SW – Alpha Beta, Seymour, IN


Click here to view the memorial page.


Convention Invitations

National Convention 2027

Theta Kappa, Edon, OH, will host the 2027 National Convention at the Grand Wayne Convention Center in Fort Wayne, IN.


National Convention 2028

Iota Theta, Armstrong, IL, will host the 2028 National Convention.

National Council

National President

Taffy Day, Omega

 

National Vice President

Sandie Carlson, Theta Kappa

 

National Secretary

Terri Resler, Alpha Psi

 

National Treasurer

Mona Knight, Iota Theta


National Advisor

Mickie Hansen, Upsilon

 

National Project Chair

Valerie Helms-Mejia, Alpha

 

National Editor

Jane Patton, Alpha Omicron

National Conductress

Missy Cooper, Gamma Nu

 

Northeast District Officer

Lauren Burk, Gamma Sigma

 

Northwest District Officer

Pam Gunterman, Theta Delta

 

East Central District Officer

Beth Vipond, Gamma Tau

 

West Central District Officer

Pam Karle, Gamma Xi

 

Southeast District Officer

Carol Good, Alpha Theta

 

Southwest District Officer

Erin Schroering, Iota Lambda

Website

About Us

Calendar

If you have any questions about this newsletter, the National Website or have an address/phone/email update please contact your National Editor Jane Patton, janepatton@psiiotaxi.org or 812-881-9064 (call/text).

Contact


National Office

3905 Vincennes Road, Suite 303

Indianapolis, IN 46268

317.471.3512

info@psiiotaxi.org