Psi Iota Xi

February

2024

Newsletter

A Message from National President

Rhonda McNall-Crisenbery

Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe inside their Unique Friendship

The Hollywood actress and jazz singer had a bond that defied the odds during a time of racial prejudice.

One of many reasons between Monroe and Fitzgerald was due to a number of traumatic life experiences they shared.

Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson, was born June 1, 1926, in Los Angeles, California. She later took her mother’s name of Baker. Monroe grew up not knowing her father and was dealing with her birth mother who was mentally unstable and often confined to an asylum. She lived in 12 different foster homes for a time and an orphanage. During this time she was subjected to sexual abuse. Reflecting on her upbringing for a 1956 interview with Time magazine she wondered, "How did I get through it?"

In 1946, Monroe signed a limited contract with Twentieth Century-Fox, taking as her screen name Marilyn Monroe.

Ella Fitzgerald was born on April 25, 1917, in Newport News, Virginia, to parents Temperance & Henry William Fitzgerald. A few years after her birth, Fitzgerald’s parents divorced and her mother met her new boyfriend, Joseph da Silva. The three moved in together in Yonkers, New York.

In 1932 Ella’s mother died which rocked her world. Mr. da Silva became so abusive to Ella she went to live with an aunt in Harlem. In 1934, after a troubled childhood Ella debuted at the Apollo Theater. 

By the 1950s, Fitzgerald's voice had won her fans across the country. But the locations that employed her were often smaller clubs and many were not interested in having an overweight Black woman perform for them. In November 1954, Marilyn always loved Fitzgerald’s music and attended a perform in Los Angeles. The two became fast friends. When Monroe found out Fitzgerald's failure to get a gig at the Mocambo, a famous L.A. nightclub, she decided to help.

Monroe approached the Mocambo’s owner with a proposition. If he booked Ella, Monroe promised to sit at the front of the club to lure other celebs. Monroe noted the amount of publicity this would gather, so the club owner agreed to hire Fitzgerald in March 1955.

During Fitzgerald's run, Monroe sat up front keeping her word. As publicized, celebrities such as Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland arrived on opening night. In reality all this star power wasn’t really needed, Fitzgerald's shows sold out, and the owner even added a week to her contract. This successful endeavor changed Fitzgerald's career. She later told Ms. Magazine, "After that, I never had to play a small jazz club again."

Monroe and Fitzgerald were friends for years. Just as these two ladies, Psi Ote sisters maintain a friendship, love and loyalty that remain for decades.

Information Source: 

https://www.biography.com/celebrities/marilyn-monroe-ella-fitzgerald-friendship

https://entertainment.time.com/2012/08/03/marilyn-monroe-50-years-later-in-time-and-out-of-time

Hilton Fort Wayne at the Grand Wayne Convention Center, is open for all to make reservations for the 2024 National Convention, hosted by the Theta Theta chapter.

Hilton Fort Wayne

1020 South Calhoun Street

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

260-420-1100



If telephoning, please request the Psi Iota Xi block.

(click the link)

Hilton Grand Wayne Hotel

With the cold temperatures, snow and ice it is hard to conceive National Convention will be here in approx. 4 months. Plans are transpiring for Friday and our Saturday evening Hippie Party. Theta Theta is busy preparing, but we need your assistance. Please consider the following:

·      Pages and Timekeepers

·      Raffle basket donations

·      Come and have FUN FUN FUN!!

Please contact Rhonda McNall-Crisenbery at [email protected] if your chapter will be donating a raffle item/basket or would like to contribute your time as pages or timekeepers. 

Thank You!

My nine-year-old granddaughter, Mia, loves to read. She would read all day long if she were allowed to, and currently her literary genre is wide open. She enjoys experiencing a little of everything. She was recently reading a National Geographic article about the Importance of Leap Year.

Mia told me that it takes the Earth 365.2422 days to revolve around the Sun. You wouldn’t think that .2422 would make that much of a difference, but it does when you are thinking about how our seasons of winter, spring, summer, and fall come into play. If your seasons didn’t match up with the calendar then farmers would have a hard time planting crops and there would be a food shortage, etc. etc. In 1582 the Gregorian calendar was introduced which added leap days to match the calendar with the seasons. Because four .2422 days equals about one day.

Reading develops language skills and vocabulary in our children. It promotes imagination, it can open their minds to different ideas, and new experiences. My granddaughter Mia received a book from Psi Iota Xi when she was in kindergarten, and she hasn’t stopped reading. Thank you, Psi Iota Xi, for supporting literacy in our communities.

Also, if your actual birthdate is February 29. You’re still as old as you think you are, and you have an excuse to have a special birthday party this year!

Loyally,

Mickie Hansen

Upsilon, Greenfield, IN

National Vice President



I can’t remember the first time that I attended our National Convention, but I do know that each time I attend I am so impressed and in awe of what we as Psi Otes are able to accomplish together. Every year when I look at the Philanthropic report, I am amazed at how much we, as a group, contribute back to our communities. Last year our cumulative total was just over $778,000. WOW! 

I also remember the first National Convention that I heard Dr. Richard Miyamoto speak about the progress his team were making with young children and their cochlear implants. I knew then that Psi Iota Xi was contributing to changing the lives of those about us.

Long-term projects (LTP’s) for our group are a way that our group works together and continues to change the lives of those about us. LTP’s are chosen to provide funding support to a project that will affect many lives. Whether that be by funding research, funding treatment for patients who would otherwise not have access, funding graduate students who will then touch the lives of many students, or by establishing an endowment. We are leaving our mark on the world just as our sisters have that came before us.

Our current LTP, The Psi Iota Xi and Hear Indiana Scholarship is to increase the number of qualified professionals in audiology and speech-language pathology in our states. An endowment will be established when we reach our goal of $100,000 to provide scholarships yearly for first year graduate students to commit to working with deaf and hard of hearing children.

This is our 4^th year for this LTP and we haven’t reached the halfway point. I would like to challenge each chapter to contribute to the LTP this year. Together, we can reach our goal!

Loyally,

Mona Knight

Iota Theta, Armstrong, IL

National Project Chair

Through the generous contributions of the Endowment Fund of Miss Elsie I. Sweeney of the Epsilon Chapter, Columbus, Indiana, Psi Iota Xi Sorority, we can provide students with the opportunity to hear live orchestra performances at no cost. We still have tickets left for the Orchestra Indiana (Muncie Symphony) and the Evansville Philharmonic. 

Information was sent to each Chapter President in September. Please return the student pool request form to ([email protected]) Mona Knight, National Project Chair. Requests will be filled as they are received on a first come, first served basis.



Communication between your chapter and the schools is essential. Without the link between you and the schools these tickets will not be used. We will work with the Symphonies and the schools to arrange the handling of the tickets.



I would love to see all the tickets that we have available get used. Please submit your requests!

February is frequently known for Valentine’s Day. Often this is symbolized by decorating with hearts. One thing I want to encourage you this February is to take your heart health into your own hands. Make sure to get routine checkups to monitor your blood pressure and if you have a family history of any cardiac disease ask your physician if there are any preventative tests that could help you keep on top of your heart health. 

Frequently, women do not have the same cardiac symptoms a man does. We often see portrayed in TV and movies is someone who clutches their chest and falls to the ground when having a heart attack. This is not always the case. Often time’s women ignore their chest pain symptoms thinking it is heartburn or muscle pain. When in doubt, if it is not something you have experienced before go get it checked out.

I wish you all a Happy Heart Month and hope it is filled with nothing but love, cards and really good chocolate!

Loyally yours, 

Lauren Huyvaert 

Gamma Sigma, South Bend, IN

Northeast District Officer

The Indiana State meeting is just around the corner, April 13, 2024, in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Chapter Presidents… please be aware the Registration Packet will be emailed directly to you. 

State Meeting Deadlines:

·      February 17 – All nominations must be submitted in writing and postmarked or emailed to the Indiana Nominating Committee

·      March 12 – Registration & Welcome Party activities

·      March 12 – Sales Room

·      March 12 – Hotel reservation

If you have any questions please contact Indiana State President, Jennifer Hunter at [email protected]

(click the link below)

2024 Indiana State Meeting Registration Form

State Meeting Sales Room Form

Piecing PIX Together

Saturday, April 13, 2024

Crawfordsville, Indiana

If you have a chapter fundraiser or something special to share about your chapter or a Psi Ote, please go to the Psi Iota Xi~Group Facebook page to post. Link below:

Psi Iota Xi~Group | Facebook

This is one of two Facebook pages, the other is more project and news related at the National level. We are working to get it revamped. More to come on it.

Alpha Chi, Hagerstown, IN

The ladies of Psi Iota Xi - Alpha Chi enjoyed their holiday social. They supported two Richmond small businesses, by going to lunch at Roscoe’s then decorating cupcakes at LisaCakes LLC.

Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition - Indiana District

Above are the award recipients of the Indiana District!

Winners:

Wonkyung Chung, soprano

Sunghoon Han, bass-baritone

Nicholas Kelliher, countertenor

Encouragement Awards:

Lucy Evans, mezzo-soprano

Randell McGee, baritone

Gabrielle Turgeon, soprano

Alpha Omega, North Vernon members, were able to purchase over 350 of these books for this month's Reading Made Fun literacy program. These books go home with every Kindergartener in Jennings County. 

Iota Lambda, Ferdinand, IN

Iota Lambda loves to support the arts. They donated to the Forest Park schools so they could invest in some Cisteen Stylus Pens for iPads. They are thankful for their art teacher Kristin Boeglin and are looking forward to seeing the creativity this brings to our students.

Convention 2024 will be hosted by Theta Theta, Fort Wayne, in Fort Wayne, IN, June 22-23, 2024.

Hilton Fort Wayne

1020 South Calhoun Street

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

260-420-1100

If telephoning, request the PSI IOTA XI block.

(click the link)

Hilton Grand Wayne Hotel

Convention 2025 will be hosted by Upsilon, Greenfield, in Indianapolis, IN

Convention 2026 will be hosted by Omega, Lebanon, IN

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3905 Vincennes Road, Suite 303

Indianapolis, IN 46268

317.471.3512

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