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Article Written By Mitzi Chamakala
National Board of
Regents of Kappa Phi Gamma Sorority, Inc.
mitzic@mail.utexas.edu
Special Contributed
Feature Article to MPN
©2002 Minority Professional Network.
All Rights Reserved
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The South Asian Sisters of Kappa Phi
Gamma Sorority, Inc. Embody the Ideals of Service and Community
In 1998, Kappa
Phi Gamma Sorority, Inc. became America's first women's Greek-letter
organization to promote a South Asian interest. The sorority’s roots
date back to the Jester dormitory basement at the University of Texas
at Austin where 27 collegiate women from a myriad of backgrounds
collaborated to form what would be the most diverse and strongest
sorority of its kind.
The founders envisioned a sorority built around 8 principles:
character, leadership, scholarship, sisterhood, service, womanhood,
culture, and self. Realizing the quality of The Sisterhood could never
be compromised, the founders' every endeavor thereafter was directed
toward fostering these 8 principles and establishing a solid
foundation for the future before embarking on plans for expansion.
The Sisters of Kappa Phi Gamma Sorority, Inc. embody the ideals of
service and community. We believe that a well rounded individual must
know the importance of serving the community, for it is in giving that
one receives. As a sisterhood, we pride ourselves in rendering service
to the community and our respective campuses. Since our inception in
November of 1998, the sisterhood has heavily participated in a variety
of service projects including but not limited to:
Habitat for Humanity
S.H.A.W.- Hunger Banquet
S.H.A.W.- Can Food Drive
Project 1000 (University-Wide Housing Renovation Projects)
Salvation Army Clothing Drive
ISA Talent Show Ushering
Seek & Say Day Care Easter Egg Hunt
Children’s Christian Adopt-A-Child Sponsor
Alpha Phi Omega Can Food Drive
12th
Annual Safe Place Walk- benefiting Saheli
Halloween Carnival for Boys & Girls Club of Austin
Marbridge Villas Nursing Home
Beta Kappa Gamma Operation Hunger/Charity Auction
National Gandhi Day of Service
Arc of Austin
Indian Earthquake Relief Fund
Delta Epsilon Psi Annual Come Together Project
Project 2000
Texas Wranglers City-Wide Hold Up
Lambda Phi Epsilon Bone Marrow Drive
Alpha Kappa Delta Phi Hope Run for Breast Cancer
Children's Hospital of Dallas
Trinity Ministries for the Poor
Arc of Dallas
Atria Nursing Home
Campus-Wide September 11th
Relief Fund
Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure
Memorial Nursing Home
Quality Care of Waco Nursing Home
America Cancer Society Fashion Forum
Besides our active involvement in various community service projects,
Kappa Phi Gamma works to enlighten and educate others about our
philanthropy, cancer awareness. In February of 1999, at our
first annual sisterhood retreat, the Founders took the opportunity to
get to know of one another’s interests, backgrounds, families, and
personal lives. While bonding at our retreat, we realized that many of
us had personally dealt with cancer and that its effects were
continuing to significantly impact our lives. In light of this, cancer
awareness became Kappa Phi Gamma’s philanthropic focus. In the spring
semester of every school year, each chapter and colony hosts C.A.R.E.
(Cancer Awareness- a Real Effort!) Week at
their respective universities. C.A.R.E. Week is a week-long event
promoting the education and awareness of cancer. Events that have been
held in past years include:
Kick-Off Rally
Bone Marrow Drive
Lung Cancer Forum
Breast Cancer Forum
Candlelight Vigil
C.A.R.E. Fair
Make a Wish Foundation Volunteering
Charity Dinner
Annual Miss Ugly Man Pageant & After-Party
Each year, any and all proceeds raised from C.A.R.E. Week are donated
to a cancer charity. Over the course of the past years, the following
monetary funds have been raised by the sorority and donated to the
following organizations:
$1,000- MD Anderson Cancer Center- Houston (1999)
$2,000- Candlelighter’s Childhood Cancer Foundation- Austin
(2000)
$3,000- Make A Wish Foundation- Austin (2001)
$4,000- Children’s Cancer Fund of Dallas (2001)
$1,500- Make A Wish Foundation- Houston (2002)
$2,000- Wipe Out Kids Cancer-Dallas (2002)
We hope you will join us in the fight against cancer. No deed is too
big or too small. Whether you can give monetarily or you can lend a
helping hand, there is always someone in need. If you would like to
support us in our cause or are interested in further ways to get
involved in expanding Kappa Phi Gamma to your area, please feel free
to contact us at
www.kappaphigamma.org,
www.kappaphigamma.com, or send an email to our National Board at
kpgregents@yahoo.com.
General Information:
Letters: Kappa, Phi and Gamma
Date of Establishment: November 8, 1998
Place of Establishment: Jester Dormitory basement, University of Texas
at Austin
Colors: Green, White and Black
Flower: Fire and Ice Rose
Mascot: Royal Bengal Tiger
Quote: "Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for
every dream precedes the goal." by Pamela Vaull Starr
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