Beta Sigma Phi celebrates its 91st anniversary; Amarillo chapter held banquet April 28

Submitted to the Globe-News
·3 min read

Beta Sigma Phi, the largest Greek-letter women’s organization in the world, is celebrating its 91st Anniversary of sisterhood. Begun in 1931, the organization is devoted to service, social and cultural projects of all kinds. It is not a secret group, nor is it connected with any school or college, and is an international social and philanthropic organization.

Members are women of all ages, from all walks of life. Beta Sigma Phi has a membership of more than 165,000 women in over 20 countries throughout the world. The first Beta Sigma Phi chapter was founded in Abilene, Kansas in the midst of the Depression. At that time, many women who ordinarily would have gone to college were obliged to remain home and help support their families. Beta Sigma Phi provided these women a chance to have intellectual and social experiences among themselves.

Beta Sigma Phi began in Amarillo in February of 1937 with the first chartered chapter, Texas Alpha Alpha. There are currently 11 active chapters and they celebrated this 91st Anniversary with a Founder’s Day banquet on April 28 at Trinity United Methodist Church.
Beta Sigma Phi began in Amarillo in February of 1937 with the first chartered chapter, Texas Alpha Alpha. There are currently 11 active chapters and they celebrated this 91st Anniversary with a Founder’s Day banquet on April 28 at Trinity United Methodist Church.

What ordinarily began as a social and cultural group soon turned into a service group as well. Today our members have given more than $2 million through their International Endowment Fund, which provides financial support to a wide variety of health-research and charitable organizations. Locally, chapters donate hundreds of thousands of service hours and millions of dollars annually. Chapters have also created special funds to which they contribute. These include the International Loan Fund, through which members help each other; the Breast Cancer Research Endowment Fund; and a college scholarship fund for members or their children and grandchildren.

Over the past five years, even with COVID-19, local chapters of Beta Sigma Phi have raised and donated more than $25.000 to local charities. For the past 75 years, Amarillo Beta Sigma Phi has selected a local woman who is involved in the community and with charities and has honored her and her contributions with a Woman of the Year Tea.

Beta Sigma Phi celebrated their anniversary with a Founder’s Day banquet on April 28 at Trinity United Methodist Church, with food catered by Youngblood’s Café and the Tascosa High School JROTC Naval Corps presenting the colors and escorting the Outstanding Women.
Beta Sigma Phi celebrated their anniversary with a Founder’s Day banquet on April 28 at Trinity United Methodist Church, with food catered by Youngblood’s Café and the Tascosa High School JROTC Naval Corps presenting the colors and escorting the Outstanding Women.

Of course, cultural and social activities are an integral part of every chapter. Each year, members participate in programs that enhance cultural understanding. Members also plan social events throughout the year.

Beta Sigma Phi began in Amarillo in February of 1937 with the first chartered chapter, Texas Alpha Alpha. There are currently eleven active chapters and they celebrated this 91st Anniversary with a Founder’s Day banquet on April 28 at Trinity United Methodist Church.

Youngblood’s Café catered a delicious meal and the Tascosa High School JROTC Naval Corps presented the colors and escorted the Outstanding Women.

Beta Sigma Phi celebrated its 91st Anniversary with a Founder’s Day banquet on April 28 at Trinity United Methodist Church, honoring this year's Outstanding Women.
Beta Sigma Phi celebrated its 91st Anniversary with a Founder’s Day banquet on April 28 at Trinity United Methodist Church, honoring this year's Outstanding Women.

Outstanding Women are selected by each chapter, and nine were presented: Stacy Gatlin with Alpha Phi Omega; Linda Kuehnast with Xi Alpha Sigma; Anne Thomas with Xi Iota Pi; Trish Bailey with Xi Rho Lambda; Lanette Leasure with Preceptor Alpha Upsilon; Marjorie Waddell with Preceptor Lambda Iota; Gemma Mitchell with Preceptor Omicron Zeta; Toni Lindsey with Laureate Iota Nu and Gladys Gibson with Texas Gamma Phi Master.

Beta Sigma Phi members Sherry Simms-Flemming and Linda Kuehnast with Xi Alpha Sigma and Peggy Hutcheson with Preceptor Lambda Iota celebrated 50 years in Beta Sigma Phi and were honored with a Golden Circle Ritual.
Beta Sigma Phi members Sherry Simms-Flemming and Linda Kuehnast with Xi Alpha Sigma and Peggy Hutcheson with Preceptor Lambda Iota celebrated 50 years in Beta Sigma Phi and were honored with a Golden Circle Ritual.

Members Sherry Simms-Flemming and Linda Kuehnast with Xi Alpha Sigma and Peggy Hutcheson with Preceptor Lambda Iota celebrated 50 years in Beta Sigma Phi and were honored with a Golden Circle Ritual conducted by Gwen Murphy with Texas Gamma Xi Master and assisted by Karen Miracle and Becky Stevens with Preceptor Lambda Iota.

Faye Spencer with Texas Gamma Phi Master read a Memorial Ritual for Beta Sigma Phi sisters Betty Cutting with Texas Gamma Phi Master, Jeane Bartlett with Laureate Theta Upsilon, Trisha Britten with Laureate Iota Nu and Diana Lancaster with Texas Phi Master who we have lost this past year.

Membership in Beta Sigma Phi is by invitation only. Women seeking more information about Beta Sigma Phi may contact: Loy Haley at dhaley@acsama.net. Beta Sigma Phi International office may be reached at torch@betasigmaphi.org.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Beta Sigma Phi celebrates 91st anniversary with Amarillo banquet