Ruston’s Zeta Rho chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha service group has announced recent statewide individual and chapter honors and is conducting its annual membership drive.
The awards were given at this year’s state convention, where six chapters from New Orleans to Haughton were represented.
Individual awards went to Zeta Rho’s Mary Helen Tschabold, who earned first-place honors as Pledge of the Year, and Lester Fife, third-place winner as Member of the Year. Tschabold and Fife were Zeta Rho’s Pledge of the Year and Member of the Year, respectively.
Zeta Rho awards chair Nancy Darland said both contributed significantly to the chapter during the past year, especially with the Monroe St. Jude Dream Home. Fife was co-chair of Zeta Rho’s Dream Home Committee, and Tschabold assisted the project both in the ticket office and with tours of the home.
In chapter awards, Darland said Zeta Rho placed in every category offered by the state organization and earned second as Chapter of the Year. Other chapter honors were:
– First place – education (coordinated by Sallie Rose Hollis, Becky McConnico and Tschabold) and philanthropic hours (coordinated by Darland, 211 hours per member)
– Second place – Disaster Fund (coordinated by McConnico and Tschabold), philanthropic monies (coordinated by Darland, $474,174 raised) and rush (coordinated by Jennifer Patterson).
Darland herself won a Soaring With Us in ESA Award presented on behalf of the ESA International Council, recognizing her overall achievement in ESA. One of her continuing services to Zeta Rho is chairing the annual St. Jude Radiothon sponsored by KXKZ 107.5.
Six other members earned various awards recognizing levels of service to the organization: First-Degree Pallas Athene – Lester Fife and Cherri Barmore; Second-Degree Pallas Athene – McConnico and Barbara Lewis; First Pearl – Gina Holstead and Tschabold (acknowledging success during a member’s first year); Jewel Pin – Holstead and Tschabold (acknowledging full membership in the organization).
Anniversary awards were presented to Lewis for five years and Beth Fife for 40 years.
Additional recognition for chapter members came when the Fifes were featured in St. Jude Volunteer Spotlight for Louisiana, which highlighted their dedicated service to the Monroe Dream Home project. Beth Fife served as co-chair of the Dream Home Committee.
Other projects that the chapter is involved with include helping homeless veterans, Easter Seals and the March of Dimes.
The membership drive that Zeta Rho is currently conducting is in conjunction with ESA International’s annual membership push held each fall. Men and women interested in possibly becoming members can contact Hollis, Zeta Rho president, at sallierose@mail.com.
