What is your favorite way to volunteer with sisters? We asked a 2014 initiate for her favorite service event thus far:
Robyn Lee Smith, Epsilon Nu-James Madison, 2014 initiate
With a deep breath, I put one foot in front of the other, keeping pace with the young man beside me who was training for his big race coming up. Trying not to trip over rocks and uneven grass, I gave Gavin the thumbs up and he rolled his eyes at me, smiling a little at my unwavering enthusiasm during our mile-long run.
As a guide runner for the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind cross country team, I was tasked with helping Gavin (whose name I've changed to protect his identity), make his way around the course. Since he's visually impaired, he needed help staying on the designated path around the school's soccer field. As a member of Epsilon Nu, I'm able to tell stories with shapes, create coloring pages with puffy paint and make sure that children have the same opportunities as everyone else to play outside, run around and compete against other schools.
One of the best feelings in the entire world is walking into that gym on an indoor practice day and having kids recognize you from the year before as the one who sucked at goal ball, which – if you don't know – is an extremely difficult game where all players are visually impaired, and a ball full of jingling keys. I wish all DG chapters could be as close to a school for visually and hearing impaired children; my chapter is fortunate to be only 30 minutes away from one. For me, the best way to “Do Good” is by being there for the ones who need good the most.
Remember when you gave back to the community with sisters? Alumnae, you can keep the magic of Delta Gamma alive for sisters for years to come! Your $27 per capita annual dues will help ensure our sisterhood endures: www.bit.ly/DGdues1617