HEY?!!???  What are you doing looking here?  You can keep up with our activities MUCH easier by joining us on Facebook--sign up to be a Friend of "Pi Omega" today by clicking here.  Also, have you checked your email for messages from Pi Omega?  Don't see any?  Maybe they were grabbed by your SPAM filter, so be sure to add "piomega2007@gmail.com" to your address book. 

(But you can still take a look below to see how we worked in the past.)

Yes, the "World-Famous Duct-Tape Tree" fundraiser originated right here at DACC in April of 2001, and we will surely do it again!  In the meantime, here are some upcoming events.  We like as many members as possible to participate.  Each description lists the person to contact  to sign up for an activity or to let us know if you cannot participate in an activity for which you previously committed.
Some activities require a minimum number of participants.  Please honor your commitment once you make it.
Also, please note any sign-up deadlines.  For more information, please contact the member listed, President Shelley Phillips (ssp1314@aol.com), or Advisor Lori Garrett (scholars@dacc.edu).  And, as always, watch for email updates!

Click here to go to a list of our ongoing initiatives.

Chapter Meeting, Monday, March 12^th, 3:30-4:30 PM, room 281 Mary Miller (note room change).

 Monday, March 12^th through Wednesday, March 14^th: Recruitment Drive. 9 AM to Noon in the Student Union.   Help spread the word! The chapter needs your help to spread the word about our great organization and help insure that our long standing traditions will continue to be carried on even after you’re gone. We need members to sit at the tables, pass out information, and take down names of anyone interested in joining. We will have all the information that you need present so don’t worry about answering too many questions. The above listed time can be changed if you would like to work this event, but are unavailable during that period. You certainly don’t have to be there for the whole three hours, but we need many people to help cover the time slot.  Just contact the officer team and we will see what we can do. Hope to see you there!

 Saturday, March 17^th:  Adopt a Highway Litter Pick-Up, 9 AM to noon (or earlier), Room 279 Mary Miller Center.  Our International Service Project is “Operation Green—Improving Our Communities, which is a partnership with Keep America Beautiful.  Our name is on the Adopt-A-Highway signs, and we are obligated to do this simple task four times each year.  We meet for a brief safety video, then split into teams.  Our stretch of road is Main Street, in front of the College, from 1 block east of Griffin out to Brewer Road.  Each team cleans only part of the roadway and we provide trash bags, tongs for picking up litter, and orange safety vests.  Family and friends are welcome—it is a great way to teach children to be responsible for the world in which they live.  If you have NEVER thrown any item on the ground—cigarette butts, gum, wrappers, for example—then perhaps you can pass on this opportunity with a good conscience.  But even if you never have littered, we are hoping you will still feel ownership and take pride in our DACC neighborhood and help us improve it.  We need at least 12 volunteers for this project.  Please help us fulfill our obligation.  Please notify Lori of your intent.  The more who sign up, the faster it goes, and Lori will even spring for doughnuts if we get more than 15 signed up!

 Friday, March 23^rd:  Spring Induction Ceremony, 7 PM, third floor Vermilion Hall.     This is when we officially welcome our new members.  Anyone who has been unable to participate in an induction ceremony before is welcome to participate in this one.  It is an elegant ceremony at which you will sign the Chapter Membership book and receive your chapter membership certificate. We welcome family and friends for the event to help us celebrate your academic success. We also need current members to help decorate and set up during the day and to help with tear down after the reception.  Please contact Lori if you plan to assist with this or if you will be attending the ceremony.

Lincoln Lanes is located at 107 W Harrison St, Danville. This event is just for fun and to allow the members to get to know each other through a little friendly competition. Are you up for it? The chapter will provide FREE pizza and Free shoe rental. The game cost will be $3.25 per game, and we will need to know who would like to attend so that we can inform Lincoln Lanes for the proper amount of lanes needed. Also, for those that took up the t-shirt design challenge, we will be voting on which one will be worn at International Convention. So bring out your design to show off and good luck. Hope to see you all there. 

 Tuesday, April 10^th through 15^th: International Convention in Nashville

       ROAD TRIP!!!!  We will leave Tuesday in a college van and gear up to have a great time in Nashville. There will be some extraordinary speakers at the convention, including former Vice President Al Gore and Jehan Sadat, internationally known political activist and widow of former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. The college will pay for half of your registration making it a total of $112.00. The college will also pay for two rooms with a possible four occupants in each. This is a great deal since your travel fees are also covered. You will only need to bring with you money for food or any personal items that you may want to pick up. As a reminder, all Phi Theta Kappa events are alcohol free, and though we will have lots of fun, attendance to daily seminars is required. If you would like to attend please contact Lori or the officer team for more information.

 Wednesday, April 25th: Student Lobby Day, Springfield, Illinois.  Each year we try to take students to this fun event.  You gain a real insider view of how politics works as you, with the group, meet with the Illinois Student Advisory Committee for instructions and to learn of pertinent legislative issues that may effect you as a student, then scramble through the State Capitol to meet with many legislators from our college district to discuss your concerns and our needs.  It is an exciting day and always educational.  More details will be provided as the event draw near, but please contact Lori for more information or to sign up if you are interested.  There is no cost.

                                                                                             IN THE PLANNING STAGE

 Teaching our children:

            The officer team received special training last year in the Waste in Place Program and will be using that training to help educate the young minds in our community. The chapter will be working with the DACC Daycare Center to raise awareness about recycling. We will be setting up different stations to help the children identify recyclables and even do a little paper recycling of their own. For the children to get the best education possible out of this event we will need several members to work the stations. A date has not been set yet, but to aid in planning, please contact the officer group if you are interested. 

 Computer Recycling

       The chapter helped Keep Vermillion County Beautiful submit and win a $10,000.00 grant last year. We are now planning to use that money to design a computer and television recycling program to take place this June. We will need several volunteers to help organize, advertise, and run this event. We are currently in the process of locating a drop site and a company to haul off the collected material. If you would like to help out in any part of this event please let Lori or the officer team know.  We will provide more details as the planning progresses.

Ongoing initiatives:

SpotLess Program with Keep Vermilion County Beautiful.   Contact:  Lori Garrett (scholars@dacc.edu) AND
KVCB is again seeking volunteers for their anti-littering campaign.  We need members who are willing to wear a giant Dalmatian costume and be "SpotLess", the committee's mascot.  SpotLess does not talk but makes various public appearances and classroom visits.  SpotLess will also be paid $25 per officially scheduled event this year!  They also need volunteers to accompany SpotLess and be readers--all you do is read short stories with an anti-littering message to children mostly in primary grades.  This is an ongoing project so they really want a list of volunteers whom they can contact as needed and match your schedule with the scheduled visits.  This is a very fun project and has such a positive impact on the children.  Won't you help?

First Mentors Program/Big Brothers Big Sisters:  Contact:  Lori Garrett (scholars@dacc.edu)
This is our alliance with Big Brothers Big Sisters.  Members are paired individually with a student from an area grade school and visit with them at school once a week, working on schoolwork, playing, etc.-- being a big brother or big sister to them. This is a very worthwhile and rewarding project and the "littles" benefit tremendously.  There are occasionally optional social activities as well in which you may participate.  You can really make a difference in a young child's life.  Mr. Hoagland has done this for a year and love it!