CHAPTER MEETINGS AND EVENTS 2024-2025 |
Eta Mu has a year filled with exciting events for members and guests. For complete details visit the Members Only Area.
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FallOur Fall programs begin with the Kick-Off in September. New members will be inducted at the meeting.
In October, the Area XVII Fall Conference will be held at San Joaquin Delta Junior College in Stockton. The topic will be The Key to DEI: Considering Another "E" with speaker Erica Dei Rossi. The DKG CA Virtual Leadership Development Seminar will be online October 25-26. The topic is The Emotional Intelligence Advantage: Building Stronger Women Leaders. Register at the link below. In November, Eta Mu will have a speaker on growing orchids. |
WinterDecember will start out with a cookie exchange as members share their childhood Christmas customs.
In December, members will celebrate the season by attending "A Christmas Truce", a play by the Gallo Center Reprertory Company followed by a no-host dinner at a local Restaurant. This will show our support of our local community and the arts. January will be a Soup Super with speaker Justin Conway of the Modesto Gospel Mission telling about the programs for women and children. Collections for Modesto Gospel Mission will be January's Community Service project. February's meeting is a Bunco Party to relax and enjoy the social part of DKG. |
Spring In March members will celebrate Dr. Seuss and Read Across America at Mary Lou Dieterich and Chrysler Schools. As part of the chapter's service project books will be donated to the school's libraries.
A Potato Fest and meeting will celebrate St. Patrick's Day. The program will focus on avoiding scams with a Modesto Police Department member presenting. Another event will be a Seder Dinner to learn about the customs and traditions of our Jewish sisters. In April, Eta Mu members will participate in a Love Modesto Project. In May, members will attend the California State Convention in Los Angeles. May will be a time to assemble Jared Boxes to donate to a local hospital. The year will end with a "High Tea" in June. |
For detailed information about each event members may go to the calendar of events and click on the month of the event.
2023-2024 CHAPTER EVENTS
LOVE MODESTO
Members participated in a project making flower pens for school offices at Love Modesto. Here are members with Love Modesto's mascot.
Spring 2024 Jared Box Donations
Eta Mu members assembled a total of 39 Jared Boxes (29 at our meeting last night and 10 more when more boxes were purchased afterwards)! The boxes were donated to a local hospital.
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ABC PROJECT TEA
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Several Eta Mu members attended the ABC (Abundant Books for Children) Tea and donated to support this effort to get books in the hands of children. The ABC Project is part of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library project. It was a great time as we decorated a table with book themes. Chapter members decorated tables for Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and We Are All Scientists . The ABC Project is directed by Susan Neufeld a DKG California member of the Eta Mu Chapter.
READ ACROSS AMERICA
On March 1, six Eta Mu members read to students at Mary Lou Dieterich. Mary Lou was welcomed at the morning assembly before reading in classrooms. The readers donated the books read to the school library.
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ETA MU Kickoff Breakfast to Begin 2023-24
The Founder and The Future
On September sixth, the women of the Eta Mu chapter gathered for brunch at the beautiful home of Marla Rucobo. It was a lovely day, and they knew it would be special as they were welcoming three new sisters… and honoring one very remarkable sister; chapter founding member, Adele Little would be receiving her DKG 55-year pin.
The Founder
Adele Little is the chapter’s only remaining founding member and has been an active part of the organization since helping found the chapter on April 20, 1968. Since that time, she has held nearly every position in both the chapter and the area organizations and continues to serve on various committees. In Debbie Mar’s presentation of her 55-year pin, she highlighted Adele’s amazing achievements in both education and the community of Modesto, calling her “an inspirational, very positive, spiritual and blessed person.” During her teaching career, she was an educator of the first water, first as a classroom teacher, then a reading teacher and later taking on the role of Director of State and Federal Programs. Adele has been generous to the community as well, continually demonstrating her dedication to literacy for her community. She has been the community’s Adult Literacy Program Director, sat on the board of the Adult Literacy Network, and worked with Stanislaus County Partners in Education (SPIE). Her contributions to the community led to her being named as one of the Outstanding Women for Stanislaus County 2009, and the recipient of the Jean and Clyde Dunlap Award for her dedication and devotion to literacy-- an honor that is well-deserved. All Eta Mu sisters continue to benefit from her knowledge and guidance. To make this event even more meaningful, Adele donated her previous pins to the chapter, that they may be used to honor the commitment to DKG of others.
The Future
The three women who were welcomed into Eta Mu are equally remarkable, each in their own way. Caralyn Mendoza is the newly dubbed Assistant Superintendent of Finance for the Newman Crows Landing School District. Caralyn has worked hard to ensure that the students at her school district have a solid education and are prepared for a career-- or college-- beyond their high school years. Serving in an agriculture forward community, Caralyn hopes to develop a district farm which would serve two purposes: helping students to learn agribusiness and agriculture and providing the opportunity for students to participate in a “farm to fork” culinary education. She already is posting pictures of the delicious items that budding culinary students create with the hash tag #eatlearngraduate. Caralyn is married to her husband Armando and together they have three children, Nelson, Rebecca, and Diego. We are pleased to welcome Caralyn to our chapter and look forward to her contributions.
Wendy Taro is a long-time educator of Modesto City Schools. She was a classroom teacher for over twenty years before transitioning to her current position as MTSS Instructional Coach at Martone School in Modesto in order to support the students who need it the most. Known for going above and beyond, Wendy recently received the MCS Hero award for her continuing efforts on behalf of the students and staff of Martone. Wendy is always a positive influence on her friends and colleagues, ready with a funny story, joke, or a warm smile. She is an avid traveler with her husband Rob, recently hiking through several National Parks including Zion National Park. Wendy and Rob have two adult daughters, Nicole and Renee. We are so excited to have Wendy join our chapter, sharing her unique gifts and talents!
Andrea Cadrett is a respected kindergarten teacher at Agnes Baptist Elementary in the Stanislaus Union School District. She has sat on so many site and district committees that she has actually lost count! Her dedication to education and her students earned her the “Teacher of the Year” award for Stanislaus County in 2017. She continues to mentor new teachers within her district. One of Andrea’s favorite things to do is to “glamp” with her husband, John, enjoying the freedom to load up their fifth wheel and go to campgrounds around the state to enjoy nature-- and a good book! John and Andrea have two adult children, Matthew and Julia. Andrea’s wealth of knowledge and dedication to education will benefit all of our members. We are lucky to have Andrea join our chapter!
With the leadership and guidance of all of our Eta Mu sisters the future of this chapter is bright indeed. May we all continue to live this year’s motto “We rise by lifting others!”
Article submitted by Dawn Pitcock
The three women who were welcomed into Eta Mu are equally remarkable, each in their own way. Caralyn Mendoza is the newly dubbed Assistant Superintendent of Finance for the Newman Crows Landing School District. Caralyn has worked hard to ensure that the students at her school district have a solid education and are prepared for a career-- or college-- beyond their high school years. Serving in an agriculture forward community, Caralyn hopes to develop a district farm which would serve two purposes: helping students to learn agribusiness and agriculture and providing the opportunity for students to participate in a “farm to fork” culinary education. She already is posting pictures of the delicious items that budding culinary students create with the hash tag #eatlearngraduate. Caralyn is married to her husband Armando and together they have three children, Nelson, Rebecca, and Diego. We are pleased to welcome Caralyn to our chapter and look forward to her contributions.
Wendy Taro is a long-time educator of Modesto City Schools. She was a classroom teacher for over twenty years before transitioning to her current position as MTSS Instructional Coach at Martone School in Modesto in order to support the students who need it the most. Known for going above and beyond, Wendy recently received the MCS Hero award for her continuing efforts on behalf of the students and staff of Martone. Wendy is always a positive influence on her friends and colleagues, ready with a funny story, joke, or a warm smile. She is an avid traveler with her husband Rob, recently hiking through several National Parks including Zion National Park. Wendy and Rob have two adult daughters, Nicole and Renee. We are so excited to have Wendy join our chapter, sharing her unique gifts and talents!
Andrea Cadrett is a respected kindergarten teacher at Agnes Baptist Elementary in the Stanislaus Union School District. She has sat on so many site and district committees that she has actually lost count! Her dedication to education and her students earned her the “Teacher of the Year” award for Stanislaus County in 2017. She continues to mentor new teachers within her district. One of Andrea’s favorite things to do is to “glamp” with her husband, John, enjoying the freedom to load up their fifth wheel and go to campgrounds around the state to enjoy nature-- and a good book! John and Andrea have two adult children, Matthew and Julia. Andrea’s wealth of knowledge and dedication to education will benefit all of our members. We are lucky to have Andrea join our chapter!
With the leadership and guidance of all of our Eta Mu sisters the future of this chapter is bright indeed. May we all continue to live this year’s motto “We rise by lifting others!”
Article submitted by Dawn Pitcock
A JUNE GARDEN PARTY
TO CELEBRATE ETA MU’S 2022-23 YEAR
To finish the 22-23 year activities and celebrate our achievements a garden party was held at Dawn’s home. We appreciate Dawn’s husband’s and son's help get everything ready. Attending the garden party were Adele, Dawn, Heather, Janice, Linda, Kathleen, Pat, Theresa, Trudi, Wendy, Wendy’s Mom, Gwen Bruce, and Dr. Lisa Cooper-Wilkins.
After brunch, Dr. Lisa Cooper-Wilkins shared her presentation Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Lisa began her presentation by sharing her I Am poem. Lisa’s presentation included guidelines for dialogue, why DEI matters to DKG, and the path to DEI for DKG CA.
For Minutes for Business Meetings go the the Meeting and Member News Page.