monday, september 29, 2003
the university daily kansan
news
3A
Eric Braem/Kansa
Rachel Balzer, Whitewater junior, relaxed during a massage from therapist Courtney Rogers during Zeta Phi Beta's Rejuvenating Women retreat Friday. About 30 women gathered in the Burge Union to celebrate womanhood.
Annual Zeta retreat stresses diversity
Katy Hagan, Wichita senior, helped build a house on Atherton Court in East Lawrence. Students in fraternities and sororities teamed up with Habitat for Humanity to help build a house for a family. Nancy Turner and her three children will move in when construction is complete in October.
By Johanna M. Maska
jmaska@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Ladies' night doesn't have to mean cheap drinks and horny men.
The women of Zeta Phi Beta offered their own spin on ladies' night Friday. A massage therapist, Mary Kay hand treatments, make-up and food greeted about 30 women who attended Zeta Phi Beta's Rejuvenating Women retreat. The women snacked on finger food while learning more about the history of Zeta Phi Beta.
Zeta, a traditionally African-American sorority, welcomed all women, regardless of color or organizational affiliation, to the event. To breed inclusiveness and positive self-image, the second annual Rejuvenating Women promoted the organization's ideals for a woman: Someone who is elegant and respected.
is elegant and respectful. "Sometimes we just need some time to celebrate being a woman," said Melva Landrum, Minneapolis, Minn., junior and Zeta member. "We want to work with other
"Sometimes we just need some time to celebrate being a woman."
Melva Landrum
Minneapolis, Minn., junior
women to better the community."
often to better the community. Friday's event was one of many projects members of Zeta plan to launch this year, Landrum said. The sorority also works on community service projects, efforts to combat racial tension on campus through its work with the Black Student Union and working to promote sexual health awareness, Landrum said. The group's efforts often include many different groups of people.
"We said to ourselves, 'This is what college students need, we need a ladies' night,'" Dolce said.
groups of people. Gathering a group of diverse women was the sorority's focus, said Nikki Dolce, Wichita senior and Zeta president.
University Greeks'blitz build'home
By Abby Mills amills@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
"I'll finally have a yard that I can really work on." Turner said. "I'm really excited about that. I'm a flower-girl."
The skeleton of Nancy Turner's new home isn't done yet, but she's thinking about how to decorate.
power-girl.
Turner will move into The House that Greeks Built by mid-October. Construction began Friday on the project between the KU greek community and Habitat for Humanity. This is the third collaboration between the two groups. Houses are built every other year, while greets raise funds in the off years. The Greek group is the only one in Lawrence that does a "blitz build," in which volunteers work daily instead of three times a week, said Jean Lilley, executive director of Lawrence Habitat for Humanity.
"It's a fun build to watch," she said, "What normally happens in 12 weeks happens in two."
Twenty to 25 students will work morning and afternoon shifts until Wednesday, when an evening shift will be added, said Dave Baldwin, volunteer leader for the project.
nurse leader for the project Baldwin said attendance was low this weekend because of the home football game against University of Missouri. He said he expected low numbers and brought in professional volunteers. As of Sunday morning, he planned to finish the weekend on schedule. Working with students was one of his favorite parts of the blitz build, Baldwin said.
Baldwin said cooperation from city inspectors and contractors such as Lawrence-based Action Plumbing, Advantage Heating and Air, Quality Electric and Marsh Insulation were also crucial to the project. Contractors guarantee they will do the work at a specific time to stay on schedule and give substantial discounts for Habitat projects, Baldwin said.
Those savings help offset house costs. The total project will cost about $60,000, Baldwin said, but groups are only asked to raise $40,000. The greek community has
send a mass-mailing to solicit donations. If each member can generate $25 this way, Guenther said, the group would earn $80,000. Any extra money would go into the house scheduled for two years from now, she said. The house, like most Habitat homes in Lawrence, is on Atherton Court on the east edge of town. Turner, and other Habitat
"One positive is that homeowners all built each other's homes, creating a neat neighborhood effect," Lilley said. "They've really enjoyed that relationship."
already raised $20,000 of that from fund-raising efforts last year, said Emilie Guenther, philanthropy appointed officer for the Panhellenic Council.
lene Council. The rest will be gathered over the next few weeks, said Guenther, Overland Park junior. Each fraternity and sorority member will turn in two addresses and the group will
homeowners, work 225 hours of "sweat equity" building other homes in the area.
- Edited by Shane Mettlem