Last weekend sisters took advantage of the surprise seventy degree weather and went for a walk in the woods. It was a beautiful morning!

On Saturday Chicago Area sisters supported the Arthritis Foundation's Freedom of Movement Gala!
Thank you to all who fundraised, donated auction items, or volunteered at the event!

Thank you to Natalie for teach us how to make a beautiful flower bouquet at last night's meeting! Everyone brought two bouquets to share, which allowed for us to mix and match. Each bouquet came out beautiful and unique.

Last night we kicked off a new season of book club! Our first selection was a book by our AOII sister Kerry Lonsdale and it was called "Find Me in California". This was our first discussion of two! We are excited to join the AOII Foundation at their Rose Vine Social Hour later this month, which Kerry will be joining!

Thank you to everyone that joined us tonight to kick-off a new year! This year we are focused on sisterhood and fun, and hope that you can join us at an event or two!

Sisters, sunny days, and brunch!

Patti enjoyed this summer by spending time with her family. Patti's granddaughter came up from Houston for a few days and Patti was surprised to see that her granddaughter was almost taller than her!

Earlier this summer, Natalie and her family spent 18 days traveling through Italy, Greece, and Turkey. This photo was taken at the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy!

Members of the CWS leadership team met tonight to plan out next year. Get ready for a year of sisterhood and fun that is filled with both familiar and new events! More info coming soon!

Congratulations to our sister Jenny and her husband Stephen! We wish you a lifetime of love, happiness, and laughter!

It's always a fun night at Ravinia when you run into a sister!

Thank you to Kate Fleming for guiding us on a sisterhood walk and teaching us about Forest Therapy!

Last night we celebrated Ladies Night Out over a delicious Italian dinner!

Many thanks to all who participated and/or donated to this year's Strike Out Arthritis event. With your help we raised $1,550 for the Arthritis Foundation! This brings our yearly total, including the fall opportunity baskets, to $2,160. Thank you! Thank you!

Our last volunteer spotlight features Karen Hickman! Karen currently serves AOII as a member of the Rituals, Traditions and Jewelry Committee. Prior to her service on RT&J, Karen served as an Alumnae Chapter officer, on Phi Chi's Corporation Board, as a member of the Chicago Area Council, and as a CCAB advisor for the Delta Rho Chapter. Within her community she is an active volunteer. At the Salt and Light Coalition she has served as Treasurer, Secretary, and is responsible for onboarding volunteers. At City Church Chicago she has served on and/or lead some aspect of connections team, production team, ministry team, baptism team, anointing team, or prayer team. Karen also volunteers at the Ruben Salazar Elementary School where she is responsible for the planting and maintenance of the flower beds on school grounds.

Karen, thank you for all that you do for AOII and your community!

Tonight's volunteer spotlight features Judy Flessner! Judy has supported the Fraternity and the Foundation in a variety of roles, most recently as an Alumnae Chapter President.  Within her local community she has served the Assistance League as a Board member and on a variety of committees for the last 13 years. She has also served as the Newcomers Treasurer for close to 20 years.

Judy, you are an inspiration to so many of our sisters and friends! Thank you for all that you do!

Our next volunteer spotlight features Christine Graves! Christine currently serves as a Network Specialist - Operations and Programming for our Network 3 collegiate chapters. She also serves on a panel for suspension and probation appeals. In her local community, Christine has volunteered with Girl Scouts for over 20 years! She currently chairs several events and service projects for the Oak Park Service Unit and is a District Delegate and National Delegate.  This past July she was a part of the delegation at the Girl Scout Convention representing the Chicago Council.

Christine, thank you for being an inspiring leader for so many young women!

In tonight's volunteer spotlight, we are featuring Linda Grandolfo! Linda has long served both the Fraternity and the Foundation. She currently serves as an Alumnae Chapter President, a Collegiate Chapter Advisor, on the Foundation's Fundraising Committee, and as a Scholarship Evaluator. Previously, she has served on the AOII Executive Board, AOII Foundation Board, as a Network Specialist, and Network Director. Outside of AOII Linda volunteers with the Chicago North Shore Panhellenic, the Arthritis Foundation, and Mothers Trust.

Linda, than you for giving so much of your time to AOII, but also your community!

This week's volunteer spotlight features Chris Miller! Chris has been a lifelong AOII volunteer. She currently serves as a Network Specialist - Lifetime Engagement, Iota's Director of Ritual Education Chapter Advisor, and as an AOII Appeals Panelist. Prior to her current roles, Chris has served as a Nominating Trustee Chair and Committee Member, a Human Resources Ambassador, International Convention's Choral Group Leader, Iota's Secretary Advisor, and Chicago West's Alumnae Chapter President, MIF Chair, Webmaster, Recording Secretary, and Corresponding Secretary.

Chris, thank you for your service and all that you do in each and every volunteer role!

Our next volunteer spotlight features Stacie Suste! Stacie has served as Chicago West's VP of Membership for over six years. Within her community, Stacie has served as an Elmhurst Aquatics Board Member and Secretary since 2022. Elmhurst Aquatics is a youth aquatics organization focused on youth swim, water polo, and dive within the Elmhurst area.

Next up in our volunteer spotlight is Natalie Rupert! Natalie has served Chicago West Suburban in a variety of roles. She has served as our Alumnae Chapter President, Sisterhood Chair, Philanthropy Chair, and most recently as our VP of Programming. This biennium Natalie is also a member of the AOII Foundation Scholarship Committee. The committee just finished evaluating 500 scholarship applications, which is our largest number of applications yet!

Natalie, thank you for all that you've done to help Chicago West Suburban become an award winning Alumnae Chapter!

Our next volunteer spotlight features Jen Strezo! Jen currently serves as Chicago West's Collegiate Liaison. Jen is very intentional about keeping us connected with our adopted collegiate chapter each year. She has organized pen pal partnerships, fulfilled recruitment wish lists, and sent finals week care packages to name a few! Prior to serving on the CWS leadership team, she was an officer for the Chicago City Alumnae Chapter and advised the Phi Chi Chapter at the University of Chicago for nine years, including Chapter Advisor. In her local community, Jen has served as a College of DuPage mentor for International students in the Community College Initiative program for 3 years.

Jen, thank you for helping Chicago West stay connected with our Beta Nu, Delta Rho, Epsilon Sigma, Iota, and Phi Chi sisters through the years!

April is National Volunteer Month and a great time to thank our volunteers! Over the next month, we will be featuring Chicago West Sisters who volunteer for AOII, as well as many other inspiring organizations.

Our first volunteer spotlight features Jessie Wang-Grimm! Jessie currently serves AOII as the AOII Properties Board President and as a Nominating Trustee. She previously served on the AOII Executive Board and the AOII Foundation Board for three terms each. Locally, Jessie has served as the Lyons Township Alumnae Panhellenic Co-President for the past 10 years and as the AOII delegate since 1999. She has also been the AOII delegate for the Hinsdale Alumnae Panhellenic since 2000.

Jessie, we appreciate everything you do for AOII and our Panhellenic sisters! We are so luck to call you our sister!

Our Pi Day celebration included pizza pies, fruit pies, officer elections, and a conversation around the Team AOII Pi Day campaign!

Many thanks to Natalie for hosting our February book club discussion about "Mad Honey".

Congratulations to Linda Grandolfo on being awarded the Charles B. Harding Award for Distinguished Service to the Arthritis Foundation! We are so lucky to call you our sister!

This weekend Network Directors spent time at AOII Headquarters for their yearly training, which is also known as ND weekend! Our very own Sharon Wiechman currently serves as the Network Director for Network 10. She enjoyed a weekend filled with training, sisterhood, and exploring our new Archives Museum!

Happy Valentine's Day, sisters! Thank you to everyone that took the time to write out Valentine's Day cards for seniors.  With your help we were able to deliver over 100 cards!

Earlier today we received the following message in response to one of our cards.

Amy and AOII sisters: What a lovely surprise to find the Valentine in my mom's room at Tabor Hills, where she is participating in the facility's rehab program. She was delighted to receive the greeting from your group. I can only imagine how many other residents your thoughtful gesture touched! Thank you for initiating such a meaningful activity. (My college roommate's sister was an AOII at NIU!) All the best to you ladies, Barbara Dutton Thomas Glen Ellyn, IL

This weekend we celebrated 127 years of sisterhood at the Chicago Area Council Founders' Day celebration!

You never know where and when you'll run into a Chicago West sister!  Last month Debby and Judy ran into each other at Old Key West in Walt Disney World!

Chicago West sisters take on Nashville for our Tri-Board meeting!

While it was cold and snowy outside, Thursday's virtual meeting was jam-packed!  We had a Foundation presentation, talked about AOII award applications, and shared memories of our dear sister, Jeanne Crippin.