Greek Profile: Sisters helping sisters

Sigma Kappa sorority women gathered on Thursday to spend an evening eating popcorn, drinking soda, socializing and making birthday cards for elderly people in convalescent homes.

In the background, a television set blared the theme song to "Beverly Hills, 90210" as women gathered to make brightly-colored cards out of construction paper and glitter pens.

This event is just one of the sorority's many philanthropies.

Shirley Henn, philanthropy chair obtained the names of elderly people with birthdays in the month of October. The list came from the Convalescent Hospital Card and Visiting Association of California Gerontology.

The 65 members of Sigma Kappa participate in different events to support or raise money for national causes like gerontology, Alzheimer's disease and The Maine Sea Coast Mission.

They also participate in events that support Women Escaping a Violent Environment (WEAVE).

The sisters have different interests outside of Sigma Kappa , but they all maintain the same academic standards. They are required to keep a 2.5 GPA or higher.

"We're not all the same. We share the same ideals and the same bond, but we're all completely different people who have different interests outside of Sigma Kappa," said Marianne Challis, a senior who has been a member since her freshman year.

"If you're having trouble in school, you can give your class syllabus to a sister and she will call you before big tests or papers are due to see if you need any help," said activities chair Shannon Avery.

Another program is the big sister-little sister program, which builds special bonds between the sisters.

During a sister's first month of membership, she is assigned a big sister who already knows the ins and out of the sorority and helps the new member feel comfortable at social events.

Avery recalled Challis, her big sister, coming over to her house last December and nursing her back to health after a bout with the flu.

"She brought me over chicken noodle soup from LA Bou and stayed at my house with me through the worst," said Avery.

The values that bond the sisters together are friendship, service, honor, truth, courage, fidelity and knowledge, according to the sorority's theme book, "Promises."

Sigma Kappa has held the same values since 1874, as has the CSUS chapter, Epsilon Lambda, since it was founded in 1967.