Resources for orientation of new members

 

Knowing what to tell a prospective member about DKG might seem a daunting task on your own but help is available on the international website. By looking under the Resources tab and then PowerPoints you will find a PowerPoint presentation with speaker notes entitled, “Pride in the Big Picture” which you can use at an orientation session to explain to prospective members what DKG is and the benefits of becoming a member. Another PowerPoint presentation with speaker notes that is available to use is the “ Sustaining Pride in the Big Picture” which you can use at a chapter meeting to reorient current members to the history and benefits of membership in the Society. For those who would prefer not to narrate the PowerPoints go to Videos instead of PowerPoints and you will find video versions of these two PowerPoints with narration by DKG Executive Director Nita Scott.

My Parent’s Keeper: The Guilt, Grief, Guesswork and Unexpected Gifts of Caregiving

The Educators Book Award Committee evaluates all books which meet the criteria of the award, however only one receives the award. With that in mind, the committee will share information through a blog format about books that were in the top five considered for the 2019 award. One of those books is My Parent’s Keeper: The Guilt, Grief, Guesswork and Unexpected Gifts of Caregiving by Jody Gastfriend. This book received one of the two Honorable Mention designations for 2019. The last 20 pages of this book provides a compilation of resources and strategies. Even more importantly, it stresses that no caregiver is alone; many people are on parallel paths in the journey called life.

Many of us will face the role reversal and become caregivers for those who gave us life. Note the title of the book. Gastfriend delineates the many aspects of being a caregiver. She outlines the need to address preparation for the possible change in roles through clear communication with all involved people. Too often, families avoid the conversation and make assumptions about “who” will become the caregiver. That just intensifies the stress for the “volunteer” caregiver.

Gastfriend outlines the false assumptions that many make about the “organizations” that will meet the financial costs. Many of the government programs do not cover the expenses—private pay becomes a reality that many have not included in their plans.

One of the author’s insights is poignant—a paraphrase—People do not plan to fail; people fail to plan. That is sage advice.

The clock is ticking for International Scholarship applicants

February 1, 2020, is the deadline to apply for an International Scholarship. That date may seem months away, but the International Scholarship Committee urges applicants to get started on the process right away. Semester breaks and winter holidays may offer applicants more time to complete the application, but those same holidays can make it difficult to gather the required supporting documents for a timely submission.

Here are some key application facts to bear in mind:

•  Applicants must be enrolled in their degree program at the time of application and must not complete the degree prior to July 30, 2020.

• The application cannot be submitted until the university advisor has completed the program status report.

•  University transcripts and letters of recommendation from a professional reference and the chapter president must come directly to Society Headquarters.

• Application and supporting components must be postmarked or electronically time stamped by the February 1 deadline.

• Applicants who submit too near the deadline have no chance to follow up on any missing components, and incomplete application packets will not be considered, no matter how worthy the applicant.