ONE HOUR BEFOREHAND

Me, Tiffany & her father in happier times

I’m having a tiff with Tiffany.  And it will take more than a blue box with a white ribbon to make it right.

I’m trying to get out the door and my (usually) beloved twenty-something daughter Tiffany has left my new nude Louboutin stilettos under her desk at her new job.  I don’t mind her borrowing my things, mind you, and occasionally I borrow hers which usually had once been mine. Don’t get me wrong, I love having her living back at home but she’s got to start asking before mining through my shoe collection!

I picked those shoes out special for the occasion; they make me look taller, slimmer, YOUNGER. (Nude elongates the leg, you know, which is good for those of us who are elongated in the tooth…)

Okay, breathe, Vivian, remember this isn’t going to ruin your evening, this is just a little stepped-on toe in the cha-cha of life.

That’s it, I’ll wear Tiffany’s ballroom dance competition shoes! They are gold, they go with everything, and they won’t hurt my feet when Matt steps on them.

Matt (L) and a couple of his friends

Who’s Matt, you ask?   My old drop-dead gorgeous high school flame with a body to die for who, unfortunately, has joined the other team.  And I’m not talking high school football, here. He’s always been dreamy in a Steve McQueen meets Fred Astaire kind of way – albeit an even more enthusiastic dancer. Cha-cha-cha.

Is that a text on my phone?  Oh heck, it’s Sukie the Reunion Chair (and former Prom Queen) calling. (She probably broke the zipper on her prom dress, the one she is wearing “for fun” — to the reunion.) Worse, she says the photographer just cancelled, and I’m supposed to find another one RIGHT NOW. Why does something always happen at the last minute when you plan a big event? And why am I the one always expected to fix it?  Because I’m good at thinking on my (gold-shod) feet and finding a way to make it a positive?  Yes, that must be it.

Okay, run back into house and grab digital camera. Check.  I’ll stand at the gym door and get candids as alum walk in.

Call Matt and have him bring his camera, too – he can do the dance floor shots. Check check.

Call (dweeby) high school principal and have him round up a kid from the school paper to come and do photojournalistic stuff – it might be interesting to have a high school perspective on a high school reunion… why didn’t I think of that sooner? Brilliant checkmark!

Oh, and swing by drugstore to pick up a dozen disposable cameras to put on the tables. We’ll make photography part of every table’s activities. Calm, quick thinking means crisis averted. I’m a shoe-in for most brilliant committee member ever! Cha cha checkmate!

THE REUNION

Disco Divas on the Dance Floor

I’m here.

At last!

And I’m having a blast – Matt and I are tearing up the dance floor.  I’d forgotten just how much fun disco music really is.

I wonder if I should have disco music for my hospital charity ball? You know, the one I am CHAIRING in thirteen weeks, three days and twenty two hours?  That’s why I joined the high school reunion committee in the first place, to learn a few do’s and don’ts for my little extravaganza.  And boy have I learned A LOT. That’s the way – uh huh uh huh – I like it.

-          DO: Be organized.  Have extra copies of guest lists and extra name tags. (Misspellings happen, and people bring new dates they didn’t register.) Acknowledge your committee. Share the thanks. Expect something to go wrong. Be nice to the support staff who have to work while you get to go to the party.  Enjoy the evening.

-          DON’T: Be like Sukie the Reunion Chair and trip old friends to get into every damn photo of the night.  Don’t scowl at the waiter when they run out of filet and give you the vegetarian option instead – it’s not his fault.  Don’t get drunk and say things that may have made sense in high school but sound crackers thirty years later.  Don’t just sit there when nobody is bidding at the live auction – put your hand up, even if you donated the damn item. And DON’T EVER talk about your fabulous 25-year marriage and then ‘sweetly’ inquire about my ex husband again, Sukie!

THE MORNING AFTER

It’s confirmed, Matt travels on both buses.

That good night kiss was so yummy that I’m adoring his sculpted body laying next to mine.  Who would have guessed he could be so out of practice and just pick it back up like riding a bicycle?   Oh la la, I feel so modern.

But I do have to get moving with my charity ball coming up.  We’re in pretty good shape despite my skipping out this last week to help with all the final details of the reunion.  I only have 78 emails to return but if there were an emergency everyone on the committee knew they could call me on cell.

The ballroom is in contract and, nicely, we saved money since no décor was required.  We have a partial underwriter for the dinner and hopefully one of those emails will be the good news that we have a sponsor for the Benefactor Pre-Party. The Junior Committee is all set (headed by my beloved daughter Tiffany) who are bringing the younger set for dessert and dancing after the dinner. I really think I’m going to suggest disco – that Reunion was way too much fun.  I wonder if the Bee Gees are available? Maybe I could afford them with all the money I saved on décor.

Staying Alive! Still?

The YPOs, as I prefer to call them, won’t generate much money but they can generate lots of buzz and develop a new generation of donors.  I checked Facebook on my iPhone at the Reunion last night and it looks like they already have over 100 RSVPs so far and we’re still 3 months out.  I’m smelling Sell-Out!

The Save The Date cards are dropping later today.

I’m in pretty darn good shape.  I think I’ll roll back over and snuggle with Matt.

————————————————————————————————————————————–

Photos courtesy of Flickr:

Patricia Figueira

Margot.capespine

Curious_Retro_Rebel

diepuppenstubensammlerin

bigyahu

But we are in awe of all the photos!  The beauty in the eyes of those individuals smiling in the dozens of photos about people could melt hearts of even the most hardened individuals.  The power of the messages spoke louder than any force could.  Every single one told a story and contributed to the larger montage that shouted why we all give back.

We will be publishing an e-Book of all the photos with the authors’ description and the benefiting organizations shortly.  All photo finalists will be published in the e-book as well as a glossy hard-bound coffee table book that will be available for order. In addition to getting a $1,000 donation to their favorite charity, the grand prizewinner will be featured on the cover of the book. The top three vote getters will receive a complimentary copy of the book. If you would like a hard copy of the Finalist photo album that will be mailed to you, please click here and we will take your name and let you know once they have been produced.

In the meantime join our movement to show the world that every person has a story that is worthwhile especially when it heralds volunteers who contribute their time, energy, intellect, money and love to the causes they are most passionate about.  Share your photo(s) in our Flickr pool.

Top Vote getter – Awarded a $1,000 Donation! 

The Human Soul On Fire: I was a prostitute. Now I am in the first grade. [More than Me Foundation, Inc]

 First runner up, closely behind with amazing support!

Hearts in Unity in Tanzania - Feeding the orphan and at-risk children of Tanzania, Africa. Making a difference, changing lives, one precious child at at time. [Hearts in Unity]

Second most votes!

Technology for Mali, Africa & the Developing World - Our mission at EOS is to bring appropriate technology to the developing world, and to bring smiles to faces like these in Mali, Africa. [EOS International]

Third most votes!

Lock of the Love - Köln / Germany. [tuna akcay]

Finalists:

What would you buy with $50? From Ugandan student to New York young professional. [Givology]

I scored! When given opportunity, we all have the ability. [Karate Can Do Foundation]

The Journey of a Homeless Woman. Sharing a personal story about the journey of being a homeless woman. [Glide Foundation]

BookEnds creates readers and leaders! A student leader shares a new book with a student reader. [BookEnds]

Philanthroteens give a High Five! Giving a High Five and sending a girl in a developing country to school is this easy with Girl Up! [Girl Up]

The Power of Their Ideas and Our Support - With water, all life is made possible. The people of Cambodia express their thanks to GO for bringing them lasting change in their lives. [Groundwork Opportunities]

Giving Wings to Love! Sharing love, food, water, and hats to oprhans in Haiti. [Airline Ambassadors International]

What if You were Homeless? Beyond holding signs along a busy road on a blistery winter day to solicit donations for local homeless shelters, these teens slept outside in boxes to bring about awareness; talk about a day in the life of another’s shoes. [Alternatives Incorporated]

Help the Himalayan Children of Nepal - If children are provided with the tools to be educated and to discover their core strengths, they will learn to fly, prosper, and educate/help others. [Shree Mangal Dvip School]

Taylor in Africa “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” [Josephine Fogg School in Lusaka]

Memories…The local volunteers touched the wood panel of the Peace Primary School, remembering when they used to be students within the building. [Givology]

Water Filtration System Built for Magugu, Tanzania. Women gathering water in Magugu, Tanzania [Outreach Africa]

We are the World! Nancy at tent camp during concert for kids. [Airline Ambassadors International]

Take My Hand… A moment of love during the Morning Glory Ranch’s Annual fundraiser… Volunteers & the Children they help join hands in a dance of joy and life. [Morning Glory Ranch]

Designer Jazmin Whitley, Li Cari and MTV’s House of Jazmin motivated girls to find their inner voice and create their own paths. [Defining Girl]

Be homeless elsewhere. A homeless man is stopped and questioned by the police. [Children's Hospital]

Joe’s Dream - Joe’s dream was to help others achieve their dreams. When Joe passed away our organization decided to go to Kenya and build a clean water well for the Masai Community. This is us laying in the hole we dug, proudly together. [The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights]

The smallest scout – One of my nieces’ first days with the scouts. [Scouts]

Creating Confidence, Passing on a Passion, Gaining a Friend. This is a photo of me and a member of the Eastside Dream Elite cheer squad for special needs adults that I coached. [Eastside Dream Elite Special Needs Cheer Team]

Volunteer Works with Public School Kids to create a mural. Volunteer Works with Public School Kids to create a mural. [Learning Leaders]

Take it to Heart – The Alpha Phi Executive Office staff supports its philanthropy, Women’s Heart Health, by going red for National Wear Red Day! [The Alpha Phi Foundation]

Belles of the Ball - Project GLam making young girls wishes, to attend their prom, come true! [WGIRLS NYC]

2010 Revlon Run Walk! WGIRLS participating for the second year in a row in the 2010 Revlon Run Walk. [WGirls]

Sebastian Meets the Jonas Brothers “I drank all my milk so I could come and when the doctors give me shots I’m really brave.” Joe Jonas: “Bravest guy I’ve met.” [Make-a-Wish Foundation]

Pretty In Pink! Providing a girl with the perfect dress so that she is able to attend her prom. [WGirls NYC]

Run Walk. WGIRLS pose with Jimmy Fallon at the 2009 Revlon Run Walk. [WGIRLS NYC]

Pioneers and Indians. Dedicated to the devoted volunteers. [Lynn-Heidelberg Historical Society]

No Limits! Walk N’ Roll to raise money and celebrate life without limits for people with disabilities. [United Cerebral Palsy]

A Place for Positivity - Philanthropy empowers children. At camp, children empower each other with encouragement & friendship. SCOPE sends children in need to camp. [SCOPE]

Children enjoying the newly spruced up playground - Every year, NPC organizes Play Day-an event to highlight a playground in need, bring people to together and kick off our Playgroun Initiative. [Neighborhood Parks Council]

Investing in Hope – Supporters of Taller San Jose help walk young lives out of poverty and into the workforce. 89% of Taller San Jose students are still employed, one year after graduation. [Taller San Jose]

My inspiration - My never smoking late mother inspired Lung Cancer Circle of Hope, a nonprofit committed to creating awareness of lung cancer. [Lung Cancer Circle of Hope]

Philoptochos – “Friend to the Poor” [Philoptochos]

Emptying Wheelchairs – Christopher Reeve’s empty wheelchair represents what he always fought for – empty wheelchairs. [Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation]

“Twist for Hope” *photo by Faern Faernworks - Participants tuned out the city and into their souls at City of Hope’s first annual Yoga for Hope in San Francisco’s Union Square; a fundraiser to benefit research, treatment and education of cancer, diabetes and HIV/AIDS at City of Hope, a nonprofit biomedical center dedicated to the prevention and cure of life threatening diseases. [City of Hope's Yoga for Hope]

The joy of Paulus and his family in Miwai, Kenya-depsite difficult economic circumstances, was aboslutely infectious! [Starfish One By One]

The Bison Hug. [ThinkCure!]

In The Eyes Of The Beholder - Evidence that angel do watch over us. [Associated Black Charities in Maryland]

Together we are stronger! - Together we will rise up because while we are strong, together we are stronger! You see a girl, we see the future! [United Nations Foundation Girl Up Campaign]

HAPPINESS - Every Child Deserves to Be Happy! [CASA of Adams and Broomfield Counties]

FAMILY - Celebrate Generations!!! [CASA of Adams and Broomfield Counties]

Handicapped couple awaits philanthropy – Ritual for charity linked to Piety. [Helpage India]

Love - Love is in the air… [Being Human Foundation]

Mayra, 16, and Her Mother, Whom She’s Inspired - Through the mentoring she receives from non-profit Starfish One by One, Mayra inspired her mother to consider future family planning. [She's The First]

Mabia in Bangladesh – CARE is helping female farmers across the globe to grow food locally and support their families. Credit: 2005 Phil Borges/CARE. [CARE]

Loverboy before he was adopted! – Here’s Loverboy hamming it up before being taken home at our pet adoption event. [Celebrity Catwalk]

Merry Go Round Ranch - Love all around here! [Merry Go Round Foundation for Youth]

Street - Rescue the pets in Belarus. [Mihail Kopychko]

I love Sprinkles - I love Sprinkles and what they do for the community locally, nationally and globally. [Lucille Packard Children's Hospital]

Alaskan woman living with AIDS shows why she wants a cure. - Why I want a cure for AIDS—to watch my grandson grow up. [AIDS Policy Project]

GIRLS WHO ROCK – Elizabeth David, a Kisa Scholar in Tanzania, attends her first day of class. [GIRLS WHO ROCK]

Giving Back to Those In Need – American Idol Season 7 finalist Luke Menard met with children currently undergoing cancer treatment through Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. [Race for Hope, D.C. (David Cook's Team)]

Kicking Cancer Foundation - Who are you kicking for? [Kicking Cancer Foundation]

Blondes vs. Brunettes: Tackling Alzheimer’s Disease – Blondes and Brunettes battle it out on the gridiron to raise money and awareness for the Alzheimer’s Association. [Alzheimer's Association]

A way of life - If freedom in exile it is, freedom it shall be. [Adventure Ashram]

High Five - A Dreams for Kids participant receives a high five from her volunteer coach after a tennis play—-the spirit of this moment characterizes the Extreme Recess experience of sports as an empowering and life-changing opportunity for at-risk youth and those with disabilities. [Dreams for Kids DC]

Happiness is… – A KEEN athlete having fun at a sports session. [KEEN]

Kindness – Cuddling cousins bonding. [Cancer Research UK]

Restoring Dignity – Fistula patients in Niamey, Niger, wait for fistula repair surgery. EngenderHealth’s Fistula Care project transforms women’s lives by increasing access to fistula prevention and treatment. Obstetric fistula is a devastating childbirth injury that afflicts millions of women and girls around the world. [EngenderHealth]

Children giving back to children – Children delivering $300 in coins and small bills raised through a fundraiser for Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation for Haiti relief. [Miami Children's Hospital Foundation]

Accomplished – Bringing support and stability to the future of our community. [Girls on the Run - Baton Rouge Chapter]

One - One hand can make all the difference in the world. [The Village for Families and Children, Connecticut]

The Real Elves! Wrapping presents for 500 children at Harlem Hospital for our Hope for the Holidays event. [WGirls NYC]

GirlUp Pep Rally in DC. Teen girls explain to the audience the importance of helping girls in developing countries. [GirlUp]

I’m seven! Enthusiastic young photo “ham” in Cape Town Township day care. [Youth Homes, Inc., Walnut Creek, CA]

The Joy of Cultural Exchange! A shared day of smiles, energy, and culture. [Friendship Ambassadors Foundation: Ecuador Service Trip]

Men at mealtime. Where's the beef?

Sukie, the prom queen, was pushing for salmon as the main course. Ha!  Anyone who’s ever chaired a major event is fully aware that people don’t like fish as their only choice; I know, I know, it’s cheaper than a nice hunky beef filet but it’s a revolt waiting to happen if we serve it without an alternative other than vegetarian.  Think of the men – they need their meat!  Granted, we could allow guests to pre-order with their RSVP, but I personally find that only slightly less unappetizing than sitting down to pre-set salads.

I was the Dinner Chair for last year’s Ballet Opening Night gosh darnit, and did as good a job as anyone else going through a nasty divorce could, not to mention four college summers as a waitress (yes, that’s what they were called back then), at the Country Club.  I know a thing or two about Friday night fish…and after-Mass brunch…and white patent leather shoes.

With my New Year’s resolution to be super polite fresh in my mind I turned to dear Sukie to discuss the delicate nuances of entrée selection, only to be interrupted by her, “Vivi, dear, we know your tragic stint as the country club hostess, but do you really want to rehash it all twenty five years later?”

Amanda & Vivian on a hearty hike

As my face went red I readied a leap across the table with fingernails splayed, albeit in desperate need of a manicure, to scratch her disgustingly gorgeous Latisse-rimmed eyes, when I caught the glance from my best friend Amanda that silently shouted, “DON’T – this is not the battle to pick!”

Amanda is my nice best friend who gets along with pretty much everyone, whether she makes an effort at it or not. We’ve been friends ever since she shared her tuna sandwich with me on the third Friday of Lent.  That was second grade and she’s still nicer than me.

Eloise incognito

My other best friend is Eloise. Eloise is my not-so-nice best friend.   And she was not invited to join the Reunion Host Committee.

Well, of course I speed dialed Eloise immediately after the Tasting to ask her how she would have responded to Sukie.  Not surprisingly, Eloise’s response was unrepeatable – she tolerates Sukie’s antics even less than I.  They were actually BFFs back in High School but that little falling out happened on a charity fashion show runway five years or so ago and it was UGG–LEE and not in a cute Carrie-Bradshaw-falling-off-her-stilletto-Louboutins-on-the-runway kind of way.  But I’ll save that permanently-inked footnote for another day…

I, Vivian Maria Elizabeth am going to be deliberate about looking at myself and doing things that make sense for the world and for ME.

Hello, Viv!

I hate that name.

I remember how my mother used to say, “’Viv” is the Latin root for LIFE! You are fully ALIVE!” Well, being fully alive at 3am because I had a latte after dinner was not what she had in mind. I was trying to stay up to work on the seating chart for my high school reunion – why did I ever agree to work on that party? I thought it would be good ‘practice’ for the charity ball I am going to chair in the fall. Plus it was the only way I could seat all of my old high school beaus near me to make them jealous of each other.

It seemed like a good idea at the time; newly divorced I thought that seeing high school boyfriends was a good idea.  Note to self: look up Facebook profile pictures BEFORE seating anyone near you!

I’ve put myself next to Sukie, the former prom queen, so people can see what years of tennis doubles and cigarette smoking does to your skin. Can’t believe she is still married to the prom king, I swear she stayed married just to show off at all the reunions.  She told me she was going to try to wear her prom dress to the party.  Personally, I’ve moved from polyester to more natural, eco-friendly fabrics.

But I guess if that’s what gets folks to the party, that’s how we are going to raise the class of ‘80 scholarship fund. I’m so glad we added a $50 donation to every ticket and cut back on the décor budget and open bar.  Beer and wine are fine for this crowd…if it were the class of ’60 we might have to do it differently.

Clay, Ken, Viv and Troy at the high school reunion

Okay, nametag question for the high school reunion: first name large, last name small? Include maiden and married names? Photo from high school?

The only thing I’m sure of is that you are supposed to wear your name tag on the right side, because that’s the side people look to when shaking your hand. Sticky, clip, lariat or pin? I’ve even seen cute ones with magnets, but those seem expensive. I know name tags look dorky but for an event like this they are essential. Especially for the guests of people who weren’t in our class. And they save me embarrassment.

That’s why you need to have the first name written so big, so people won’t think about it when they are glancing at your name while trying to remember your face, not to  mention the growing number of classmates who need reading glasses.  Not me, I had lasik surgery and I can see like an eighteen year old!

If I leave the pictures off then they will still surely remember me, right?  I have worked VERY hard to remain youthful (merci, La Mer!).  And they will avoid everyone they don’t recognize.

Like Sukie, maybe…except for the prom dress.

We invited you to tell your story with a digital photograph of people, a place or something that speaks more about philanthropy than words ever can. We are honored by the quality and creativity of the submissions received.

Now we invite you to vote on your favorite photos and share the love of philanthropy with your friends, family and supporters. The photo with the most votes will be awarded $1,000 to the charitable beneficiary.  You don’t have to pick just one photo, you can vote on multiple images, once per photo, one time per day.

On Valentine’s Day, February 14, we will share the Love by announcing our winners and releasing the official photomontage of what philanthropists see as the heart of giving back.

Check out some of  ’The Love of Philanthropy’ submissions below:

Photo submissions concluded on February 7th, 2011 at 12pm, PST. Voting will take place February 8, 2011 at 2:00pm PST and continue through Feb 14, 2011 at 12 noon PST.

See all finalists and Vote Here!

Vote and vote daily. You can vote for each photo, once per day from February 8-14 (7 votes in total). We encourage you to share your favorite photo with friends. Bonus Vote! Get an extra vote by ‘Like’ing the photos in the ‘Love of Philanthropy‘ album on Facebook.

Contest details >>

This site is targeted to dudes, but we found it humorous

ORGANIZATIONAL CHARTS: We especially appreciate the insightful, professional tools presented by Holy Taco to help answer difficult questions such as “What Nickname Should I Go By”.  (Note: this is a VERY male-oriented…might we suggest Sexist site, that probably appeals to boys age 15 – 23)

POLITICS: Russian Presidents come and go, but a Prime Minister with an ego the size of Siberia will stay as long as he can.  Here we find photos of Vladimir Putin with captions of what we think he’s saying.

HOROSCOPES: Leave it to The Onion to bring pithy spot-on horoscopes that help you delve into the deeper meaning of life.

DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS: Don’t you wish you took the time to let bad parkers know just how you feel.  Huffington Post provides 16 notes left on the windshields of cars that have irked them.

Join in the fun and add your Dear 'blank', please 'blank', sincerely 'blank'

ETIQUETTE:   This site allows you to jump into the fray of speaking your mind anonymously.

Enjoy!

And let us know in the Comments section below your favorite websites.

1.  Turkey Pardons.

A tradition carried out by the President and, we assume based on the video, Governors.  In an odd turn of events, Sarah Palin – when Governor of Alaska, pardoned a turkey yet things didn’t go as planned.  Warning: graphic violence in a turkey coup.

2.  Miss Drumstick Beauty Pageant.

It’s not just that the premise of this beauty pageant is questionable, it’s also noticeable that the audience is only of one sex.

3.  Best interpretation of a turkey call.

These two guys have a rap future, fersure…

4.  Favorite stop-animation turkeys.

Those darn rascals are sneaky.

5.  Favorite Turkey Song.

Adam Sandler, better known for his Chanuhkah Song, brings humor to the Opening Holiday of the Season.

Enjoy Thanksgiving Day!

There’s no doubt you’ve got the perfect dress for this fundraising event— it screams, “I’m ready to party… for a cause.” But what about your shoes? Heels can be risky at a champagne-heavy fundraising fiesta, and everybody knows that being the only person at a party in sandals, not matter how cute, is a huge fashionista faux pas! So how do you decide? Follow this flowchart to narrow down which foot apparel will best tear this event up! Just make sure you keep them on at all times— you don’t want to get Carrie Bradshaw’d and have someone else waltzing away in your Manolo Blahniks.

This may come as a surprise to some who have only known stereotypes about “sorority girls.” However, along with scholarship and sisterhood, philanthropy is a key component of any true sorority, both at the national and chapter level.

So how do sororities give back?  And what can other philanthropists learn from their efforts?

Most sororities have one specific charity that their organization supports on a national level, with each individual chapter fundraising for the cause.  This model can be extremely effective because sororities’ national headquarters have full-time employees who can research beneficiaries and ensure their donations are used well, tasks that are simply impossible for many other student-run organizations.  And when different chapters of one sorority all donate to a charity, their beneficiary is sure to receive ample support.  For example, Tri Delta has adopted St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as their official beneficiary.  Since 1999, Tri Delta has raised more than $12 million for the organization.  And their most common fundraising method across campuses?  A midnight pancake breakfast where students buy tickets for an all-you-can-eat pancake buffet.  Cheap food, late-night fun, and charity is the perfect combination to reach students of all interests, Greek or not, on a large campus.

Often, sororities have a personal tie to the charities they support.  In 1936, Delta Gamma member Ruth Billow made a plea to their national convention.  Blinded in a childhood accident, she asked her sisters to make a difference in the lives of the blind and visually impaired.  Ruth probably never imagined that the Delta Gamma Foundation would go on to donate over $2,800,000 to organizations supporting this mission.  But DG’s support goes beyond finances alone: Delta Gammas log 120,000 service hours each year with Service for Sight.  Delta Gamma’s preferred method of fundraising is Anchor Splash, a swim competition for fraternities and sororities that highlights the fun in fundraising through both intense and silly competitions.

Other common events across chapters include:

• Poker nights
• Tug-of-war competitions
• Laser tag battles
• Beach volleyball tournaments
• Kickball
• Dodgeball games
• Pageants (often with fraternity men as contestants).

In the case of competitions, other houses assemble a team and pay an entry fee, which is usually donated to the beneficiary.

The keys to success for any sorority fundraiser are inexpensive entry fees, participatory activities, fun, and a great cause to support!

Sustainability, at its simplest meaning, is defined as the capacity to endure, or the ability to sustain. In the context of our society, sustainability is the potential for long-term maintenance of the well-being of the natural world and the responsible use of natural resources. In other words, sustainable development strives to preserve an ecological balance by avoiding the depletion of the natural resources on our planet.

“Sustainability is a way to even the playing field; it is a balancing act in which humans are the veritable multi-taskers.”

The key word that one should take away from these definitions is balance. No matter how you look at sustainability, sustainable living, or sustainable development, a balance is continually trying to be achieved on a variety of levels. Sustainability is a way to even the playing field; it is a balancing act in which humans are the veritable multi-taskers.

The primary balance sustainability attempts to maintain is the one between humans and nature. The ecosystems and biological systems that humans perceive today are self-sustaining; these systems would not be around today if they were not self-sufficient. For millions of years, invisible chemical cycles redistributed water, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon through the world’s living and non-living systems, and in turn, sustained life as we know it. Today, however, it is widely accepted that as the human population increases, the once self-sustaining natural ecosystems decline; the result is an imbalance in the natural, essential cycles that both humans and the natural world depend upon so greatly. Therefore, sustainability strives to develop a collective effort to return our planet to its sustainable limits so that both human and natural cycles can coexist, and neither will be depleted as a result of the other.

Another balance that must be maintained through sustainability is that between the past, present, and future. Sustainable development is often described as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. While sustainable development is often goal-driven, it also focuses on the journey. It asks, “How can humans achieve what we need to accomplish right now and also implement systems for the future, so that later generations are not left with nothing?”

More and more data suggests that humans are not living within the carrying capacity of the planet, meaning our consumption is far greater than nature’s productivity. The way that humans compensate for this deficit is by using extra sources, which include the goods and services of world trade. These compensation efforts also encompass the use of past sources (fossil fuels, underground metals and minerals) and borrowing from the future (overexploitation of forests, fisheries, etc). Sustainable efforts strive to maintain the balance between meeting the present goals, while avoiding the use of past energies and the depletion of future ecosystems.

The 2005 World Summit also added the balance of demand to the definition of sustainability. The Summit asserts that sustainability is the reconciliation of environmental, social, and economic demands – the three are not mutually exclusive, but mutually enforcing. This definition suggests that a sustainable global society shares a respect for nature, universal rights, economic justice, culture, and politics. Demand management must be enforced, therefore, for all good and services so that consumption is reduced, renewable resources are put to use, and practices are implemented that minimize resource intensity, while maximizing resource productivity.

The last balance that sustainable development endeavors to maintain is that between the individual and the globe, the private and public sectors. All of the sustainable efforts that are carried out have an effect – from a household that has a garden and recycles to the corporations that use solar energy. From the implementation of sustainable architecture and agriculture to the use of green technology and renewable energy, all the world’s actors – from great cities down to single individuals — play a part.

The public sector must satisfy their basic economic, social, and security needs now and in the future without undermining the natural resource base and environmental quality on which life depends. The private sector, on the other hand, must increase long-term shareholder and social value, while decreasing the industry’s use of materials and reducing the negative impacts on the environment. Both sectors need to support a growing economy while reducing the social and economic costs of growth. For our society, this idea means integrating environmental, economic, and social values into all decision making.

Sustainability at its very core is about achieving a healthy harmony between humans and nature. Sustainable development does not work to tip the scales towards environmental consciousness, but encourages the importance of “going green” in addition to the needs of society and economy in all aspects of life; it is less about trade-offs, and more about synergy and cooperation. For individuals, compromise makes “going green” seem less daunting; that is to say that your lifestyle or business does not have to do a complete 180 to be sustainable. Small changes can make the world of difference. The triple bottom line is the pursuit of economic prosperity, environmental quality, and social equity.