Spotlight on Programming: Literacy!

Spring Spotlight: Fraternity Day of Service! This annual Pi Beta Phi event unites members of all ages through our effort to advance literacy.

Pi Beta Phi’s Literacy Vision:Pi Beta Phi is dedicated to philanthropic and community service efforts that will remove the barrier of illiteracy.

How can alumnae organizations support the fraternity literacy vision? Alumnae support literacy in a number of ways: through unique partnerships with organizations on a local and international level, through financial support, through club programming and so much more.

Why Literacy?

• People who can read tend to be more successful and have more earning capacity.
• Literate parents set their children up for successful and healthy lives.
• Illiteracy is a factor in the rate of homelessness, domestic abuse, poverty and lack of healthcare.
• 80 percent of citizens in prison didn’t finish high school; half of those can’t read or write at all.
• Increasing high school graduation rates by just one percent would save $1.4 billion in costs associated with jails and prisons.

The Fraternity’s commitment to literacy dates back almost 100 years to the founding of a settlement school in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Pi Phi was solely responsible for all education in Gatlinburg from 1912-1969.

Pi Phi continues to support literacy and education for children and families. Pi Beta Phi will once again be celebrating Fraternity Day of Service with the Make your Mark for Literacy Bookplate campaign. Your event should be planned on or around March 2, 2010 — Dr. Seuss’ birthday!

After last year’s Fraternity Day of Service, many Pi Phi alumnae clubs provided Headquarters with feedback about their events. Many groups began planning their events months in advance. Because of this, we wanted to get your bookplates to you even earlier to make your planning easier.

All alumnae clubs will receive 50 bookplates for their 2010 Fraternity Day of Service project. For those clubs planning large events, we would be happy to send your club additional bookplates. Please e-mail Special Events Coordinator Julie Ravensberg at julier@pibetaphi.org to order. Additional bookplates will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.