Members' Stories

Gamma Zeta Past President 2018-2020

One of many moving experiences for me as your DKG president was re-typing the 2018-2019 yearbook pages for mission, purpose, past presidents, members who have passed away, and the DKG song and studying and reading our historian's scrapbooks. We are part of a tradition of women working for worthy causes, to bring out the best of ourselves and of each other. What better thing can I do but to give of myself this term as your DKG girl and to give something back of what you have done for me?

Annie Salter and Ginny Temple were the girls who brought me into the DKG fold. You know what extraordinary women of courage and sacrifice they are and were. Annie passed away and Ginny is championing on despite illness and hurricane havoc. They asked me to join DKG in 2003, and they had a reason: To have me learn more about the teaching profession, the strength we receive from interacting with good women, and the example we might-could set for each other and others to come.

I experienced the DKG presidents of the past fifteen years; Barbara Hill, Bonnie Ferneau, Cindy Bivens, Ginny Temple, June Vann, and Dora Edwards led us with wisdom, compassion, and purpose. They fostered more discipline and courage into me than I had before. They showed me what sacrifice and goodness can be. They showed me kindness and generosity through all my sisters when my own life fell apart.

Discoveries are slow in coming to me: It took decades for me to see that the freedoms, respect, and power that women teachers fought for and won now may be slipping away ---unless we do something about it.

More than ever, we women of Delta Kappa Gamma have reason to celebrate and revere our founding females, to rejoice that we have our sisterhood and mission work ahead to do, and to find comfort and peace that we are united in our cause and purpose.

Oh, Delta Kappa Gamma. . . .

. . . .Hand in hand our loyal band. . .

. . . . Onward, 'tis our sisters need us.

Courage, faith, and honor lead us.

Wrongs in truth and justice heed us.

Firmly shall we stand.

---from "The Delta Kappa Gamma" song

It is an honor to serve you, my Gamma Zeta sisters.

Sincerely yours,

Julia Thorn, Gamma Zeta Chapter President 2018-2020

Gail Barnes, DKG Gamma Zeta member since 1986

Bonnie Ferneau - DKG member for 50 years!!!

Bonnie Ferneau's Europe trip story! Her story Reliving World War I History, Michael Stanton Ferneau

Our journey began last year when we found a jewelry box in our closet, hidden for so long. The ribbons and badges belonged to my great grandmother, Marie Stanton, a Gold Star Mother. Her son Paul Andrew Stanton was killed in WWI and is buried in France. I had to know more about my great uncle. After a limited search, I found out that he joined the Marine Corps in May of 1917 in Pensacola, Florida. In February 1918, he was transferred to Quantico, VA and then to France in April of 1918. He fought a St Mihiel, Blanc Mont and was killed in the Meuse Argonne Battle on November 1, 1918. He was a corporal in the Marine Corps, 6th USMC Regiment, 2nd Division and is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in Romagne, France, the largest US cemetery in Europe with 14,246 graves. The highlight of our Military tour was visiting his gravesite and placing a few mementos by his cross.

In addition we relived World War I by visiting battle sites and cemeteries: American, French, British and German, and staying in Reims, Verdun and Belleau Wood.

As mentioned earlier, my great grandmother was a gold star mother, and our government in l930 transported the gold star mothers by steamship to visit the graves of their sons. Seventy years later another member of his family, and wife Bonnie paid our respects to Paul Andrew Stanton. It was a very moving experience. OOH-RAH!

Our final day of the Tour we attended Memorial Day at Ainse-Marne American Cemetery with the American and French flags at each grave. The Commandant of the Marine Corp was there as the guest of honor along with the 2nd Marine Division Band from Camp Lejeune. Also a few of the wounded warriors from the battalion at Camp Lejeune were special guests, the same Marines we support with our Kayak for the Warriors race in PKS. The French band and Army Platoon were part of the ceremony. It was very moving and brings home the great losses suffered during “The War to End All Wars.”

What about Paris? Terrific City!

JULIA THORN at the DKG State Convention 2019 with Dr. Akhil Ross, the National Principal of the Year