Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Merit
  • Contact Us
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About
    • Mission, Vision, and Values
      • Notable Members
      • Founders’ Day
    • Leading in the 21st Century: FY 2022-24 O∆K Strategic Plan
    • Fast Facts
    • Leadership
      • Board of Trustees
      • Emeriti Trustees
      • Student Advisory Board
      • Staff
    • Governance
      • 2023 Elections for Student and Faculty/Staff Trustees
      • Articles of Incorporation
      • National Bylaws
      • Governing Committees
      • Operating Committees
      • Omicron Delta Kappa Policies and Procedures
    • History of the Society
      • Our Founders
      • Toward a More Inclusive Society
      • Women in Omicron Delta Kappa
      • Former National Presidents, Foundation Presidents, and Board Chairs
      • Circle Installations
    • Commitment to Diversity and Equal Opportunity
  • Members
    • Prospective Members
    • Collegiate Members
    • Lifetime Members
      • Help Our Circles Thrive
      • Become a National Level Volunteer
      • Governance and Fundraising Volunteer Opportunities
    • Member Benefits
    • Update Your O∆K Record
    • Read The Circle
  • Programs
    • National Leadership and Service Awards
    • Scholarships
    • National Day of Service
      • National Day of Service Report
      • 2021 National Day of Service Stories
    • National Leadership Conference
      • 2023 National Leadership Conference
      • Past National Conventions
    • Clay Leadership Development Grants
    • Stone Ethical Leadership Challenge

Omicron Delta Kappa

Omicron Delta Kappa
  • About
    • Mission, Vision, and Values
      • Notable Members
      • Founders’ Day
    • Leading in the 21st Century: FY 2022-24 O∆K Strategic Plan
    • Fast Facts
    • Leadership
      • Board of Trustees
      • Emeriti Trustees
      • Student Advisory Board
      • Staff
    • Governance
      • 2023 Elections for Student and Faculty/Staff Trustees
      • Articles of Incorporation
      • National Bylaws
      • Governing Committees
      • Operating Committees
      • Omicron Delta Kappa Policies and Procedures
    • History of the Society
      • Our Founders
      • Toward a More Inclusive Society
      • Women in Omicron Delta Kappa
      • Former National Presidents, Foundation Presidents, and Board Chairs
      • Circle Installations
    • Commitment to Diversity and Equal Opportunity
  • Members
    • Prospective Members
    • Collegiate Members
    • Lifetime Members
      • Help Our Circles Thrive
      • Become a National Level Volunteer
      • Governance and Fundraising Volunteer Opportunities
    • Member Benefits
    • Update Your O∆K Record
    • Read The Circle
  • Programs
    • National Leadership and Service Awards
    • Scholarships
    • National Day of Service
      • National Day of Service Report
      • 2021 National Day of Service Stories
    • National Leadership Conference
      • 2023 National Leadership Conference
      • Past National Conventions
    • Clay Leadership Development Grants
    • Stone Ethical Leadership Challenge
  • Circles
    • Find a Circle
    • Membership Fees
    • Circle Officers (Advisors and Student Officers)
      • Dates and Deadlines
      • Member Management System
      • Monthly Officer Updates Newsletter
      • Recruitment and Selection
      • Initiation
      • Branding, Templates, and Downloads
      • Circle Reports and Forms
      • Recognition and Awards
      • Webinars and Training
    • Resources to Promote Leadership Embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
      • Circle Programming and Practices
      • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Awards
      • Glossary of Terms
      • Key Fund
      • Organizations Advocating for Social Justice
      • Publications Focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
      • Toward a More Inclusive Society
      • Websites Focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
    • Establish a New Circle
      • Extension Process
    • Contact Us
  • Shop
  • Donate
    • Give Now
    • The Campaign for Our Second Century
      • Campaign Giving Opportunities
      • Scholarships for Collegiate Members
      • Opportunity Fund (Gift of Membership)
      • Key Fund
      • Developing the Campus Leaders of Today
      • Collaborative Leadership Initiatives
      • Preservation, Renovation, and Expansion of National Headquarters
      • Campaign Initiatives Supported to Date
    • Ways to Give
      • Planned Giving
      • Charitable Gift Annuities
      • Heritage Society
    • Gift Acceptance Policies
    • Endowment Information
    • National Day of Giving
    • State Charitable Registration Disclosures
  • Circles
    • Find a Circle
    • Membership Fees
    • Circle Officers (Advisors and Student Officers)
      • Dates and Deadlines
      • Member Management System
      • Monthly Officer Updates Newsletter
      • Recruitment and Selection
      • Initiation
      • Branding, Templates, and Downloads
      • Circle Reports and Forms
      • Recognition and Awards
      • Webinars and Training
    • Resources to Promote Leadership Embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
      • Circle Programming and Practices
      • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Awards
      • Glossary of Terms
      • Key Fund
      • Organizations Advocating for Social Justice
      • Publications Focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
      • Toward a More Inclusive Society
      • Websites Focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
    • Establish a New Circle
      • Extension Process
    • Contact Us
  • Shop
  • Donate
    • Give Now
    • The Campaign for Our Second Century
      • Campaign Giving Opportunities
      • Scholarships for Collegiate Members
      • Opportunity Fund (Gift of Membership)
      • Key Fund
      • Developing the Campus Leaders of Today
      • Collaborative Leadership Initiatives
      • Preservation, Renovation, and Expansion of National Headquarters
      • Campaign Initiatives Supported to Date
    • Ways to Give
      • Planned Giving
      • Charitable Gift Annuities
      • Heritage Society
    • Gift Acceptance Policies
    • Endowment Information
    • National Day of Giving
    • State Charitable Registration Disclosures

2020 National Day of Service Stories

O∆K’s National Day of Service was held on Thursday, April 9, 2020. Many individuals and circles participated in service on their campuses and their communities throughout the year. With the COVID-19 crisis, many shifted their typical service activities to better serve those in need while practicing safe physical distancing.

Natasha Hongsermeier, Morningside College

Natasha Hongsermeier (Morningside College initiate) started a volunteer organization called Musicians for Healing as an undergraduate student. Now in medical school, Natasha is bringing the organization to life in Omaha, Nebraska. She is joined by other medical students with a musical background, playing at local nursing homes, assisted living, memory care, and other long-term care facilities outdoors during the pandemic. Many of the residents have not been able to have entertainment or visitors for months, and this brightens their day. Natasha and the other musicians stay physically distanced from each other and from the residents, who open their windows to hear our music. They rotate around the outside perimeter of the building so that all residents eventually get to listen to the “concert.” Photo credit to Aksarben Village Senior Living.

Kelley L. Lasiewicz, Hamline University

The Minnesota Mask Mayday group is made up of volunteers from all over Minnesota, who prepped, sewed, and donated homemade masks to local hospitals, care centers, senior living facilities, and military members who were called to duty. Kelley L. Lasiewicz (Hamline University) was able to contribute about 90 masks to the cause. She shared, “I am not a healthcare worker, but I can sew, so this is one way I felt I was able to contribute.”

Kelley also leads a Girl Scout troop, which donated 157 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies to the local police department, fire station, post office, and a neighboring city’s hospital.

A servant leader at heart, Kelley noted, “during this time, it is wonderful to be able to give encouragement to those essential workers being exposed every day.”

Adelphi University

The Adelphi University Circle is focusing on the creative arts phase for their service project. They are making outlined drawings to build a collaborative coloring book. In addition to creating the coloring book, members will produce many photocopies of the coloring book to donate it, as well as crayons, to a children’s ward in a local hospital in the community. One member said, “at this time, creating drawings will help us to relax as O∆K members, and we will gain peace of mind in knowing that we are helping to make a child’s life a little brighter and more positive.”

Theresa Bowers, Georgian Court University

Theresa Bowers (Georgian Court University) is a middle school teacher who has spent the past month continually providing education virtually via Zoom and Google Classroom. Recently, teachers were given a day off, and the 7th & 8th graders became the Zoom host/teacher of various Fun Day Zoom Rooms for Pre-K through 6th Grade. Theresa facilitated a group of 7th and 8th graders in the Zoom Room. Students created gratitude notecards for healthcare workers and others, and get well soon cards to a staff member who was released from the hospital and is recovering from COVID19.

University of Central Florida

The University of Central Florida Circle took out a shelter dog for the day. Members of the circle took Kai to Lake Eola, a lake in the Orlando area. Most of the shelter dogs do not get to go out on walks often, and Kai thoroughly enjoyed his time outside. It was also an excellent opportunity to get people who would potentially be interested in adopting see Kai.

Campbell University

The Campbell University Circle hosted an annual “O∆K Thanks Project” on February 13, 2020, at a home basketball game. Members organized materials and announcements encouraging game attendees to sign cards of thanks, designed by a circle alumna. The event was a great success, and the circle collected more than 100 cards to spread cheer to Campbell faculty and staff. Even the mascots, Gladys and Gaylord, got in on the effort!

Clemson University

The Clemson University Circle raised funds through philanthropic efforts to support the Adopt-a-Classroom project for providing holiday gifts to the needy in multiple classrooms in schools around the state of South Carolina.

The Citadel

The Citadel Circle did two Folly Beach, South Carolina, clean-ups in a commitment of community service. One was held on November 2, 2019, and the other was held on February 22, 2020. The cadets were asked to use My Coast App, which tracks various forms of trash that end up on beaches.

Monique Finley, Centenary College of Louisiana

Monique Finley (Centenary College of Louisiana) is building ZEEMZ: The Versipisces Secret, a disaster preparedness, augmented reality game that utilizes blockchain technology to reward players with digital assets. Due to the coronavirus, Monique put together a team of volunteers to build ZEEMZ: Pandemic Patch, an educational, augmented reality game that doubles as a diagnostic tool to prevent hospital congestion. She is working with a group of doctors, at askco19.com, who are inserting COVID-19 data in real-time.

University of Georgia

With the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the University of Georgia Circle sought ways to honor the National Day of Service virtually. Collegiate members celebrated by recognizing members’ favorite volunteer organizations, specifically those organizations whose work is conducted remotely. One of the featured organizations was Paper Airplanes, a virtual tutoring program for Syrian refugees. Through the recognition of these organizations, circle leaders hope that members of the circle will find new ways to volunteer during this time.

Rachel Gunawardena, Carthage College

Meet Rachel Gunawardena, Carthage College initiate. She and her husband and cleared out their food pantry and donated several bags of dried pasta, marinara sauces, a box of gloves, a container of disinfectant wipes, and several other cans of food to a local food pantry. They plan to support the food pantry philanthropically too.

National Headquarters Staff

In keeping with national recommendations for physical distancing, the O∆K national headquarters staff adjusted our previously scheduled service project to build a Habitat Home. This year, staff members all committed to supporting local, small businesses in Lexington, Va. Some purchased gift cards at boutique stores; a few staff members picked up carry-out for dinner at favorite restaurants; one paid for future haircuts to give to her hairstylist now.

Kevin Singh, Adelphi University

Adelphi University initiate, Kevin Singh, is currently the transplant hepatology fellow at New York University Langone Medical Center. Aside from optimizing patients for liver transplantation, he manages patients who have undergone liver transplants. At this time, in an epicenter for the Coronavirus pandemic, many of the staff members in the hospital where he serves are unavailable due to illness. As a fellow, Kevin has been mobilized to cover patients outside of his specialty including managing Coronavirus patients. 

Union College

The Union College Circle chose to do a virtual fundraiser for the Ali Forney Center, a nonprofit organization based in Harlem, New York, which serves homeless LGBTQ+ youth. Despite many businesses and organizations being able to close their doors in the current crisis, AFC cannot; their doors are the only safe space for countless youth. Thus, the circle’s support is more critical now than ever before. They created a GoFundMe (https://www.gofundme.com/f/union-helps-homeless-lgbtq-youth) and are hoping to raise about $1000-or more.

Western Colorado University

The Western Colorado University Circle chose different activities to partake in from their homes, during physical distancing. Members downloaded the HowWeFeel app to donate meals through Feeding America and encouraged others to do the same. Other members made mask covers to make nurses’ N95 masks last longer. Additionally, one took an online suicide prevention course; another cleaned the house for their families/roommates. Further service included filling more than 100 online orders at the local grocery store, cleaning up trash, making a ‘thank you’ banner for CareFlight paramedics, walking neighbor’s dogs, and writing cards to a nursing home and hospital staff around the country.

Zachary Zimmerman, Sewanee – The University of the South

Meet Zachary Zimmerman (Sewanee – The University of the South initiate). Zachary shared: “I have chosen to work for Publix as a cashier, my local grocery store, during these troubling times. I’m not at the hospital, but I am on the frontlines in a manner of speaking. My community needs food, and I want to do my part in some way. I also advise for the boys’ chapter of B’nai B’rith Youth Organization here in Naples, FL.”

Primary Sidebar

Prospective Members Collegiate Members Lifetime Members Circle Officers
  • National Day of Service
    • National Day of Service Report
  • National Day of Giving
  • Resources to Promote Leadership Embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
    • Glossary of Terms
    • Organizations Advocating for Social Justice
    • Publications Focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
    • Websites Focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
    • Circle Programming and Practices
  • Volunteer to Help O∆K
    • Help Our Circles Thrive
    • Become a National Level Volunteer
    • Governance and Fundraising Volunteer Opportunities
  • Founders’ Day

Footer

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Merit

Copyright © 2023. All Rights Reserved.
O∆K, a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit, is a member of the Honor Society Caucus.

 

Johnson Center for Leadership 
O∆K National Headquarters
224 McLaughlin Street
Lexington, Virginia 24450-2002
1-877-ODK-NHDQ (635-6437)
odknhdq@odk.org

Privacy and Website Policy
Diversity, Equal Opportunity, and Hazing Statements

Web Development by Charlottesville SEO Web Development, LLC

This site uses cookies to maintain the highest quality performance. By using this site you consent to our privacy and cookies policy.