1. Our philanthropy, Read > Lead > Achieve® and our mission to raise
awareness about literacy is our greatest asset as a chapter.
Our mega chapter has always been a wonderful blend of women
from all over the United States and even beyond. We all bring our
distinctive life experiences and viewpoints, but where, and how, do
our well over 400 members grow together?
As sisters, we do a lot together — we eat together, go out
together, gather at chapter together, but it is through
philanthropy that I think we as women grow together.
I came into my position of Vice President Philanthropy knowing
just one fact about literacy: that one in four children will grow up
to be functionally illiterate. I stood up my first day as VPP and told
our chapter so many facts about poverty rates, unemployment rates
and student dropout rates, and tied them all into how the power
of literacy can change each of those statistics. Not only that, but
illiteracy hits close to home, as Mississippi is the most illiterate state
in the nation.
As a chapter, we’ve taken the idea of philanthropy more seriously than just a re-
cruitment topic. We’ve take the time to learn about literacy and the power it has to
change someone’s life. Not only did we have a record-breaking year for fundraising,
but we had a record-breaking number of volunteers for Champions are Readers®. Last
year we only had 30 members show up to our local elementary school. This year we
had 200 women show up on the first day. We went from having 10 students per Pi Phi
to multiple Pi Phis per student.
Our work with the Lafayette Country Literacy Council (LCLC) is another staple of
our philanthropic work. I was initially connected to them through one of our Pi Phi
advisors. She told me about Pi Beta Phi Foundation’s Local Impact Grants, and how
we could nominate 25 percent of our donations to The Literacy Fund, which would
then be matched by the Foundation, for a local nonprofit. I was so excited because
LCLC aims to raise awareness for children’s literacy.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
An official publication of Pi Beta Phi Foundation for donors and special friends
The Bow
SPRING 2016
2
Philanthropy is How we Grow and How we Lead
Philanthropy is How we Grow and How we Lead continued on Page 3
I Want to be a Part and I
Want to be a Friend
3Literacy in Action
Continued
4Building Bonds as
New Members
5Founders Portrait Unveiled
6My 12 Favorite Pi Phi
Moments
8News & Notes
7Giving Day Thank You
By Vice President Philanthropy Virginia Summer, Mississippi Beta
Vice President Philanthropy Virginia Summer, Mississippi
Beta, presents a Local Impact Grant to the Executive
Director of the Lafayette County Literacy Council.

2. 3 The Bow Spring 2016
Philanthropy is How we Grow and How we Lead continued from Page 1
I immediately scheduled a meeting with one of the
directors and met with her to learn their plans for the
coming year and how our chapter might be able to get
involved.
LCLC has some great initiatives, including the Dolly
Parton Imagination Program. Through this program a
parent of a child aged 3-7 can apply for their child to
receive one new book in the mail every month for the
entire year. LCLC also holds a annual Children’s Book
Festival, where volunteers go into area schools and give
the same book to every child, also taking the time to read
the books with the students. At the end of the week, all of
the students from the schools come together to Ole Miss’
auditorium to hear the book read aloud by the author. It’s
an amazing experience!
Like any nonprofit, LCLC must fundraise in order to
sustain important initiatives like this, so they execute
many events throughout the year. For instance, one of
their most successful fundraisers is Read, Beats and Eats,
a dinner auction with a live band. These fundraisers,
combined with local support like our Local Impact
Grant from the Foundation, make a big impact on
their mission.
I’m proud to say our chapter members helped LCLC with
all of their events this year. From running around Oxford
and putting up promotional posters for events to reading
aloud to children, our members truly enjoy working
alongside LCLC’s staff and volunteers. Literacy has
been such a gift, not only for the students we work with
through LCLC, but for us too!
Philanthropy is the story of what brings us together as
strong women who are growing and leading in so many
different ways. We have worked on our fundraising,
handed out books at the Fraternity Day of Service event in
Jackson, Mississippi, and sounded out words with children
three miles down the road from campus. No matter who
we are individually, together we are Pi Phi and together
we will not stopy until one out of four children become
one less.
Members of the Mississippi Beta Chapter participated in the
Fraternity Day of Service Signature event in Jackson, Mississippi,
in 2016, helping to give 20,000 books away to children in need.
These books were made possible thanks to chapters, alumnae
clubs and indiviudals members donations’ to The Literacy Fund.
“No matter who we are individually, together we are
Pi Phi and together we will not stop until one our of
four children become one less.”
Visit pibetaphifoundation.org/direct to learn more about the
Foundation’s Local Impact Grant Program.