Tri Delta PR/Media Contact:
Jenny Gilcrest
The Domino Group
760-415-9310
jenny@domino-pr.com
ALSAC/St. Jude Media Contact:
Shannon Carter
901-578-2435
shannon.carter@stjude.org
NEWS RELEASE
Tri Delta Celebrates Grand Opening of Patient Care Floor at
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®
Women’s Fraternity Commits ‘$10M in 10 years’, Marking One of the Largest Donations Ever Made to any Charity by a Greek-affiliated Organization
Arlington, Texas – November 13, 2007 – Tri Delta, an international women’s Fraternity, will join the celebration at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during the grand opening of the Chili’s Care Center on November 14 and 15, 2007.
Tri Delta has contributed significantly to the construction of this facility, funding a Patient Care Floor in the Chili’s Care Center through its commitment to donate $10 million in 10 years for St. Jude. Tri Delta’s $10 million pledge marks one of the largest donations ever made to any charity by a Greek-affiliated organization.
The celebration planned for Thursday, November 15 will center around the Tri Delta patient care floor dedication and will include a pancake breakfast, where more than 150 Tri Delta collegiate and alumnae women will serve pancakes to patients. After the breakfast there will be a short ceremony with speeches from John P. Moses, chief executive officer of ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude, and Tri Delta’s Fraternity President Michelle Shimberg, among others. The physical formation of three unity triangles (Tri Delta’s Greek symbol) by attending Tri Delta women and St. Jude patients outside the Chili’s Care Center, will cap the morning’s events.
“Tri Delta’s commitment to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will make a lasting difference in the lives of our patients and their families,” said John P. Moses, chief executive officer of ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude. “The patient care floor in the Chili’s Care Center will be a place where our patients will receive the highest quality care in a warm and comforting environment. We are grateful for Tri Delta’s dedication to the mission of St. Jude and for so generously supporting our life-saving work.”
Since St. Jude became Tri Delta’s national philanthropic partner in 1999, collegiate and alumnae members have donated more than $4.5 million to support the hospital. Tri Delta collegiate members have designed and executed a variety of creative fundraising campaigns including Sincerely Yours letter-writing campaigns and special events like pancake breakfasts and softball and golf tournaments.
In 2002, Tri Delta’s Executive Board agreed to a four-year $1 million endowment for the hospital’s Teen Room. Tri Delta exceeded expectations by reaching that goal in less than three years. Further, in July 2007, more than 120 collegiate women from Tri Delta chapters across the country attended the St. Jude Collegiate Leadership Seminar in Memphis, where several chapters were recognized for their outstanding support and philanthropic efforts to support St. Jude.
“I love our partnership with St. Jude because it’s one of the few charities that works directly with the people it’s trying to help,” said Sarah DiPrinzio, Tri Delta collegiate member at University of Nevada, Reno. “In my years as a Tri Delta I have often reflected on our partnership with St. Jude and been so thankful about the opportunity to support them, because I am so proud of the work they do.”
Tri Delta’s “$10M in 10 Years” commitment will equip the Chili’s Care Center with 18 new inpatient suites. The suites feature adjoining parent rooms with windows into patient rooms, private baths for the patient and their family, and two flat screen TVs. Other amenities available on the floor include the hospital’s main pharmacy, two nurse stations, a family lounge, an education office, a teen room and a play area.
“Our collegiate women have demonstrated a remarkable dedication to supporting St. Jude in the fight against childhood cancer,” said Michelle Shimberg, fraternity president for Tri Delta. “It is heartening to see our sisters unite to take our commitment to St. Jude to such an astounding level, and I am truly excited to see what is ahead for our partnership. Again and again, our young women continue to prove what great things they can do when they come together with one philanthropic purpose in mind.”
Currently, more than 90 percent of Tri Delta’s collegiate chapters are actively involved in supporting the St. Jude partnership through innovative philanthropic programming and enthusiastic fundraising efforts. In previous years, Tri Delta has been honored with the “Third Party Organization of the Year” award for its outstanding work with St. Jude and recently received with the “Collegiate Organization of the Year” award at the 50th Anniversary Celebration for ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude.
About Tri Delta
Founded in 1888, Tri Delta is leading the Greek community through our passion for progress and visionary thinking. Through partnerships with nationally-recognized organizations like St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, award-winning publications like The Trident, and innovative collegiate and alumnae initiatives, Tri Delta is committed to leveraging our timeless values to revitalize the sorority experience. For more information, please visit www.tridelta.org.
About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. No family ever pays for treatments not covered by insurance, and families without insurance are never asked to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fundraising organization. For more information, please visit www.stjude.org.
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