The Alumnae Panhellenic of Lee County hosted its annual Scholarship Luncheon and Fashion Show at the Helm Club. A record 106 women attended the event with a “Leading Ladies” theme. Fashions were provided by Mainstream Boutique on Six Mile Cypress Drive, which offers stylish, reasonably priced apparel for every generation.
The 27 silent auction items raised more than $12,000 for the scholarship fund. Laurie Babcock, a writer at Florida Gulf Coast University, served as honorary chair. A University of Maine graduate and member of Delta Delta Delta, she discussed how her sorority experiences shaped her writing career and shared an article comparing sorority recruitment at the University of Alabama with FGCU. Holly Messinger, Tri Delta member, Ariel resident, and Panhellenic vice president, said the event far exceeded expectations.
The highlight was the awarding of three $4,000 college scholarships. To qualify, sorority members must be graduates of a Lee County high school or be attending Florida Gulf Coast University. This year’s recipients are:
• Erin Brauch (Alpha Omicron Pi), a graduate of Bishop Verot High School, who is pursuing a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at Florida Gulf Coast University.
• Kaitlyn Nyberg (Chi Omega), a senior at Florida Gulf Coast University majoring in nursing.
• Izabella Smolnicka-Dos Santos (Kappa Kappa Gamma), a senior at Stanford University majoring in environmental systems engineering and a graduate of Florida Southwestern Collegiate High School.
The three honorees thanked the organizers for the scholarships that help fund their college educations. The women who attended enjoyed having a chance to get together for a good cause, and to remember the fun times spent with their sorority sisters.
