The Chapter Challenge horses have taken the field and your team is already running for the winner’s circle. Once around each of four race tracks, cross the finish line and your team could be standing in the winner’s circle on September 27, 2013. To find out which course your horse is currently on and where your team is in the overall standings, visit the competition website at campaign.cottey.edu/chapter-challenge.
The Chapter Challenge competition— “An Old Fashioned Horse Race,” was announced on September 30 at International Convention of the P.E.O. Sisterhood in Saint Louis, Missouri. This challenge to every local P.E.O. chapter is just one aspect of A Defining Moment: the campaign for Cottey College. The campaign, which began in January 2009, is an effort to raise $35,000,000 to support the following five areas of Cottey life;
- Increased scholarship endowment– $10 million
- Faculty chairs–$3 million
- Construction of a new Fine Arts Instructional Building–$9 million
- Library enhancements–$3 million and
- Unrestricted funding–$10 million
There are two distinct yet equal purposes of the chapter challenge
1) To raise funds in support of the Defining Moment Campaign through donations by local P.E.O. chapters, and
2) To strengthen the local P.E.O. chapter through the enthusiasm and deeper friendship bonds that form when chapter members work and have fun together in order to achieve a common goal.
The chapter challenge is different from any previous campaign
For the very first time, electronic communication and the internet are allowing P.E.O. sisters to connect in real time, creating the opportunity for an international competition. To this end, all of P.E.O. has been divided into four regions. Every region has 30 teams comprised of approximately 50 local P.E.O. chapters. No longer constrained by geography, everyone is just “one click away” from the other members of their team. Through the C3 Sister Network, news and information, competition updates, fun fundraising ideas and links to audio and video presentations will all be available on the Internet—and access to it is absolutely free!
There are two ways to win
THE REGIONAL WINNER will be the region with the highest overall CHAPTER donations and will be announced at the 2013 Convention of International Chapter in Dallas, Texas. The winning region will be celebrated throughout all of convention, with special treats and advantages—plus bragging rights for years to come.
THE INDIVIDUAL TEAM WINNER must complete the full course and make it into the “Winners Circle” to be eligible. A team finalist from each region will be determined based upon the highest CHAPTER contributions and the team with the highest contribution overall will be declared the WINNING TEAM with permanent recognition on the Cottey campus.
ONLY CONTRIBUTIONS MADE THROUGH THE CHAPTER’S TREASURY WILL BE COUNTED IN THE CHAPTER CHALLENGE. The mission of the Chapter Challenge is to both support Cottey College and strengthen local P.E.O. chapters. Individual giving is highly appreciated and will forever be depended upon. However, it is through the shared enthusiasm of working toward a common goal that our chapter members are inspired, their commitment to P.E.O. is reaffirmed, and they more fully enjoy their participation in P.E.O. life. Having fun together builds stronger P.E.O. chapters. Stronger P.E.O. chapters are better equipped to support all of the P.E.O. philanthropies. And the P.E.O. philanthropies encourage, enhance and enable the education of women everywhere.
Is there anything else we need to know?
Additional news, information, and links to videos will be coming to your email box through the C3 Sister Network. Each month YOU will have the opportunity to see what’s happening at Cottey as the campus comes to life on your computer screen. For the complete rules of the competition and other information, please visit our website at campaign. cottey.edu/chapter-challenge…and let the fun begin. They’re off!
