Hello Arizona Region!

 I hope you have all had a wonderful semester and are working hard towards your individual chapter goals. The Regional Board is also working attentively towards our goals, and one of our major focuses this year is the Arizona Regional Service Project: Trek Against Trash (All information on this project can be found in previous Regional newsletters, as well as in the “Regional Files Page” on our new Regional website at http://sites.google.com/site/ptkazregion/home).

 Originally, we had set the goal to have each participating chapter submit their official Trek Against Trash Wrap-Up Report to Natasha Stephens, nstephens4ptk@hotmail.com, by November 1, 2009. As of today, I have only received reports from 4 chapters, that’s it! Now, in an effort to encourage more participation from chapters in the Region, we would like to extend the date to submit your chapter’s Wrap-Up Form and photos of your event to November 23, 2009. Please keep in mind that you do not have to create a new project to fulfill the requirements of the Regional Project! This project is designed so that you can use any clean-up, recycling effort, beautification project, etc. that your chapter has already completed within this calendar year. All you have to do is collect the data from that project and then fill in the questionnaire for the Wrap-Up report, and submit any photos from that project. Remember, the major focus of this project is: The impact of a particular clean-up should affect the people of your community, raise awareness in individuals within the community on the importance of sustaining shared public spaces, bring about awareness and education of environmental sustainability, reducing waste, reusing, and recycling materials.

 The Trek Against Trash began as a dream in March 2008 when avid hikers and environmentalists Jordan Price and Carlie Roberts set out on a monumental mission - to hike the 2,174 mile Appalachian Trail and raise awareness for greener lifestyles in partnership with national nonprofit Keep America Beautiful. Jordan completed the Trek in August of 2008. In five months on the trail, Jordan and Carlie visited with Keep America Beautiful affiliates, and joined in efforts to clean up public lands, reduce, reuse, recycle, and educate.

 As an even greater incentive for your chapter to contribute to this project, other than the reward of knowing you have made a powerful contribution to your colleges and communities; the Arizona Region is working diligently to have Jordan Price join us as a guest and speaker at the 2010 Arizona Regional Convention in February! We would love to show Jordan and Keep America Beautiful, that the Arizona Region worked hard this year to support their efforts, that we are dedicated to this cause, and that we have made a significant difference in our state towards educating individuals on the importance of environmental sustainability, reducing waste, reusing, and recycling materials.

 Please, let’s come together as a Region to make this project one of substance, reward, and encouragement! You now have an extra THREE WEEKS to contribute to make this project one of the Arizona Region’s greatest accomplishments to date. So, don’t be left behind, do not delay, and let’s pull together and show that the Arizona Region is dedicated to our International Service Project, “Operation Green: Improving Our Communities” and to the amazing efforts of Keep America and Arizona Beautiful! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about this project feel free to contact Natasha Stephens, Regional Vice President of the Southern District, or Jorge Rodriguez, Interim Arizona Regional Coordinator. We hope very much to begin to hear from other chapters across the Region very soon and thank you for all of your hard work and dedication!

 Sincerely,

 Natasha Stephens

Regional Vice President

Southern District of Arizona,

Phi Theta Kappa

Honor Society

(520) 305-2339

 Jorge Rodriguez

Program Advisor, Student Life & Leadership

Coordinator, AZ Region of Phi Theta Kappa

Scottsdale Community College

9000 E. Chaparral Road

Scottsdale,  AZ  85256

Phone (480) 423-6556

Fax (480) 423-6547

jorge.rodriguez@sccmail.maricopa.edu

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