Welcome to Panama the 17th Country of DKG and the 21st State Organization of the Southwest Region

The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Mission Statement for Key Women Educators: To promote professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education.

On November 27, Panama was officially installed into DKG. Nineteen initiates joined that evening, and the state organization and Alpha Chapter, Panama, was chartered. What a heart-warming experience to see the new members eagerly join our wonderful organization of 107,000+ members in our 17 countries. The new initiates and officers are all accomplished educators, passionate about education, and ready to take another step forward by signing on to fulfill our mission statement. We celebrated with the initiation, installation and a celebratory banquet. It was a wonderful evening. International president Dr. Carolyn Rants, IA, Mary Lee Makinen, MD, chair of the expansion committee, Jeannette Zuniga, organizer from Costa Rica, Mury Palerm Ferri, Latin American representative from Jalisco, and Dr. Mary Cauley, SE expansion committee member, NC, officiated the ceremony. Costa Rica is the sponsoring state organization and they had eight members present in support: Vera Leiva (Beta), María Buján (Gamma),Ilse Leer (Beta), Rosaura Matarrita (Gamma) Flor de María Pérez (Gamma- State President) Miriam Solano (Gamma), María Teresa Pereira (Beta) and of course Jeannette Zúñiga (Beta). Also present from the states bringing gifts and support were: Dr. Barbara Day, Immediate Past International President, NC, Dr. Dolly Price and Marilyn Stalder-Burke, present and immediate past presidents of California DKG, Zobedia Acevedo, NY, formerly of Panama, and Kathy Flynn, SW Regional Director from Colorado.

Items given to the new state organization were: the new president's gavel from Mary Makinen's chapter in Maryland, small candlesticks from Illinois-Lambda State, large candlesticks and the table drape from Texas-Alpha State, and the brass flower bowl from Colorado-Omega State. The international organization and expansion committee provided the necessary documents, etc.

With open hearts, we welcome PANAMA as our 17th country! Congratulations!