The Nu Alpha Gamma Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society welcomed Teresa Benson to their April 6 meeting.
Benson talked about her involvement in the Dress a Girl around the World program. The Des Moines group she belongs to makes sundresses for girls in less developed countries with warm climates. The group meets monthly to construct the dresses and then ships them to mission groups who distribute them in those countries.
They also collect t-shirts to be given to the boys in the villages.
Each sundress is constructed from fabric durable enough to withstand washing on the rocks in nearby streams, and each has a pocket in which a girl can keep her meager possessions.
A label from the program is affixed to each dress. This label is important because it indicates that someone is looking after the owner, and it often protects the wearer from predators who might kidnap or otherwise harm her.
Benson also talked about her mission trip to Ghana, where she helped deliver the dresses and t-shirts to the children in the villages. The trip was sponsored by the Lutheran Church of Hope and also delivered flip-flops, soccer balls, bubbles and crayons.
She said members were encouraged to help in any way they could, whether by donating fabric, notions, suitcases to carry the items in or helping to sew the dresses.
Members at the April meeting also celebrated the 95th birthday of longtime Nu Alpha Gamma member Darlene Pitsenbarger.
Nu Alpha Gamma is a chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International and is composed of active and retired women educators.
