WILS - Alpha Chapter

riendship and sociability, stimulate mutual helpfulness and loyalty, and provide professional services. The name Chi Kappa Rho come from the Greek letter X, K and P, which stand for character, knowledge and recreation. The symbols on the Chi Kappa Rho seal are the scale for justice and service, the lamp for enlightenment, and the wings for athletics. In 1935 the woman, HELEN I. PONTIUS, shared her idea with several women at a Los Angeles Playgrounds Department Recreation Directors meeting. In 1936, Alpha, the first Los Angeles chapter, was chartered, and Chi Kappa Rho became a reality. The organization grew slowly within California between 1935 and 1967. The first National Board was established in 1964, and in 1975, the organization became a California non-profit corporation. In 1991, the membership voted to officially change the name of the organization from Chi Kappa Rho to Women in Leisure Services, Chi Kappa Rho, Inc. Today, Women in Leisure Services, Chi Kappa Rho, Inc. is a national organization for professional women involved in the delivery of leisure and community services in public, private, non-profit and commercial settings. A network of chapters serves administrators, supervisors, educators, therapists, and allied
professionals in geographical areas across the nation. Each chapter provides an effective framework for women from a variety of professional, leisure and community service fields to share ideas, broaden interests, sharpen skills, and influence the profession with the authority of a unified group. The network of local chapters forms the base from which stems the National Board of Directors. Each chapter (California Alpha, Delta, Gamma and Minnesota Zeta) selects a delegate to represent them on the National Board. In addition to one board delegate from each chapter, the National Board consists of five
officers, elected from across the nation who has had previous chapter board experience. Constant input from each woman in our profession is needed and desired. It is up to each chapter to reach out to professional women in their area to form a local base from which to offer strength to our network and to help formulate the direction and growth of our national organization.