In celebration of Alpha Phi’s 150th Anniversary in 2022, we proudly share stories and moments that have created the legacy of sisterhood originally launched by our ten founders and which we still hold dear today.

This is story 14 of 150.

The Sara Ann Hatton Award

The women of the Greater Kansas City alumnae community celebrate alumnae support of Alpha Phi each year when they award one of their own the Sara Ann Hatton Award.

Sara Ann Wheeler Hatton (Omicron-Missouri), who joined the Silent Chapter in 1999, was a collegiate chapter president, a past Alpha Phi International President who served from 1966–1970, and a multiple-term District Governor and Director of Collegiate Programs. She was a National Panhellenic Council Delegate and a member of the International Executive Board. Each year during their Founders’ Day celebration, the Greater Kansas City Alpha Phi alumnae community (formerly alumnae chapter) awards an outstanding alumnae member with the Sara Ann Hatton Award.

Her Alpha Phi badge is presented to the honoree, along with a certificate, and the alumna keeps the badge safely in her care for a year. The award itself is Sara Ann’s Alpha Phi badge attached to a gold pendant backing. Sara wore the pendant as a bracelet for many years, then bestowed it as a gift to Alpha Phi sister Esther Richart (Omicron–Missouri) during her term as President of the Greater Kansas City Alumnae Panhellenic. Sara Ann was very modest and would never honor herself, so Esther gave the alumnae chapter the badge in her honor.

 Alumnae Chapter members awarded this honor exhibit a dedication and love for Alpha Phi through their commitment and involvement to their alumnae chapter. A few years later, Lisa Harrison (Beta-Northwestern), who received the award, donated a chain and made the badge into a pendant.

Twenty-nine women have received this prestigious honor since Sara Ann entrusted her badge to Esther, and the alumnae chapter continues to keep Sara Ann’s badge and her Alpha Phi legacy alive. The women who have received the award over the years include:

1991

Esther Richart (Omicron-Missouri, Alpha Lambda) 

1992

Virginia “Ginger” Peak (Gamma Delta-Kansas)*

1993

Sherry Tobaben Wilcher (Gamma Gamma-Drury)

1994

Robin Richart Beck (Omicron-Missouri) 

1995

Lisa Cooke Harrison (Beta-Northwestern)

1996

Kim Hahlen Peak (Gamma Delta-Kansas)

1997

Carole Pattison Drummond (Gamma Delta-Kansas)

1998

Kathie Behrel Warner (Delta Chi – William Woods)

1999

Debby Perkins Anderson (Gamma Omega-Midwestern State)

2000

Terri Powell Seyl (Omicron-Missouri) 

2001

Dolores “Dody” Dolson Lee (Gamma Delta-Kansas)* 

2002

Barbara Decker (Gamma Delta-Kansas) 

2003

Gretchen McClure (Theta Gamma-Truman State)

2004

Dee Ledford Malone (Omicron-Missouri)

2005

Allison Cink Rickels (Epsilon Theta-Northern Iowa)

 2006

Katey Foster Chamblin (Delta Xi-Nebraska Kearney)

 2007

Debra Howland Burgess (Gamma Delta-Kansas)

 2008

Samantha Pipe Cook (Gamma Delta-Kansas)

2009

Kelli Wilson Daly (Nu-Nebraska)

2010

Ashlea Brack Noonan (Delta Delta-Oklahoma City)

2011

Tricia Kyler Bowling (Theta Gamma-Truman State)

2012

Melissa Johnson McDonald (Upsilon-Washburn)

 2013

Lorie Snyder Parry (Theta Lambda-Central Missouri) 

2014

Ela Oudhousden Shacklett (Delta-Cornell) 

2015

Linda Gallagher (Gamma Delta-Kansas)

2016

Sarah Uchytil (Zeta Delta-Iowa State)

2017

Megan Beck Bretbower (Omicron-Missouri)

2018

Emily Keimig (Gamma Xi-Wichita State)

2019

Molly Ludlow Wendland (Gamma Delta-Kansas)

*Member has joined the Silent Chapter 

…and the tradition continues! The 2020 San Ann Hatton award recipient will be chosen in the spring of 2021.

PHOTO – Esther Richart, her daughter Robin Beck and her granddaughter Megan Bretbower, Omicron-Missouri alumnae, have each received the Sara Ann Hatton Award in honor of their fellow Omicron sister.