Loretta Marie Veronica Bergoine Golden, better known as Laurie Golden to the Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority, is one of the original founders of the Delta Epsilon chapter at the University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada and has been an active alumna since 1983. Laurie lives in Harrow, Ontario but commutes to Southfield, Michigan, where she is a Registered Nurse-Home Health Care and is an employee of the Visiting Nurses Association of Southeastern Michigan. Besides loving her career, Laurie enjoys writing, gardening, camping, fishing, reading and most of all, volunteering.
Laurie was initiated on December 11, 1981 and held the positions of Rush Chair, Social Chair, Vice Archon and Archon (as a replacement). She is married to husband Jay Alan Golden and they will be celebrating their seventeenth year this July 26, 2003. Together they have two children: Marshall (12) and Katherine (7) who entertain the chapter from time to time with their school stories, their outlook on life, and accomplishments. Originally, Phi Sigma Sigma was initiated as Chi Delphia, little sisters of the Delta Chi Fraternity. Some were girlfriends of the guys and some were just friends. Later on, the ladies decided to go National so that they would feel that they belong to something more focused on women than men.
Like all new groups on campus, the Delta Epsilon Chapter had to face challenges of surviving as a new sorority, overcoming the fact that they might not belong or fit in and at the same time, incorporating school with their new-found sorority. Some of the questions that went through Laurie’s mind back then were, “how the heck will I finish all this? Can I still get my schoolwork done? How can we make the university understand that we are not all about partying and getting drunk?”
When asked about her fondest memories while being active, Laurie did not leave any details out! “I remember the weekend we were initiated as Phi Sigs. We were all writing exams and stayed at Linda Ottenbrite and Barb Francis’ apartment with a field rep. I think her name was Sandy. The women who came down to initiate us were from Supreme Council. Kim Hildred is the one I remember the most. We had a luncheon at one of the restaurants in Windsor. I think it was down on Pelissier St. We had a back room and some of our parents were there. My mom and youngest sister Sharron were there to celebrate with me. It was so fabulous that I could also celebrate and share dinner with both of them.” Also, she and her husband Jay had their first official date to the Founder’s Day party at the house on Bridge St. that next year. And Laurie was quick to add, “of course that was when the university actually recognized the Frats on campus and allowed us to rent one of the university housing units!”
Not only did she build memories as an active member, Laurie has since added to her list events that have happened and that will happen since she has become alumnae. The Delta Epsilon Chapter celebrated their 20th Anniversary on December 2001 and Laurie shared it with her family and husband along with the rest of the chapter.
Laurie is currently Archon for the Windsor Alumnae Chapter as well as Chapter Advisor for Delta Epsilon. Unfortunately, and with genuine regret, she will be stepping down this year; although, the chapter has found a great replacement who will be officially announced on July 1st.
Throughout the years, the Delta Epsilon Chapter has changed for the better. More importantly, it has grown considerably over the past few years. Laurie is proud to know that its message of academic excellence, diversity, and caring about others, to name a few, has remained strong. Although she feels that the chapter would benefit from working with past members who had felt the need to be disaffiliated and that they would grow even more through this learning. “Once a Phi Sigma Sigma, Always a Phi Sigma Sigma has to mean helping out the women who are having a hard time living up to what they said they were going to do. By disaffiliating women, we are NOT doing this motto any justice!” How can you keep an active alumnae chapter? “By contacting alums at different times of the year, whether for alum meetings, events or chapter events,” Laurie says. But she also emphasized that as an alumnae, “you need to keep in touch with the active chapter. Unless you do, the new people don’t know your name.” Laurie is not only proud to be a Phi Sig, but also feels this is a unique sorority in that she and the other members have the feeling of belonging. “We don’t discriminate among races, creeds, physical attributes, etc. As women we continue to work hard to make it the best sorority in Canada and the United States!
When Laurie isn’t busy with the sorority, she is busy being a mom, wife, nurse and an active volunteer in her community. She volunteers for Scouts Canada as a Beaver Leader, Cub Leader and Scout Helper. Laurie strongly believes in putting God first despite her crazy schedule. As a result, she is very active with the Catholic community. Laurie teaches First Communion classes at her church, she is a Eucharist Minister and she also belongs to the Catholic Women’s League and St. Vincent de Paul, to name a few.
But her passion for being a nurse is unprecedented. Laurie knew she wanted to be a nurse from the time she was young and read a series of old books called “The Cherry Aimes”. But what really fueled her was when she witnessed nurses being terribly impatient with her husband’s grandfather who became sick and dependent with arthritis. “They would grab him by the hands and pull him up. Needless to say, his hands were twisted with age and pain from arthritis. I was very angry that they could be so callus with him and cause him such pain. The only way I figured I could make a difference was to fulfill my dream and change things from the inside”.
Being a Phi Sig Alumna, in addition to being blessed with her generous heart as a nurse, has made the Laurie Golden you see today. It allows her, as a Phi Sig, to help others everyday and make a difference in someone’s life, and gets paid to do it too! “It’s very hard to separate your job from your life but I can’t see someone in pain and not try to help him or her. The pay is good, the hours are long, and the rewards are great!” What’s the key to being a true Phi Sigma Sigma? “Share yourself with others. Anyone”, Laurie says, “The person who looks lonely on the bus. The woman who looks too busy to talk. Your mom and dad. Your kids. This is how we can alleviate the pain of the people in the world. Live Phi Sig and you will be Phi Sig!”