volume 10, spring 2019 · nutty newsletter volume 10, issue 1 1 . nutty newsletter spring 2019....

Editor: Rylie Miller Allen

Volume 10, Spring 2019

Hello my amazing Epsilon Kappa sisters!

We have had a changing of the guard in the EK Alumnae Chapter so this is my first letter as the new president of the chapter. This is a big year for Epsilon Kappa. We are watching via social media the construction on a brand new chapter house, we will cel-ebrate our 60th anniversary as a chapter at IRD on April 27th and later in the summer is the official 10th anniversary of the reborn EK Alumnae Chapter. Prior to 2009 there was no newsletter like this that went out annually to alumnae keeping them informed on what was going on in the Collegian Chapter. IRD was mostly just the chapter and perhaps a few local alumnae or advisors but there were far less awards, planned outside speakers and no Spirit of Epsilon Kappa award. So what changed in 2009? It all started with the 50th Anniversary IRD Reunion. Some amazing women decided that 50 years of EK deserved a big party. Rhonda Dunn(85) and Laura Mortick(86) began to work with IHQ to get lists of our alumnae and attempted to update addresses and fill in gaps. I remember receiving an email from Laura of “lost sisters” from my college years and we all started hitting the phones and at the time the very new “Facebook” to hunt down our old friends. In

fact I joined Facebook for the first time specifically to help plan the IRD and reach out and encourage friends from college to attend. Lots of people from different eras were helping to fill in gaps and recruit sisters to come. Rhonda found a location big enough to fit our growing group and secured blocks of hotel rooms for out of town alumnae who were traveling. I remember getting updates that we were up to 150 women coming back, then 200, the number just kept growing! Mary Coffman Russo(60), Carol Haesemeyer Watson(84) and Amy Speck Vinton(92) were all part of the planning. Shannon Nichols Fletcher(94) spearheaded decorations includ-ing a display board with photos from each of the 5 decades and the Theta Sigma Upsilon sisters who were our predecessors. Shirley Henderson Fry(79) made welcome care packages for the hotels. Then so we would all have a lasting memory of this momentous occasion, Krina Cloninger Snider(82) arranged a photographer on a large cherry picker basket to take a photo of all 250 of us from the sky. So after all that work, all that planning, all that updating of roster (over 1000 records updated) and creating of email lists and

A WORD FROM THE EKAC PRESIDENTHeather Kalar RubeschchSpring 2019Nutty Newsletter Volume 10, Issue 1

1 Nutty Newsletter Spring 2019

2009 IRD celebration marking 50 years of Epsilon Kappa.

connecting on Facebook, it didn’t seem right to let it all fade away. Salli Ogden Chowning(96) reached out to IHQ to find out what the procedures were for chartering an Alumnae Chapter. A group of the 50th organizers and some other interested alumnae got together the next month at a meeting organized by Salli to talk about a permanent Alumnae Chapter for Epsilon Kappa. This point in the summer of 2009 is when Susan Wilper Moss(94) and myself got actively involved. We had both been active and on the board of the Greater Kansas City Alumnae Club so we knew a little bit about what IHQ required of an Alumnae group. So Susan volunteered to be the first president of the EKAC and I volunteered to be the editor. We had 58 dues paying members that year. Over the 2009 Christmas break the House Association did some remodeling to the chapter house kitchen so our first Alumnae support event for the chapter was a kitchen shower in July 2009. I worked with the girls at the house to determine what they needed and created a registry on Target.com. We had a group at Bid Day in August to welcome 22 new novitiates, a tailgate for homecoming, the first edition of the Nutty News and launched a website (www.agdpsualum.com), a Christmas Party and plans for the 2010 IRD with a chapter cookbook underway by the close of 2009.

Over the last 10 years we have accomplished some wonderful things for our chapter. We now have over 100 members who pay dues each year that allow us to support the collegiate chapter with work week and officer training meals, scholarships, initiation gifts and senior rededication mementoes. We now have 35 women who are EK initiates who wear the Honors of Epsilon Pi for service to the fraternity. Prior to 2009 that number was 24. Susan Wilper Moss and I received our Arc of Epsilon Pi at the 2010 convention in a joint petition for our service to both the Greater Kansas City Alumnae Club and the Epsilon Kappa Alumnae Chapter. It was one of the most special moments of my life to be at the convention with Susan who I had been a collegian with and to know we were being recognized by the International Fraternity for our commitment to our sisterhood. Perhaps only eclipsed by the shock of receiving the Arc with Diamond the same time as Maggie at this past August’s Alpha Gam Always event because I had no idea they had even nominated me. I hope each of you take pride in your membership in Epsilon Kappa as an organi-zation that is always striving to maintain the spirit of the Alpha Gamma Delta Purpose. I hope you reflect on the past 10 years and an alumnae event you attended - a happy hour, a Christmas party or an IRD and you feel the joy that I feel when I look at the photos every year in this newsletter. Sisterhood is not about the four years of college. As a now 25 year member I can tell you it gets better and better each year. If you haven’t been involved or you aren’t sure where to start, please reach out. You don’t have to come to everything, you don’t have to serve on the board but we would love to see you and reconnect you to the sisterhood circle.

Loyally in Epsilon Pi,

Heather Kalar Rubesch(93)[email protected]


Susan Wilper Moss (94) and Heather Kalar Rubesch (93) receiving the Arc of Epsilon Pi at the 2010 convention.

IRD I ALPHA GAMMA DELTA I EPSILON KAPPA CHAPTERYou are cordially invited to attend Epsilon Kappa’s 60th nInternational Reunion Day (IRD).

Inspired by the vision and values defined by our Founders, Alpha Gamma Delta cherishes the life-long opportunity to share sisterhood. IRD is a time to develop or rekindle Fraternity friendships and to renew and develop understanding of the true meaning of Alpha Gamma Delta.

Come and reconnect with your sisters at IRD!!

Sisters that were initiated in 1969 and 1994 will be recognized for being 50 and 25 Year mem-bers.

The luncheon is for Alpha Gamma Delta members only and appropriate dress is smart casual/Badge attire.

When:

Place:

Cost:

Registration and Social Time:

IRD Luncheon and Program:

April 27, 2019

Crestwood Country Club304 W. Crestview AvenuePittsburg, KS 66762

$20.00

11:00 AM

11:30 AM


195 Alpha Gams attended the 2018 IRD, makingit the biggest turn out since 2009!

Sisterly bonding at the Kansas Crossing Casinothe night before IRD.

IRD RESERVATION FORM - 60TH ANNIVERSARY!2019 is the 60th Anniversary of Epsilon Kappa Chapter! Has it already been 10 years since the 50th in 2009? They say time passes faster the older you get and that sure seems to be true. The ladies currently in the chapter were in elementary school at the last reunion. In 2009, there were no iPads, no Instagram, no Uber, GPS didn’t exist on smartphones, no Pinterest, no smart watches and no 3-D printing! A lot has changed in the past 10 years, but a lot has stayed the same. Alpha Gamma Delta still has a strong sisterhood, still loves squirrels and still impacts the world. Sixty years is a long time for our chapter! We have a lot to celebrate and will hear from some amazing ladies celebrating their 25th and 50th anniversaries in Alpha Gamma Delta. We hope you can make it to IRD this year.

Please return this reservation form with payment no later than April 12, 2019

Checks should be made payable to Epsilon Kappa Alumnae Chapter (EKAC) and mailed to:

Epsilon Kappa Alumnae ChapterPO Box 1823

Pittsburg, KS 66762

IRD Luncheon and Program(Please indicate if you have any special dietary needs)

Amount$20

NAME:

ADDRESS:

CITY, STATE, ZIP:

PHONE NUMBER:

EMAIL ADDRESS (if applicable):


25 AND 50 YEAR CEREMONIES AT IRD

50 Year Ceremonies

25 Year Ceremonies

Initiated March 8, 1969

Initiated October 29, 1994

Initiated October 11, 1969

We will be recognizing our sisters that were initiated in 1969 and 1994 during ceremonies at IRD. If you were initiated in one of these two years, we would love for you to attend IRD and be honored.

Joyce Ketterman Benoit Kathleen Burke McClureSally Sigler Kuklenski Carol Keller FrenchKaren King Mary Geier PiperSusan Coury Rogers Gail Shawyer FrapolliCatherine Vietti McVey Dianne Ryder ReikenAlice Jane Walrath Hughes Cynthia Robertson KayeCynthia Ward Helms Jennifer Reynolds ReedPatricia Regan LaRoche

Erin Bonham Rebecca Malnar Stephany Kimball Kelley Shannan Cox UnderwoodDenise Bright Hadley Shannon Nichols FletcherJennifer Pappas Warner Jessica Friedl LawrenzMalisa Baugher McEachen Cassidy Turpin BrannonKimberly Young

Marilyn Rader Karstetter Pamela Burnidge KolathSusan Edmonds Evans Diana Highes GotwalsLinda Loudermilk Zink

Autumn Woolery BeachKimberly Karleskint Brown Christine Lindley ArnetteAngela McGuire Carrie BeachnerDione Dickason Butler Susan Wilper MossKimberly Hayden Antonitte Sarah Light GrosvenorChristina Norris Keating Nichoel Knapp Johnston


IRD 2018 RECAP IRD 2018 was one for the books! We finally received word that the sorority house would be torn down during the summer of 2018 and we needed to have a proper farewell! For 42 years (1976-2018) the undergraduates of Epsilon Kappa chapter called 2102 S. Broadway home. Through the years, we estimate approximately 800 women lived in the Alpha Gam house. That is a lot of good-byes! It was a special occasion and 120 alumnae (195 including the chapter) attended IRD! This was the largest turnout since 2009! Many of those traveling in from out of town stayed at the new hotel & casino in Pittsburg. The Alpha Gam’s pretty much took over that casino! It was fun when women from many different generations all stayed at the same place. We didn’t all know each other, but we knew we were all sisters! The program was great – everyone took time to share stories about when they lived in the Alpha Gam house. Some were funny, some were embarrassing, some were inappropriate but all brought back lots of memories. The collegians seemed to enjoy the stories and were shocked that some of us lived in the basement! They believe the basement is haunted! With the great turnout for IRD, we had a lot of ladies who celebrated their 25th and 50th anniversary with Alpha Gamma Delta. Thirteen women initiated in 1993 (25 years) were in attendance and six ladies initiated in 1968 (50 years) were there that day. We’ve never had such large anniversary ceremonies at IRD – what a treat! The day ended with a special surprise honoring Maggie Costantini Ryan (68). Who else


has been the heart of Alpha Gamma Delta and been such an impact to so many women? Sisters from all eras were able to submit cards, letters and pictures to include in an album for Maggie. It takes a lot to catch Maggie off guard but I believe we succeeded. She was quite surprised and for once, speechless! No one is more deserving of such an honor, than Maggie, she has been the glue that held the chapter together many times.

We hope to see you at IRD this year, it’s a great way to stay connected with your sisters and get to meet some new ones.

Ladies of Alpha Gam taking over the Kansas Crossing Hotel and Casino in Pittsburg the night before IRD.

Initiation class of 1968 celebrating their 50th year anniversary of their initiation into Epsilon Kappa.

Initiation class of 1993 celebrating their 25th year anniversary of their initiation into Epsilon Kappa.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

At IRD 2018, Epsilon Kappa Alumnae Chapter was very pleased to award two local scholarships to members of the collegiate chapter. These two scholarships have been awarded for many years and are completely funded by donations from alumnae of Epsilon Kappa Chapter. A committee of alumae serve as a scholarship selection committee and we are impressed every year at the large number of talented young women who submit their applications.

The Jacqueline L. Iley Scholarship was awarded to Paige Peppard, from Wichita, KS. Paige graduated in May 2018 and is continuing her studies to earn her master’s degree. Paige held offices in the chapter and worked on the Panhellenic board. Paige contributed many hours serving the chapter and is a very deserving recipient of the Jacqueline L. Iley Scholarship.

The Emajeane Shy Boone Scholarship was awarded to Abbi Epperson from Pittsburg, KS. Abbi began student teaching English in January 2019 and will graduate in May. Abbi has dedicated countless hours contributing to the Epsilon Kappa chapter, served on the Panhellenic board, and worked to better the Pittsburg community.

Erin Horgan, Cherokee, KS was awarded the Connie Yates Brown scholarship for the 2018-2019 school year. This scholarship is awarded by the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation, but was funded by the Epsilon Kappa Alunae and friends of Connie to honor her service as International President.

Collegians

Additional RecognitionThe spirit of Epsilon Kappa Award was given with great love to the Chapter House. A dedication service was held in honor of the house at IRD in April 2018.

Six Epsilon Kappa women were recipients of the Honors of Epsilon Pi this past summer. Honors are bestowed upon alumnae members who have given faithful, continued, and outstanding service to the Fraternity. Emily Conrad Kallstrom(05), Holly Hrabik (08), Wendy Platt Kirkpatrick (93), and Leslie Lamar (99) recieved the Arc of Epsilon Pi. Maggie Costantini Ryan (68) and Heather Kalar Rubesch (93) received the Arc with Diamond.


Boone Scholarship recipient Abbi Epperson of Pittsburg, KS

Iley Scholarship recipient Paige Peppard of Wichita, KS

Wendy Platt Kirkpatrick (93), Emily Conrad Kallstrom (05), Heather Ka-lar Rubesch (93), Leslie Lamar (99), and Maggie Costantini Ryan (68)

HELLO FROM EK’S NEW CHAPTER ADVISOR

Hello alumnae!

I am so happy to be writing this update for you all! I think my last update for Nutty News was in 2010 when I was the Chapter President of Epsilon Kappa. For those of you that do not know, Cassandra Jarrett Cleaver (00) has resigned as chapter advisor after 10 years, and I am more than honored to continue her legacy and support you, our collegiate women, our chapter and the Fraternity in the best way possible. I live in Dallas, and at first, I thought doing this remotely might be strange and problematic, but the support I have gotten from the officer board, fellow advisors, and you all as alumnae is outstanding. I love being a Texan, but my heart has always belonged to Alpha Gamma Delta and Epsilon Kappa. I was initiated into Epsilon Kappa in the fall of 2008 and graduated from Pitt in 2012. During my collegiate years, I served as Vice President of Operations, Chapter President, and Ritual Coordinator. I have been serving as the Operations Advisor since the fall of 2012 and the young women know me for my membership process know-how, ritual, and

consistent availability to talk about what’s going on in the chapter or in their lives. These young women have so much going on in their lives outside of the chapter and with social media these days, it makes it that much harder to have a positive, empowered, and successful collegiate experience. I have been blessed to have been a part of their lives thus far as an advisor for the last six years and look forward with the rest of our wonderful advisor team to continue to watch young women learn, graduate, and find their passions. 2019 brings exciting changes for the chapter as we look forward to a brand new chapter house to be ready by the fall semester! The collegiate women cannot wait for the new house. We have continuously recruited this spring and have a wonderful Initiation planned the Friday evening before International Reunion Day, so we invite our Alumnae who can be there early to IRD to attend Initiation. The young women have worked hard this Spring to get ‘their’ chapter to be the best it can be by focusing on scholarship, the member experience, and ensuring that we are meeting our chapter goals and criteria for Good Standing with the Fraternity. If you are interested in how you can help the chapter, please let me know. We will be putting events and chapter updates on the Epsilon Kappa chapter Facebook page where we need your support (like move in this summer!). I look forward to seeing you all at IRD!

Loyally,

Holly Hrabik (08)Chapter AdvisorEpsilon Kappa, Alpha Gamma [email protected]

Holly Hrabik


COLLIGATE UPDATE

January: This month started off with our wonderful sister, Abigail Epperson, representing Epsilon Kappa as one of 16 women chosen for the Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values Service Immersion Experience. She had the opportunity to serve in New Orleans. We are so proud of her.

February: We kicked off February by welcoming 4 new members through informal recruitment. The month went on for us to have an amazing week of service. We also had time to throw in an awesome friend’s day.

March: March was a quiet month for the chapter. We were busy preparing for our exciting April schedule.

April: This month was an exciting time in the chapter. We had the most amazing spring bid day, but the highlight of April was for sure IRD. It was such a special time as the collegians witnessed many alumni saying their goodbyes to our beloved house. It was a very special day. But April doesn’t stop there. The chapter also welcomed our four lovely new members to be active members through initiation. Initiation was quickly followed by big little week.

May: This month was very exciting as we not only executed our annual Mac and Cheese feed but also finished out the semester.

July: In July, Morgan Kissane (President), Victoria Port (VP New Member Experience), and advisor Holly Hrabik attended the Alpha Gamma Delta Convention.

August: This month was once again full of excitement as we returned to Pittsburg for recruitment. Epsilon Kappa had a wonderful work week and recruitment. The women also attended a sister-hood retreat where they had the opportunity to sleep in the penguin building at the Kansas City Zoo.

September: As September is hunger action month, the women of Epsilon Kappa were sure to volunteer at the local Lord’s Diner.

October: This month was full of fun as we prepared for big and little pairings through many sis-terhood events and activities. We also had a wonderful event at Ol’ Yale Farms where we picked pumpkins and bonded over s’mores.

November: In November, we initiated our new member class. We were very excited to welcome these amazing women into this lifelong sisterhood. We also had a very fun big and little week.

December: December was packed as we prepared for the end of the semester and also held our Mac and Cheese feed for the year. We are very proud to say we reached jewel status for the year solely from this event.

Jordan Janiak


NEW BEGINNINGS FOR THE CHAPTER HOUSE


At this past IRD, alumnae came from around the country to say goodbye to the house that served Epsilon Kappa from 1968 to 2018. Colliegate members of the chapter gave tours of the Chapter House and a ground breaking ceremony was held to commemorate not only the end of an era, but the start of a new beginning for Epsilon Kappa.

The Chapter House was awarded the Spirit of Epsilon Kappa award at IRD in April 2018 for it’s service to the chapter for the past five decades.

The old Espilon Kappa Chapter House was demolished in November in 2018 and is now in the middle stages of construction for the new house that is tentatively set to be finsihed sometime in the summer of 2019.

The new chapter house boasts mulitple living spaces (including formal and informal rooms, an improved study room, and a dining room), a first floor ADA suite, an open-concept kitchen and dining room, designated mail and printing room, all new systems and furnishings, and spa-like member bathrooms.

The chapter hopes to have the new house ready to show visiting alumae during Homecoming weekend 2019. The house progress can be followed on the Facebook page Epsilon Kappa Chapter FHC Updates.

A ground breaking ceremony was held at IRD in April 2018 before the house was demolished.

The Chapter House was awarded the Spirit of Epsilon Kappa award at IRD 2018.

3D rendering of the Epsilon Kappa house, construction to be finished this summer.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/251171118899116/


FALL 2018 INITIATION

Addison Brown Baxter Springs,KSAnna Stephens Mulvane, KSAutumn England Frontenac, KSCaitlin Henry Andale, KSCourtney Ison Olathe, KSEmily Herrman Larned, KSGrace Burns Overland Park, KSGrace Gibson Harvard, ILGretchen Cooper Overland Park, KSHaley Wood Mulvane, KSHalle Hewitt Kansas City, MOIvon Rueda Pittsburg, KS

Ivy Mwangi Overland Park, KSKathleen Krull Spring Hill, KSKennedy Allen Baxter Springs, KS Laura Ridings Cherokee, KSMallory Brajkovic Kansas City, KSMekinzie Foreman Muskogee, OKSadie Myer Overland Park, KSSophia Porembski Overland Park, KSTara Land Gardner, KSTeramy Saighman Smithville, MOVictoria Bailey Augusta, KS


sisterhood

Senior rededication spring 2018

Anne Marie Gartner Lenexa, KSAshton Sholtz Louisburg, KSDakota Dudash Belle Vista, ARJaclyn Kimes Bucyrus, KSKaylin Lake Kansas City, MOMegan Woodfield Salina, KSPaige Peppard Wichita, KSSarah Matthews Kansas City, KSSydni Griffin Sulphur Springs, AR


EPSILON KAPPA ALUMNAE CHAPTER

JOIN THE EPSILON KAPPA BOOK CLUB!Check out the Alpha Gamma Delta - Epsilon Kappa Facebook page for more info!

MARCH: MY ABSOLUTE DARLING BY GABRIEL TALLENT DISCUSSION ON 3.31

APRIL: IT’S ALL RELATIVE BY ALI JACOBS DISCUSSION ON 4.28

MAY: THE TEA GIRL OF HUMMINGBIRD LANE BY LISA SEE DISCUSSION ON 5.19

JUNE/JULY: THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS IS BY LAURIE FRANKEL DISCUSSION ON 7.29

2019

OFF

ICERS President - Heather Kalar Rubesch

Vice President Membership - Samantha Arnold WhiteVice President Collegiate Support - Shannon Nichols FletcherVice President Social Activities - Kayla LightVice President Social Media - Leslie LamarSecretary - Wendy Platt KirkpatrickPermanent Secretary - Laura MortickTreasurer - Maggie Costantini RyanEditor - Rylie Miller Allen

Senior rededication fall 2018

(Left to Right) Shelby Simpson (Pittsburg, KS), Morgan Kissane (Topeka, KS), Abbi Epperson (Pittsburg, KS), Peyton Hayworth (Mulvane, KS), Victoria Port (Parsons, KS)

Peyton Hayworth Mulvane, KSShelby Simpson Pittsburg, KSMorgan Kissane Topeka, KSVictoria Port Parsons, KSBailey Wolken Greeley, KSRachel Moravac Overland Park, KSAbbigail Epperson Pittsburg, KS


MEMBERSHIP UPDATEThank you to everyone who helped make our 2018/19 membership drive successful once again! It is so great to know we can count on our sisters! We are excited about our membership numbers again this year! We have 113 members, the most we have ever had!

Last year at IRD, the Epsilon Kappa Alumnae Chapter was pleased to award two scholarships each in the amount of $500. These scholarships are in honor of Jacqueline Iley (75) and Emajean Shy Boone (60). In additional to awarding these two scholarships, we transferred extra money to the scholarship funds to further our goal to endow both scholarships, so they will continue into the future!

Money has also been allocated to send to the AGD Foundation for the Connie Yates Brown Scholarship, which is awarded to through the foundation.

Your donations helped to provide a Bid Day lunch and Recruitment Training lunch for the collegiate members as well as small gifts for new members on bid day and graduating seniors as they go through the rededication ceremony. We thank everyone who has supported the Alumnae Chapter and made all this possible.

We will continue to hold our yearly Membership Drive during the summer. Please watch your mail for a letter explaining the details of the Membership Drive. We hope you will continue to support the Alumnae Chapter.

If you are unsure of whether you paid your membership dues or if you would like to see a list of sisters who are supporting EKAC, you can click here.


Chapter CapsuleCAMPUS QUOTA: 30

AGD NEW MEMBERS: 30 (FALL) & 6 (SPRING)

CAMPUS TOTAL: 86

AGD CHAPTER TOTAL: 80

NUMBER IN LARGEST NPC GROUP: 90

Newest girls pinned in February 2019Back row: Audry Elmore (Grove, OK), Jordan Toft (Gardner, KS), Hayley Scranton (Rock Island, IL)Front row: Hannah Carr (Springfield, MO), Kallie Cook (Baxter Springs, KS), Shianne Zillifro (Carthage, MO)

https://dk-media.s3.amazonaws.com/AA/AF/agdpsualum-com/downloads/344097/Alum_Chapter_Members_2018-2019.pdf

STAY IN TOUCH

Alpha Gamma DeltaEpsilon Kappa Chapter

P.O. Box 1823Pittsburg, KS 66762

Very Important Information

Do you have a change in name, address, or marital status? When you do, please notify International Headquarters and Epsilon Kappa Alumnae Chapter through one of the these contacts:

1. Fraternity Website: www.alphagammadelta.orgClick on “Login to My Alpha Gam” and enter/change your information (secure section)2. Fraternity Fax: (317)875-58243. Fraternity Address: 8710 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN 462604. Fraternity Phone: (317)663-42005. Epsilon Kappa Alumnae Chapter Permanent SecretaryLaura Mortick - P.O. Box 1823, Pittsburg, KS 66762 or [email protected]

EKAC Editor: Rylie Miller Allen

Alpha Gamma Delta International Fraternity (IHQ)

Alpha Gamma Delta - Epsilon Kappa(EK Alumnae Chapter)

Alpha Gamma Delta - EK - Pitt State(Collegiate Chapter)

Alumnae Chapter Website:

www.agdpsualum.com



https://www.facebook.com/alphagammadelta/?epa=SEARCH_BOX

https://www.facebook.com/PittStateAlphaGam/

http://www.agdpsualum.com/

volume 10, spring 2019 · nutty newsletter volume 10, issue 1 1 . nutty newsletter spring 2019....

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