Longwood’s Kappa Delta sorority women eagerly waited on their front porch at their house that they commonly referred to as the “Looney Bin.” Attempting to scare away the nerves, they chanted loudly until all of Buffalo Street could hear them. Everyone was excited, except for Amanda Varnes.
"I really didn't think anything of it. Anyone who knows me knows that if a group picture is being taken I will be there, “ Amanda laughed. She was under the impression that her sorority had decided to take a recruitment photo on this day.
Amanda Varnes, sophomore, joined the Alpha Chapter of Kappa Delta here at Longwood University in the Spring of 2014. Her father, Chief Master Sergeant Dennis "Lee" Varnes, has been a soldier in the United States Air Force for 26 years. A few of the members sent a picture holding up an American flag with a “thank you” sign to show their support for the troops here and away from home. Amanda was very disappointed in Sept. 2014 when she was informed he could not return after being deployed for almost 7 months.
“I'm really close with my dad and it's always really hard when he has to be gone on deployments,” she said. However, without her knowledge, her father had returned on Oct. 6th and “began planning his surprise arrival with the sorority along with their president, Camden Vonbechmann”
“The troops do so much for our country and we wanted to do anything we could to support them…” Vonbechmann explained. On Oct. 7th, their chapter gathered for a picture but shortly after assuming their pose for the shot, Amanda’s father walked around the corner.
Amanda could not hold back her tears as her father embraced her. “When I first saw him I knew that it was my dad but it didn't register that he had just returned home and then I felt like I was whole again”.
But Chief Master Varnes had more than just a loving hug to give.
“…it goes a long way for the men and women who are deployed. [It] allows us to do what we do,” Varnes explained. After seeing the posts dedicated to the troops, he decided to get a flag dedicated to Kappa Delta. The flag was sent to him, along with a certificate that read:
“This certificate is to certify that this flag was flown on the F22 Raptor(?) over the skies of South West Asia for the Kappa Delta sorority, the Alpha chapter at Longwood.”
“This was only the beginning of the significance of the flag,” Varnes explained that though the flag was flown to him on Sept. 12th, 2014, it was unable to return along with him and the rest of the soldiers with him.
Chief Master Varnes and his soldiers were tasked to do a mission in northern Syria. On the morning of Sept. 23rd the flag was flown once more on the F22 Raptor during its first combat.
Chief Master Varnes wiped away tears as he spoke of the moment. “Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers,” he said. Amanda once more leapt into his arms as the sorority clapped, cried and cheered.
Mary Goggins, a sister of Kappa Delta, managed to capture video of “Mission: Surprise Amanda.” The post reached 3,924 people on her Facebook alone. Once shared on Longwood’s College PanHellenic Council’s page, the video reached 649 viewers of both the current and alumni Greek community here at Longwood.
“[It was] One of the happiest things I’ve ever been a part of,” Goggins post read.
“The fact that we were recognized for doing what we thought was somewhat of our civic duty was beyond a huge honor for our chapter and we will continue to support the troops in any way we can” Vonbechmann exclaimed! The flag will soon be framed and displayed in the Kappa Delta chapter room in Stubbs Hall. This flag does not only mean something to the sisters, but to the Greek community and Longwood as a whole.
Amanda is very grateful that she will be spending this Thanksgiving with her dad. This moment is a reminder of what a blessing it is to live in a country where men and women risk their lives to protect ours. And this flag is an honor to have on this campus.
