Arrow in the Arctic
Pictured at left are Inuit students at the library at Arviat, Nunavut. These students have completed an Introduction to Mining class in association with Nunavut Arctic College and as a result have found employment.
Their instructor, Iain Mitchell, is the son of Vancouver Alumnae Club member, Courtney Soule Mitchell, and a descendent of Pi Beta Phi founder, Inez Smith Soule.
Pi Phi's Canadian 
philanthropy, Arrow in the Arctic, supports literacy in Canada's Northern library systems: the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Established at the 1967 Convention to commemorate the centennials of Canada and Pi Beta Phi, Arrow in the Arctic donations are also helping to preserve the language and culture of the north's Inuit and First Nations. Pi Beta Phi is the only Panhellenic group to have its own Canadian philanthropy.
To date, donations of more than $85,000 have been used to purchase the extras, beyond the supply of basic books provided by the Canadian government. Items purchased include "talking" books and videos/DVDs in English and the native languages such as Inuktitut and Dogrib. Reference books, collections of stories by native authors and educational programming have also been funded by Arrow in the Arctic.
Because of extreme weather, home schooling and occasional nomadic living conditions, Arctic libraries become community centers, socially and educationally.
Arrow in the Arctic funded libraries
Learn more about all the libraries funded by Arrow in the Arctic in this map.
Several resources provide more information
The compilation DVD with a segment on Arrow in the Arctic is available from Pi Beta Phi Headquarters. Please e-mail Special Events Coordinator Julie Ravensberg, julier@pibetaphi.org to request the DVD.
A PowerPoint was prepared for the 2009 Dallas Convention. This presentation was prepared using information from librarians and pictures from the northern libraries. Read more information in the Arrow in the Arctic flier containing additional information.
Supporting Arrow in the Arctic
Please send your donations to Pi Beta Phi Headquarters in St. Louis, and mark them “For Arrow in the Arctic.” Alumnae organization Treasurers and chapters can also submit donations. Alumnae organizations need to use the FT-2 form, and chapters the FT-1 form. These can be downloaded from the Resource Library at www.pibetaphi.org.
Chapters and alumnae organizations can contact the Canadian Philanthropies Chairman at CanPChair@pibetaphi.org or your local alumnae organization for directions on supporting this important philanthropy.