Quarterly Newsletter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Epsilon Epsilon Omega Chapter Issue 1 SPRING Volume 1 2016 Introducing President Introducing our www.akaeeomega.org/ Jolynn Caroline newsletter Sisterly Relations 2016-2018 Co-Chairs What’s Inside Greetings from the President Page 02 Programs & Events Page 04 - 09 Good News Page 10 Announcements Page 15 Published for the Community Quarterly Newsletter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Epsilon Epsilon Omega Chapter GREETINGS Sisters and Community Members, First, to the sisters in Epsilon Epsilon Omega chapter, kindly allow me the opportunity to thank you for the dis- For over 35 years, Epsilon Epsilon Omega has been in tinct honor of serving as your President! I look forward to partnership with the Reading is Fundamental/RIF organi- working alongside each of you as we implement the stra- zation to provide free books to children in the local com- tegic initiatives of our International President, Dorothy munities. Last year, there was a 218% increase in the Buckhanan Wilson, Launching New Dimensions of Ser- number of books given away. In February, Dionne Web- vice. On January 9th, we celebrated another successful ster and the RIF Committee held a book drive at the Boys year of programs and service to the Champaign, Urbana, and Girls Club in February. We provided over 100 free Danville, Rantoul, and Savoy communities. We also books to students ranging in age from kindergarten looked forward to the year ahead with goals of Promoting through high school Sisterhood and Providing Service. Our A.S.C.E.N.D. (Achievement, Self-Awareness, Com- Promoting Sisterhood. On January 15, 2016, we gath- munication, Engagement, Networking, Developmental ered together to celebrate our 108th Anniversary of being Skills) cohorts (one in Champaign; one in Danville) had a Supreme in Service to All Mankind! Thank you to the very active fall semester and look forward to many activi- Sisterly Relations Committee, and in particular our chair- ties this spring. ASCEND participants are volunteering in men, Dionne Webster and Gigi Secuban, for planning a their local communities, exploring various careers, learn- fun-filled, family-friendly event. Grounded in the founda- ing test-taking skills for college entrance exams, and fi- tion laid by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle and our other Founders, nancial aid workshops. Special recognition goes to Name- we ka Bates, Johnnie Carey, Leola Davis, Murial Jones, De- siree McMillion, and Alice Payne for your consistent ded- Kudos to our Soror of the Year, Leola Davis! Thank you ication to mentoring our youth. for your hard work and dedication to Epsilon Epsilon Omega. You are truly a valuable asset and we are grateful to have you as an important part of our chapter. Thank you for all that you do! In sisterhood and service, Jolynn C. Caroline Providing Service. In the first quarter of this year, we President held programs on the first Community Impact Days: Mar- tin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and Pink Goes Red for Heart Health Day. Both activities were well attended and received positive feedback from attendees. For the Day of Service, we collaborated with our undergraduate chapter, Gamma, and the graduate chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc. to view the movie, Selma.. Thank you to Nicole Anderson-Cobb for leading an engaging discussion of civil rights, police brutality, and campus race relations following the film. In February, we collaborated with the graduate chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity, Inc., and Canaan Missionary Baptist Church to host a Pink Goes Red Health Fair. Thank you to our Program Chairs, JoAnn Archey and Patricia McKinney Lewis! GettingQuarterly Newsletter to of Alpha Know Kappa Alpha our Soror of the Year Sorority, Inc. Epsilon Epsilon Omega Chapter Leola Davis Becoming an educator was a natural career choice for me. Family, church involvement, and mentoring from pre-college teachers directed me to become a teacher. Three of my older siblings were educators. When I was in the fourth grade, one of my older brothers was the fifth grade teacher next door. I was a constant helper for teachers throughout the building; I graded papers, put up bulletin boards, and tutored other students. During the summers, the minister at my church, who also was one of my teachers, chose me to be one of the youth dele- gates at Leadership Training School. I experienced a week away from home, on a college campus, three sum- mers before high school graduation. I applied my learned skills to helping others, especially my younger nieces and nephews whom I experienced daily contact with. After graduating from Lane College with a degree in Elementary Education, I accepted a teaching job with Danville School District #118, where I was employed for forty years. strong black women. Post college years, I became a member of Epsilon Epsilon Omega chapter. In the chapter, I have been the Ivy Leaf Reporter, Hostess, My Master degrees were acquired from Eastern Illinois Chairman of the Sisterly Relation committee, and a University. My roles as a teacher in the Danville com- member of numerous other committees. Beyond being munity were transitional. My teaching roles included of 'service to mankind ' in the Epsilon Epsilon Omega teaching at both the elementary and middle school lev- community, I enjoy going to conferences sponsored els. During other periods of time, I serviced the district by the sorority to continually expand sisterly friend- in both the Title1 and Title V11 programs as a Math ships and to learn how the meaningful service pro- Specialist. The rapport I shared with my students, their grams established by the sorority are being imple- families, and my co-workers were my fondest memories mented across the country. The sisterly friendships of being a teacher. Like I had experienced as a child, encourage members of the organization to work, many families invited me, the teacher, into their homes through common goals, together to make the world a for dinner. I taught, in some cases, three generation of better place to live. students from a given family. In other families, I taught all of the siblings. Throughout my years of teaching, I received numerous building level teaching awards. In In the Danville community, I am a member of Second 2011, I received a district level award, Dr. David L. Baptist Church's choir and missionary ministries. I am Fields Excellence in Teaching Award. a member of Vermilion Valley Reading Council and the Vermilion County Retired Teachers Association. I As part of the total college experience, I became a mem- enjoy exercising, reading, and gardening. Currently, I ber of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., while attending am enrolled in the Vermilion County Master Garden Lane College. The sorority provided me an extended Program and in continuing education classes through family network, away from home, where the members the OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) program supported and encouraged each other. The sorority was at the University of Illinois. established in 1908. Throughout its history the sorority has expected its members to exhibit, at all times, the highest moral, ethical, and scholastic characteristics. It “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything still is considered an honor to be apart of such a prestig- give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus ious organization, where college aged members were for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, is the scripture I groomed to be willing to serve their communities as live by. THE SALAD BOWL The Salad Bowl began in 1966, as one of our Chapter’s smaller fundraisers. Sorors made the salads and this dressy affair was designed to be an annual summer community-social activity. For over fifteen years, on the second Sunday afternoon in July, it was held on the front lawn of Soror Maudie Edward’s home. Pink tablecloths covered each table, with a large AKA umbrella hoisted over the center table. People in the community looked forward to and enjoyed the annual summer- time event. Many Alpha Kappa Alpha women attending summer school at the University of Illinois were guests. It was expanded to include a fashion show, with clothing donated by local stores, personal wardrobes and Mrs. Lucy Jess Gray, a collector of antique clothing. In the early eighties, the Salad Bowl was moved to Douglass Center. AKA Martin Luther King, Jr. Impact Day The members of Epsilon Epsilon Omega Chapter, in Fraternity, Inc. Zeta Xi Lambda Fraternity, Inc. moderated conjunction with Alpha Kappa Alpha Gamma Chapter and the discussion. We were also delighted to have some of our Alpha Phi Alpha Tau Chapter, held a successful program ASCEND scholars present at the event. on Monday, January 18, 2016 from 1-3pm at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Bruce D. Nesbitt African The major focus of the event was to collect seasonal wraps American Cultural Center. In recognition of the sorority’s for community children. The support for this effort was vision that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s holiday be a “day overwhelming. We collected a total of 175 items. The of service”, our program was designed to draw people from items were donated to the Champaign Family Connection the campus and community to remember the contributions Center, Champaign Unit #4 Family Information Center, and he made and provide service to all mankind. The film Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School. There Selma, directed by Sister Ava Duverney, was viewed and were over 75 people present at the event, which included used as a teaching tool to facilitate discussion around social chapter members, community members, and undergraduate and political activism. Sister Nicole Anderson Cobb, PhD students. and Kadeem Fuller, graduate member of Alpha Phi Alpha Go Red Health Fair An Awesome Success The Epsilon Epsilon Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., along with the Amazing Women’s Ministry of Canaan Baptist Church and the Champaign- Urbana Alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity co-hosted the 2nd Annual Go Red Health Fair on February 5, 2016 at Canaan Academy Gym .