Volume II Issue 4 Greetings Sorors, Our hard work and persistence in purpose in carrying out the mission and vision of our beloved Sisterhood was recognized and applauded at the 83rd Central Regional Conference, April 6 – 9, 2017, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin… Lambda Tau Omega Chapter was awarded the prestigious 1st Place Award for our Power Point Presentation: LNDS: Target I: Educational Enrichment – ASCEND. This is the Signature Program for the administration of Madam Supreme Basileus, Dorothy Buckhanan Wilson. Our joy and excitement are still in the air as we continue to savor the recognition. Heartfelt thanks to our Program Committee Chairman/ Anti-Basileus, Soror Marilyn Hamb for her leadership. Kudos to Soror Audrey McFarlin, ASCEND Sub-Committee Chairman for the commitment of her time, energy and resources in coordinating the meticulous, well executed ASCEND Curriculum. The Power Point Presentation was “AWESOME.” We also earned the “ORDIE ROBERTS AWARD - ATTENDANCE (GREATEST PERCENTAGE) – CHAPTER SIZE-126 SORORS OR MORE.” LTO showed up and we were blessed by your presence!!
April 2017 a Risk Management Summit will be held to “empower sorors to take an active part in eliminating, reducing and managing risks facing Alpha Kappa Alpha.” The following Certifications will also be available: Basilei, Financial Officers, Graduate Advisors, and Standards. Again, you are encouraged to participate in workshops which meet your training and development needs. If you are interested in being a workshop facilitator or scanner at the 2017 Leadership Seminar, be sure to indicate that on your registration form. The duties of facilitators and scanners are outlined in the Fall/ Winter edition of the IVY LEAF. Please note the upcoming events on the Event Calendar. Sorors please remember that each of us is asked to support each fundraiser and nonfundraiser (2017 June and December Luncheons) by purchasing a minimum of two tickets. This is expected for the 2017 Miss Prominent Pearl Cotillion, AKAlectic Gospel & Jazz Brunch, AKAKlassic, June Luncheon and December Luncheon. I am calling upon each LTO Soror to please do your part in helping our chapter operate efficiently, effectively and in accordance with Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Policies and Procedures.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation, Inc. presented the AKA – EAF award to Lambda Tau Omega Chapter for our Commit- Thanks in advance for your cooperation ment to Excellence by Attaining the 2017 Gold Level – “Launching New Sisterly yours, Dimensions of Educational Excellence.” We also earned a “STAR Awards” for our on time submissions. We have received excellent returns on our investment, none of which would have been possible without each of you…thank you LTO Sorors As stated in the March Newsletter, April’s Newsletter will highlight photos from the 83rd Central Regional Conference. Thanks to each of you for sharing your photos via text, emails and social media. I hope that your attendance at workshops, plenary sessions, Luncheons, etc. has increased your understanding of the breadth and depth of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and that your commitment to “SERVICE and SISTERHOOD” has been deepened. 2017 Alpha Kappa Alpha Leadership Seminar Launching New Dimensions of Leadership, July 13-16, 2017, Las Vegas, Nevada is fast approaching. As stated in the Fall/Winter edition of the IVY LEAF, the 2017 Leadership Curriculum will include over 70 workshops aimed at refining the 4D Approach which focuses on empowering sorors in the dimensions of sorority, professional, community and personal. There will also be thought provoking forums and for the first time ever,
Barbara J. Pearson-McCreary, Basileus Lambda Tau Omega Chapter
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In This Issue:
Page
Please refer to the Event Calendar on the website for the date, location and time of committee meetings
Apr. 22nd: LTO General Meeting 2:00 p.m.
TPF General Meeting 3:00 p.m. May 5th Cinco de Mayo 6:30 p.m (see. May 7th: Miss Prominent Pearl Cotillion May 20th: AKA 1908 Playgrounds Project June 10th: June Luncheon-Silver Lake Country Club June 20th: The Longest Day (Alzheimer's Association) June 25th: An AKAlectic Gospel & Jazz Brunch July 13th-16th:
Leadership 2017-Las Vegas, Nevada
Upcoming Events Spiritual Oversight Spiritual Oversight Chat & Chew Save the Date 83rd Central Regional Conference Playground Mobilization Financial Fuel #NewYearNewYouThinkHBCU UNCF Walk for Education March HBCU/Backpack Donations April AKAversaries
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Sept 16th or 17th: AKAKLASSIC (TBD) Oct. 16th:
Childhood Hunger Awareness
Newsletter submissions are due to the Basileus on the first Monday of each month. The April newsletter submissions must be in by May 15, 2017.
Please send all submissions to: president@ltoaka.org or barbara.mccreary@comcast.net Be sure to Cc Soror Ruby Roberson at: ruby.roberson@sbcglobal.net. Next month, featured articles will include: Mothers and daughters (mothers do not have to be an AKA)
Many Hearts Beating as One “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about� 2
Spiritual Oversight Committee
past. I look forward with thankfulness for all You will do in the future. And I thank You for today and all Your blessings. #hangoutwithGod Here’s our GPS
The Best is Yet to Come…… The song writer penned…… Hold on my brother don't give up Hold on my sister just look up There is a master plan in store for you If you just make it through God's gonna really blow your mind He's gonna make it worth your time For all of the trouble you've been through The best seems double just for you The best Is yet To come, The best Is yet To come The best is yet to come (Donald Lawrence) ARE WE THERE YET? This is the question so often asked and if you’re not there yet what will it take to get “there”? God in His infinite wisdom often travels the slow route not to frustrate us, but for us to have the full experience. Now some of us would rather not go through steps 1-10 (in that order) but many of us would like to go to step # 10 with or without God. However, there are consequences for moving ahead of Him. Here’s Moses account of God’s goodness… Over the course of his long life, Moses witnessed the amazing things God did, and many of those amazing things happened when he was no longer a young man. Moses was 80 years old when he confronted Pharaoh and saw God miraculously set His people free from slavery (Ex. 3–13). Moses saw the Red Sea part, saw manna fall from heaven, and even spoke with God “face to face” (14:21; 16:4; 33:11). If you are waiting for God to do the miraculous in your life then wait. Waiting is an expression of trust, and waiting has a posture. Waiting is not waiting with your hands on your hips, but lifted high offering God praises even if He says NO! Although Moses walked with God, he wasn’t perfect. In response to the grumbling Israelites, he got angry and acted in disobedience. Instead of speaking to the rock, he struck it. This impulsive act called attention to him rather than to God, and he lost his opportunity to enter the Promised Land (Num. 20:1–12). Don’t miss the land in which God has promised you! Soul cry…O Lord my God, I praise You for all You have done in the
Keep Sorors in Your Prayers
There by the grace of God go I……
Soror Stephanie Farrow Soror Joyce Duke Soror Roshaunda Ross (loss of her Step-Father: Derrick Owens) Soror Kathy Martin (loss of her sister-in-law) Sorors Audrey McFarlin, Marilyn & Kristin Hamb (on theloss of their great aunt Mattie Joyce Hutt) Soror Ceola Barnes (loss of her nephew Stacy Wilson) Sorors Cassandra B. Watson and Rosalind Backstrom (loss of Soror Casandra’s former mother-in-law/Soror Rosalind’s grandmother Mrs. Earlene Sanders) Soror Judy Rush (recovering at home from shoulder surgery) Soror Natasha Topps (loss of her grandmother Beverly Jefferson)
Soror Tina Hughes Burke Spiritual Oversight Committee Chairman
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SPIRITUAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE CHAT and CHEW
Saturday, March 25, 2017 The Egg and I-Chicago Heights, Il
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Bria Purdiman 2017 Cotillion C0-Chanirman Natasha Topps 2017 Cotillion Chairman
Saundra Jones Jazz Event Chairman
Cynthia Robinson Jazz Event Co-Chairman 5
83rd Central Regional Conference Chapter Dinner & Welcome Reception
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83rd Central Regional Conference
LTO Awards
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83rd Central Regional Conference Workshop & Plenary Session Attendees
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83rd Central Regional Conference Sorors Out & About
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83rd Central Regional Conference Luncheon
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Madam Basileus with LTO 83rd Central Regional Conference Attendees
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83rd Central Regional Conference The Gala
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83rd Central Regional Conference EAF Breakfast
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83rd Central Regional Conference Legacy Parade
International Committee Members
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83rd Central Regional Conference Spiritual Send Off
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FINANCIAL FUEL IT’S TIME TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT YOUR ASSESSMENT PAYMENTS… We are quickly approaching the peak times of our fundraising events: Cotillion : 5/7/17 Jazz Gospel : 6/25/17 AKAklassic : 9/2017 Our assessment for 2017 is $375.00 for Twenty Pearls Foundation general members and $500.00 for Twenty Pearls Foundation Board of Director members. This is the time to plan how you will meet your obligations. There are several ways to accomplish this.
1. Write a check for the total amount; this is not the ideal way 2. Buy at least two tickets for each event 3. A combination of event tickets, raffle tickets and/or restricted donations (Raffle tickets must be picked up and paid for before the event to get credit for selling them) Each committee chair and their committee will solicit for restricted donations from the membership. Restricted Donations are Grants or donations that require the funds be used for a specified purpose. A member that wants to give a restricted donation must: Get prior approval from the Committee Chairperson and the President (form is online Only planned and budgeted expenses will be considered Value of the donation must be at least $100.00 Once approved, payment is made to Twenty Pearls Foundation by cash, check, money order or cashier check and submitted to the Financial Secretary along with the written approval form. Select your method of reaching your Assessment obligation but PLEASE don’t forget about supporting your fellow members and chapter to make each event a success. All reimbursements are made by check, there are NO cash advances.
$oror $arah Lewis-Weaver 2017 Tamiouchos
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#NewYearNewYouThinkHBCU Howard University announced the opening of a new west coast campus today at the GooglePlex in Mountain View, Calif. Spurred on by a mission to increase diversity in the tech industry, Vice President of Global Partnerships at Google and Howard alum, Bonita Stewart, expressed excited to share the news in a release that went out Thursday, Ebony. In a press release, Howard University President Dr. Wayne Frederick said:
Howard West will produce hundreds of industryready Black computer science graduates, future leaders with the power to transform the global technology space into a stronger, more accurate reflection of the world around us. We envisioned this program with bold outcomes in mind — to advance a strategy that leverages Howard’s high quality faculty and Google’s expertise, while also rallying the tech industry and other thought leaders around the importance of diversity in business and the communities they serve.
As technology giants face mounting criticism over the lack of diversity in their organizations, companies from across Silicon Valley and beyond have been releasing annual diversity reports to chart changes in their internal makeup according to Venture Beat. But a lack of real development has also led some companies to delay subsequent reports as they reevaluate their strategies. Google has released diversity reports since 2014, but the first couple of years garnered little in the way of real progress. This is why the internet giant is now expanding its relationship with D.C.’s Howard University — a historically black educational institution
Soror Jaronda Hall, Sub Committee Chairman: Think HBCU 19
The UNCF Walk for Education is a broad-based community fundraising event to support deserving students with the financial assistance needed to reach their goals of going to and through college. There are two ways to support this worthy cause: 1) corporations and organizations can sponsor/underwrite at one of the sponsorship levels or 2) individuals can recruit family members, friends and co-workers to participate in this non-competitive walk to raise much needed funds for UNCF. Everyone who believes that a mind is a terrible thing to waste but a wonderful thing to invest in should participate, inspire and empower our young people to secure their passports to opportunity – a college degree. compete in a global economy
Where do I sign up and/or obtain more information? 1) You may sign up and/or obtain information by contacting the UNCF Chicago office by phone at (312) 845-2200, on the web at UNCF.org/ChicagoWalk or at the office located at 105 W. Adams Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, Illinois 60603 (Entrance at 210 S. Clark St). When: Saturday, September 30, 2017 Where: Burnham Park, Grove 7 located on Lake Shore Drive at 39th Street 7:00AM On-site Registration 8:00AM Program & Warm-Up 9:00AM Race/Walk Step-Off Time: 10:20AM Cool down
Where do I sign up and/or obtain more information? 1) You may sign up and/or obtain information by contacting the UNCF Chicago office by phone at (312) 845-2200, on the web at UNCF.org/ChicagoWalk or at the office located at 105 W. Adams Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, Illinois 60603 (Entrance at 210 S. Clark St).
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March 2017 Donations
Thank You Sorors! You Are Making a Difference! AKA One Million Backpacks
Think HBCU
Ursula Carter Darcelle Dieudonne Nicole Hudson-Lucas Shawn Jackson Joyce Nelson Veneeta Phelps Rashea Ratliff Cassandra Watson Yvonne Williams
Jalena Jones Darice E. Whitted
AKA One Million Backpacks and Think HBCU Anntionette Austin-Johnson Laverne Barnes Karla Burton Renee Collins Morgan Phelps Tonika Roach Alice Tittle Latanya Walker Dana Weems Laura Willia-Moss
Sorors get your donations ready! We collected 100 backpacks with supplies for AKA One Million Backpacks and $390 for Think HBCU in the month of March. 2017 Goals AKA One Million Backpacks: 314 backpacks with supplies have been collected (goal: 818) Think HBCU: $1,680 has been collected (goal $4,620) Soror La’Sheah S., One Million Backpacks Chairman Soror Jaronda H., Think HBCU Chairman
Soror Zenobia C., One Million Backpacks Co-chairman Soror Alise B.-J., Think HBCU Co-Chairman
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HAPPY AKAVERSARY APRIL 4, 1993 Soror Laverne Barnes
Soror Mary Reaves
Soror Arlethia Wright
Soror Kimberly D. Williams
April 2 (1989)
Soror Sonya L. Bowen
April 6 (1987)
Soror Nicole Hudson Lucas
April 6 (1991)
Soror Renee Collins
April 12 (1990)
Soror Natasha Topps
April 13 (1997)
Soror Christine Adams
April 13 (2014)
Soror Michelle Clark
April 14 (1990)
Soror Donna Fowler-Canty
April 17 (1994)
Soror June Mitchell
April 20 (1979)
Soror Jamie Horn
April 21 (1987)
Soror Latosha Cherry
April 21 (1991)
Soror Michelle Leslie
April 25 (1989)
Soror Tonika Roach
April 26 (2009)
Soror Drella Savage
April 26 (1975)
Soror Jacquelyn Young
April 26 (1975)
Soror Lolita Smith
April 27 (1980)
Soror Jeannette W. Rogers
April 28 (1967)
Soror Laura Willis Moss
April 29 (1979)
Soror Pam Jackson
April 30 (1989)
Soror Audrey Carter
April (1954)
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