The ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®, Beta Chi Omega Chapter were ‘Gorgeous in Green’ on January 15, 2022, as they gathered virtually to commemorate the sorority’s 114th Founders’ Day. It was on January 15, 1908, on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. that nine visionary women founded the organization that has grown to more than 320,000 members and more than 1,000 chapters worldwide.
The program began with a welcome and greetings from Katina Hamlar, President of Beta Chi Omega Chapter. Elder Renee Bethel delivered a prayer. Eboni Harrington, the chairperson for the Founders’ Day program, shared greetings and led chapter members in a lively game of Founders’ Day ‘Jeopardy!’ The trivia game included questions about the sorority’s history and founders.
Harrington also engaged members in a discussion about, “What does Founders’ Day mean to you?” One chapter member said, “To me, it’s about sisterhood and reflecting on our past, and also looking at our future.” Another member shared, “Founders’ Day means historical legacy and fortitude.”
The program then honored the late Laurie Peery, a chapter member who passed away in October 2021. Peery was an AKA member for more than 75 years and was a trailblazing educator in the Roanoke Valley. Billie Jean Jones-Green then reflected on the legacies of Beta Chi Omega Chapter members who passed away in 2021.
Beta Chi Omega Chapter members were treated to a moving musical selection from Elder Charnika Elliott, who performed a medley of songs that reminded members to trust in God and stay on the battlefield with the Lord.
Janay Reece, an AKA member and reporter at WDBJ, the CBS affiliate in Roanoke, gave the Founders’ Day keynote address. She shared her personal testimony and how the AKA motto of “we help each other” has been true throughout her life and career. She reflected on the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has created for people and organizations, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®, but noted the resilience the sorority and its members have shown. “Our sisterhood, our sorority has withstood the test of time and can withstand anything,” Reece said.
The program ended with remarks from Hamlar who shared her excitement at the impact the Beta Chi Omega chapter will have in the community in 2022 and beyond. “I know we are going to continue to do great things,” Hamlar said.
