2008 Woodie Awards
Campus fraternity donates wins from national step show
Seth E. Davis
Staff Reporter
Issue date: 3/31/08 Section: Campus News
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Staff Reporter
The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Fund, the Hershel King Scholarship Award Fund and the Martha O' Bryan Community Center are among the charities that will receive funds from the Beta Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
The fraternity plans to donate their entire $3,000 in prize winnings as apart of their community service initiatives.
The prize money was a result of the chapter's step team winning second place in the 19th annual Florida Invitational Step Show on Feb. 23.
According to Jason Brewer, program and events coordinator for Gentry Center Complex and Beta Omicron chapter advisor, "the winnings have not been received from the contest. However, we hope to receive them (soon)."
Approximately half of the winnings will be donated to the Martha O' Bryan Community Center, where the chapter performs community service weekly and fundraises for annually through their Bike-a-thon that takes place before the Southern Heritage Classic.
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Fund will receive $1,000 in order to erect a memorial to the slain Civil Rights leader. According to Brewer, each year the chapter donates around $1,000 to the fund. The Beta Omicron chapter is ranked second in undergraduate chapters on Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., for having donated the most money to the memorial fund. Morehouse College in Atlanta is ranked at number one.
"We donate in order to pay homage to the legacy of our fraternity brother Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.," said Daniel
Hibbert, a senior mechanical engineering major from Lansing, Mich., and Beta Omicron chapter president. "Chapters are encouraged (to participate) by the national organization."
The remaining $500 will be going towards further community service initiatives. Two hundred dollars will go towards Alpha League, which is a a little league football team the chapter partners with and provides mentoring as well as sponsorship.
The remaining $300 will go towards the Hershel King Scholarship Fund. According to Brewer, the chapter is trying to start an endowment in the fallen brother's name.
The Morehouse College chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., won the step show and were awarded $5,000.
"I don't feel hurt at all that we got second," said Warren Burke a junior accounting major from Memphis, and member of the step team. "I'm just blessed to be apart of the experience."
Hibbert said, "It's important because it gave us an opportunity to take something that we did well and turn it into something that will positively impact the community."
Jasmine Lockland, a sophomore biology major from Columbus, Ga., said, "I think it's great that the chapter donated money to those charities. They set a positive example for the rest of the male students on campus."•
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Charles Settle
posted 3/31/08 @ 5:24 PM CST
Congratulations to the Beta Omicron Chapter of
Alpha Phi Alpha. This is truely a noble act of
generosity to a worthy cause. Many others are
needed to step up and help complete this homage
to a true leader, Martin Luther King, Jr. (Continued…)
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