The Pearl Drop - Vol. 2, Iss. 1 - January 2023

FROM THE Basileus

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND HAPPY FOUNDERS’ DAY

January Chapter Meeting: Alpha Beta Alpha Omega’s January Chapter Meeting will be held at the South County Middle School, Literature Hall, 8700 Laurel Crest Dr., Lorton, VA 22079 at 7:00PM. The attire is black dress or suit (no pants) with pearl accessories in honor of Founders’ Day. New officers and chapter photos will be taken starting at 6:30PM.

Chapter Dues: Please pay your chapter dues. Chapter dues are $383 and can be paid via Zelle at payment@aka-abao.org or by check made payable to Alpha Beta Alpha Omega and mailed to: Alpha Beta Alpha Omega Chapter, P.O. Box 523074, Springfield, VA 22152.

Mass Payment: Online mass payment was performed in December and will be performed again in January. Tea roses to Soror Dana Johnson who did an outstanding job as our chapter’s Tamiouchos and congratulations to our new Tamiouchos, Soror Tonya Link.

Roster of Officers: The former Grammateus, Soror Nicole Simmons, and the Basileus entered the roster of 2023 officers online. Congratulations to the new chapter officers!

RHONDA LUSS ▪ PRESIDENT @ AKA - ABAO ORG

Rhonda Luss

Incorporation Day: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. was incorporated on January 29, 1913. Nellie M. Quander led the incorporation effort.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Document Order: The chapter will do a bulk order of documents. Please review the Supply Order Form sent in the Fall mailing and select the documents you wish to order. Below are some suggestions. Remember, every soror is to order a copy of the current Constitution and Bylaws and Manual of Standard Procedure.

*Constitution and Bylaws (2022 Ed.) $5

*Manual of Standard Procedure (2022 Ed.) $5

Communications Resource Guide (2022 Ed.) $10

Financial Operations Guide (2022 Ed.) $10

International Program Resource Guide (‘22-’26) $40

Leadership Development Resource Guide (2022 Ed.) $10

Media Production Resource Guide (2022 Ed.) $10

Official Guide to Alpha Kappa Alpha Protocol (2022. Ed.) $10

Sisterly Relations Resource Guide (2022 Ed.) $10

So Now You’re Elected Handbook (2022 Ed.) $10

Soaring to Greater Heights of Service & Sisterhood Brochure $10

Standards Resource Guide (2022 Ed.) $10

SOARing Pin and Sisterhood Sash $55

Corporate Office Reports: Corporate office year-end reports are due to the Basileus, Grammateus, and Standards Committee by January 7, 2023. The 2022 Officers and Committee Chairmen are asked to please submit your reports on time. This will allow time to verify all reports are accurate and submitted before the corporate office deadline. The corporate office deadlines are listed below.

• Due Jan. 8th

• W-9

• Due Jan. 17th

• Program, Membership, Graduate, Foundations, Standards

• Due Feb. 1st

• Finance

Sorority Monument: In recognition of our founding at Howard University 115 years ago. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® will install a sorority monument and establish the Howard University Women’s Educational Endowment. The goal is to raise $3 million to support the educational endowment. A Signature donor is $100k; Diamond donor $50k-$99K; Pearl donor $25K-$49K; Gold $10K$24; Silver $1K-$9K; and Ivy $350$999. To donate, visit the EAF website: AKAEAF.org.

Heritage Club: Membership in the Heritage Club requires an annual payment of $100 beyond per capita and chapter dues. The payment can be made anytime during the calendar year. To join the Heritage Club, complete the form included in the Fall mailing.

REGIONAL NEWS

Regional Prayer Call: Meditate & Rise, the Mid -Atlantic Region Prayer Call is every Tuesday at 7AM. Please join the call by dialing (720) 708-1172, access code 1953012#. Prayer requests can be submitted to spiritualteam@midatlanticaka.org

Email Address: Please use a personal email address to receive Corporate Office, MAR,

DECEMBER RECAP

Anniversary Brunch: The chapter celebrated its first anniversary on December 4, 2022 at the Springfield Country Club. One-hundred, seventy-six (176) sorors, family members, and guests attended the celebration. Tea roses to the anniversary committee chaired by Soror Kasondra Milton.

Mental Health Awareness: During our anniversary brunch, Dr. Deirdre WalkerQuarterman, a mental health clinician for Umbrella Therapeutic Services in Washington, DC, provided information on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons that begins and ends at about the same time every year. Mental Health Awareness is an area of focus under the Empower Our Families program initiative.

Ivy AKAdemy: Nine (9) Ivy AKAdemy girls attended the December meeting of the Ivy AKAdemy on Thursday, December 8, 2022. The girls were treated to a Christmas party where they painted Christmas pictures of either a Christmas tree or a reindeer. Each girl received a gift set that included a bracelet, socks, books, Uno cards, and a chocolate candy apple. They also dined on Panera, cupcakes, cookies, Capri Suns, and water.

and chapter correspondence. Corporate/ agency firewalls often cause AKA emails to bounce back when using your workplace email account.

Email: Per the Mid-Atlantic Regional Director, sorors are to copy the chapter Basileus on emails sent to the Corporate Office and MAR Office.

The Ivy AKdemy is a collaboration with South County Middle School and falls under the Uplift Our Local Community program initiative.

December Chapter Meeting: The December Chapter meeting included a holiday potluck, a sisterly gift exchange, and the installation of officers. Also, the chapter gathered items for a Christmas care package for Soror Ulekeya Hill who is serving our country in Kuwait. Random Acts of Sisterliness is an area of focus under the Strengthen Our Sisterhood Foundation Initiative.

Our Seniors: The last program of the year focused on our chapter’s Golden Sorors. Sorors mailed Christmas cards to our Golden Sorors: Patricia Johnson, Beverly Wilson, Vivian Hope, and Jean Jones. Sorors also brought their Golden Soror moms, family members, and friends to the December chapter meeting. The Our Seniors area of focus falls under the Empower Our Families program initiative.

Chapter End of Year Reports: Chapter endof-year reports were submitted. Tea roses to the Standards Committee, chaired by Soror Keedah Ray.

Transition Meeting: The chapter conducted an officer and committee chairmen transition meeting on December 17, 2022, at the West Springfield Governmental Center. Thank you to all the sorors who attended.

ANTI-BASILEUS

Update

LYNBEA TOOMBS ▪ VICE . PRESIDENT @ AKA - ABAO . ORG

Greetings Sorors and Happy New Year! Thank you for allowing me the honor to serve as your Anti-Basileus and Program Chairman for 2023-24. I hope to continue the legacy of the Anti-Basilei who have served before me as we continue Soaring to New Heights of Service and Sisterhood in the Springfield-Lorton community and surrounding areas. Madam Supreme Basileus has charged us with tearing down silos, increasing creativity and collaboration, and focusing on community impact. In that spirit, we are pivoting our approach to program planning and implementation as we enter into the first full year of programming under the SOAR Administration.

Members of the Program Committee will assist the Anti-Basileus in the planning and execution of:

• Initiative I: Empower Our Families (with the exception of CHIPPTM and YLI)

• Initiative II: Build Our Economic Wealth

• Initiative III: Enhance Our Environment

• Initiative V: Uplift Our Local Community (with the exception of The ABAΩ Ivy AKAdemy)

Transfers: We bid farewell to the following sorors who transferred out of the chapter: Sorors Leslie Dey, Nona Eath, Monique Ferrell, Maria Watson, Amadi Usher, and Melba Williams.

Execution of select Program Initiatives and Initiative “Areas of Focus” will be spearheaded by designated Program Initiative Subcommittees and Standing Committee Chairmen who will also serve as Program Committee Liaisons as follows:

• Strengthen Our Sisterhood (Foundation Initiative) will be led by our Sisterly Relations Chairman, Soror Geneva Linton

• CHIPPTM (Empower Our Families) Subcommittee will be chaired by Soror Nicole Hayes

• Youth Leadership Institute (Empower Our Families) Subcommittee will be co-chaired by Sorors Kasondra Milton and Lynsie Cody

• Advocate for Social Justice (Initiative IV) will be led by our Connection and Social Action Committee Chairman, Soror Ericka Jeter

• ABAΩ IVY AKAdemy (Uplift Our Local Community) Subcommittee will be chaired by Soror Kiesha Powell

Pink Tea Roses to each soror named above who has so graciously stepped up to serve as Initiative Liaisons and Subcommittee Chairmen. I am grateful and thankful for each of you.

Sorors, I ask that each chapter soror sign up

for at least one program initiative or committee in 2023. Please note that there is no committee for the CHIPPTM initiative as it is considered a chapter-wide initiative. All chapter sorors will be asked to sign-up to assist with weekly snack pack distribution and sign-up for at least one (1) monthly snackpack contribution. The success of our chapter programming is dependent upon each Alpha Beta Alpha Omega chapter soror and we will need all ‘hands on deck’ to execute our programs while expanding our reach in the Springfield-Lorton area.

Our first Program Committee Kick-Off meeting will serve as an interactive opportunity to equip chapter sorors with the necessary tools for executing AKAmazing events in 2023. The meeting will be held inperson at First Baptist Church of Springfield on Saturday, January 7th from 10AM-12:30PM All Program Committee members, Program Subcommittee members, Initiative Liaisons, and Program Subcommittee Chairmen are expected to attend.

During my tenure, I will work to provide opportunities for leadership development with sorors serving as Program Activity Leads (PALs), increase coordination and collaboration across the initiatives and committees, and institute standardized practices such as tracking our service hours and regular reporting. Through our efforts, I hope that we can deepen our community impact and not only be recognized by the Springfield-Lorton community, but also be recognized at the Regional level. We have several activities planned for January 2023:

• Jan. 4th: CHIPPTM Snack Packing Event **Pending Corporate Office approval

• Jan. 9th & Jan. 15th: 115th International

Founders’ Day and We Are One: AKA Service Day projects. For both initiatives, we will be collecting feminine hygiene products (sanitary napkins/pads) in collaboration with AKA chapters in Northern VA. Bring donations to the Jan. Chapter Meeting or Founders’ Day Social.

• Jan. 12th | 6PM: Ivy AKAdemy Activity, South County Middle School

• Jan. 19th | 7PM: Youth Leadership Institute Parent and Youth Informational Meeting (Virtual)

I know that many of us have lots of responsibilities (church, family, work), but it is my hope that each of you will commit time in 2023 to make our programs successful. I look forward to working with each of you as we Strengthen Our Sisterhood, Empower Our Families, Build Our Economic Wealth, Enhance Our Environment, Advocate for Social Justice, and Uplift our Local Community.

IVY AKAdemy

KIESHA POWELL , SUB - COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN

Tea roses to the Ivy AKAdemy Mentoring Committee for a job well done during the first half of the year. We will kick off the second half of the year on Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 6:00PM. We will host an age-appropriate Financial Literacy workshop which will consist of how to manage money, ways of earning money, and how to develop good money habits. If you are interested in working with middle school girls, please sign up to join The Ivy AKAdemy Committee. We look forward to seeing you there!

2023 COMMITTEE

ROSTER

Committee Chairman Committee Committee Co Chairman Sub Committee Chairman

Archives/History Audit Awards Bylaws

Karla Smith Jackson

Kaizetta Hamilton

Joie Mouran

Lauren Odom

Michelle Wesley

Anitra Morrison

Sonji Willingham

Linda White Hall

Michelle Brown Tifani Burgess Tonya Link

Ysanda White Michelle Brown

Jasmine McClure Kiesha Powell Rhonda Luss

Chapter Anniversary Connection & Social Action Contracts EAF

Kendra Diaz

Christina Mason

Ericka Jeter Genevia Linton

Joie Mouran Merilyn Burgess Queschae Blue-Clark

Tracee Plowell Lenora Odom

Meneshea Levy

LaChelle Williams Merilyn Burgess Tifani Burgess

Finance Foundation Dev. Founders’ Day Fundraising

Tonya Link

Dana Johnson

Deanna Gillison

Josephine Rigmaiden

Katrina Anwar

Lucinda ScottWilloughby Lynbea Toombs

Melissa Slye Michelle Brown Rhonda Luss Shanese Strand Ysanda White

Hospitality

Beatrice Toombs

Angela Carter

Genevia Linton

Josephine Rigmaiden

Lynbea Toombs

Merilyn Burgess

Michelle Wesley

Myah Snowden

Shelia Flowers

Theresa Peterson

Tifani Burgess

Velma Gay Michelle Brown

Teri Reaves

Angie Hemingway

Angela Carter

Barbara Bellamy Warren

Beatrice Toombs Genevia Linton Lynbea Toombs Tifani Burgess

Teri Y. Reaves

Anitra Morrison Shelia Flowers Dean'na Gillison

Leadership Dev. Membership Newsletter

Lenora Odom Lani Shaw Meneshea Levy

Tifani Burgess

Janine Williams

Angela Carter

Anitra Morrison Ericka Jeter

Josephine Rigmaiden Lenora Odom Phyllis Thibodeaux

Teri Reaves

Jennifer Hawkins

Lauren Odom

Lenora Odom

Stephanie Woodland Kelly

Nominating Philacter Program Protocol

Uchechi Wosu-Isirimah

Angie Hemingway

Carrien Motte

Melisa Mosley

Christina Mason

DeAnni Smalls

Kiesha Powell Nicole Hayes Shenece Harris

Shelia Flowers

Jasmine McClure

Angie Hemingway DeAnni Smalls Kiesha Powell Lani Shaw Nicole Hayes Ruby Smalls

Lynbea Toombs

Christina Mason

Beatrice Toombs Deanna Gillison

Meneshea Levy

Queschae Blue-Clark Teri Reaves Beatrice Toombs

Public Relations Risk Management Rituals Scholarship

Lauren Odom

LaChelle Williams

Karla Smith Jackson

Velma Gay

Phyllis Thibodeaux Queschae Blue-Clark

Traci Washington Barbara Bellamy Warren

Beatrice Toombs Deanna Gillison Ericka Jeter

Genevia Linton Kendra Diaz Kiesha Powell Myah Snowden Pamela Snowden Phyllis Thibodeaux Teri Reaves

Velma Gay

Anderia Steward

Anitra Morrison DeAnni Smalls Ericka Jeter Ivy Benton Joie Mouran Kasondra Milton Minda Hunter Myah Snowden Ruby Smalls Theresa Peterson

Sisterly Relations Spiritual Care Standards Strategic Planning

Genevia Linton

Angela Carter

Barbara Bellamy Warren

Janine Williams

Joie Mouran

Kasondra Milton

Kendra Diaz

Lani Shaw

Lauren Odom

Lenora Odom Meneshea Levy Michelle Wesley Minda Hunter Nicole Hayes Shanese Strand Teri Reaves

Ashley Queen Monterio

Josephine Rigmaiden

Beverly Wilson

Christina Mason Jean Jones

Kaizetta Hamilton Myah Snowden Shelia Flowers Tujuanna Williams

Nicole Simmons Dawn Patillo

Meneshea Levy

Queschae Blue-Clark

Lauren Odom

Lenora Odom Nicole Hayes

Shanese Strand

Simona Black Technology

LaChelle Williams Kaizetta Hamilton Jennifer Hawkins Minda Hunter Nicole Simmons DeAnni Smalls Velma Gay

Tellers

Lani Shaw

Angie Hemingway

Ashley Queen Monterio

Barbara Bellamy Warren

Kasondra Milton

Katrina Anwar

LaChelle Williams

Lauren Odom

Pamela Snowden

Ruby Smalls

Simona Black

Ysanda White

2023 PROGRAM COMMITTEES

Refer to the Anti Basileus Update on Page 6 of this issue of the Pearl Drop for more information on our new Program Initiative committee structure. And don’t forget to scan the QR Code below to sign-up to join a Program Committee for 2023. If

TAMIOUCHOS Update

TONYA LINK , CHAIRMAN ▪ TREASURER @ AKA - ABAO . ORG

Financial Officers - Who do I ask? Sorors, if you are a Committee Chairman and need to know how many tickets were sold for your program, or, as a Soror, if you want to know if your payment was received, do you ask the Pecunious Grammateus or the Tamiouchos?

The Pecunious Grammateus (Financial Secretary)

• Receives and records all monies for the chapter.

• Gives receipts for all income received and maintains duplicates of all receipts.

• Keeps a record of all payments made by each soror and brings records to the chapter meetings.

The Tamiouchos (Treasurer)

• Receives all monies from the Pecunious Grammateus.

• Keeps orderly records of income and expenditures.

• Makes deposits of all funds.

• Pays bills.

• Issues checks on receipt of properly executed vouchers.

Abbreviated from So Now You're Elected, Tenth Edition, pages 23-30.

PROTOCOL Update

CHRISTINA MASON , CHAIRMAN ▪ PROTOCOL @ AKA - ABAO . ORG

Happy New Year, Sorors!

As we begin the new year, the Protocol Committee looks forward to working with all committees as we soar into 2023!

The Protocol Committee ensures that the Chapter operates according to guidelines outlined in The Official Guide to Alpha Kappa Alpha Protocol Manual. Adherence to protocol enhances the Sorority’s operations as well as aids in the creation of a sisterly environment. In addition, the image of the Sorority in the larger community is greatly enhanced if each member demonstrates a command of the protocol.

Committee Meetings: The Protocol Committee’s first meeting will be held bimonthly (via Zoom) on second Tuesdays:

February 7th (1st Tuesday), April 11th, June 13th, September 12th, and November 14th. Additional meetings will be held, as needed, in preparation for Chapter events.

Zoom links and agendas will be emailed the week before.

Founders’ Day Reactivation Social

The Membership Committee is excited to celebrate Founders’ Day on January 15, 2023. Please join us for our “Reclaiming Our Pearls: Reactivation Social” at The Embassy Suites by Hilton in Springfield at 6:00PM. Please invite an inactive soror to celebrate and fellowship with our amazing Alpha Beta Alpha Omega chapter members!

FOUNDERS’ DAY 2023 Update

ANGELENE HEMINGWAY , CHAIRMAN

Celebrating 115 Years of Service & Sisterhood

Alpha Kappa Alpha was founded on January 15, 1908 at Howard University’s Miner Hall in Washington, D.C. by Ethel Hedgemon Lyle and 8 other collegiate women. They had a vision for the first Negro sorority and embarked on a mission that led to the creation of the first Greek letter organization founded by and for Black college women. Nellie M. Quander led the effort to incorporate Alpha Kappa Alpha to maintain perpetuity on January 29, 1913, alongside Norma E. Boyd and Minnie B. Smith. This incorporation gave AKA license to broaden its service concept and multiply its offerings through subordinate chapters. Even in death, our founders hold high the torch that each member celebrates and remembers each year. Therefore, this Founders’ Day, Alpha Beta Alpha Omega (ABAΩ) Chapter is poised to soar into 2023, honoring 115 years of service and sisterhood. The International Founders’ Day celebration will be held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Maryland, January 12-15, 2023.

A full slate of activities is offered including service projects, sisterhood activities, ecumenical service, and a rededication ceremony, among other activities for members who are registered to attend.

ABAΩ will celebrate Founders’ Day during our January 9, 2023 meeting. We continue our founders’ vision through service to our community and sisterhood activities that uplift one another. Our Founders would be proud of all of you!

Please refer to the Chapter Calendar for a complete list of Founders’ Day activities.

Founder’s Day Committee Members:

• Soror Angie Hemingway, Chairman

• Soror Tifani Burgess

• Soror Genevia Linton

• Soror Beatrice Toombs

• Soror Lynbea Toombs

• Soror Barbara Bellamy Warren

ABAΩ PHOTO GALLERY AKAdemy

Basileus

Anti-Basileus