PNO May 2023 newsletter

Phi Nu Omega Chapter

Volume 13, Issue 5 Ma y 2023

Chartered January 29, 2000

2023 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Past Basilei

v Sharon Worthy

v Kimberly Armstrong

v Michelle Thomas

v Lona Gordon

v Kimberly Walker

v Yvonne Jones

v Theresta Lanier

Kirstin Riddick President LaToya Kearns Vice President

Minyon Palmer Vice Secretary Sydney Hannah-Holliday Secretary Essence Mitchell Financial Secretary Danielle Bridgeforth Chaplain Lisa Heath Correspondence Secretary Dawn Marcelle Member-At-Large Aliya Robinson Historian Saunji Fyffe Sergeant-At-Arms Deirdre Miles Ivy Leaf Reporter Courtney Walker Treasurer Karen Davis Miller Parliamentarian

2023 Phi Nu Omega Chapter Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc

Listening in Love

Loving silence has no sound but tells the one sitting next to you that you care. Take a moment to be a silent companion, listening in love.

By Jill Briscoe

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak” (James 1:19).

Listening works wonders! Loving silence has no sound but tells the one sitting next to you that you care. It can say to the hurting heart, “I want to free you to think about yourself, your failures, and your goals. Because I love you and am interested in you, I am willing to sit in silence with you.”

Can you sit with a friend without talking? Ecclesiastes 3:7 tells us there is “a time to keep silence and a time to speak”! Can you sit with your husband in silence? Or do you, as I am wont to do, complete all his sentences for him? That particular habit irritates my man to distraction, but I find myself doing it anyway. It’s such fun to guess the ending of his story and race him there! I must confess, though, that both God and Stuart have been working on me lately to exert more self-control. I am learning to use a short reply because it invites more response! I have thanked God that He has graced me with a companion and have reminded myself that he is indeed a companion and not a competitor in a word game!

I have learned to listen and discover with joy the unusual and unique facets of the one I love. I pray hard to fight down my impulsive, emotional response and let him talk.

For this I need to rely on Jesus, of course. I love to gab. I have discovered that God is delighted to tame my tongue and tune my ear; and whenever He has been allowed to do so, He has filled my heart with the knowledge that listening with love begets love in return!

Mental Health Awareness Month “More Than Enough”

Key Facts

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI):

• 1 in 5 adults experience mental illness each year.

• This means that either you or someone you know has been impacted.

• 1% of U.S. adults with mental illness also experienced a substance use disorder in 2020 (17 million individuals).

• 50% of all lifetimes mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24. This year, Mental Health Awareness Month will amplify the message, “More Than Enough.” According to National Alliance on Mental Illness, this campaign is a message for hope and inclusion. “All people, no matter where they are on their mental health journey, are deserving of support, resources, fulfillment and a community that cares.”

Stigma often exists because of negative stereotypes or myths. For example, some people might believe that treatment does not help. However, mental health conditions such as anxiety are very treatable, but only 36% of people go to get help. Others believe that anxiety just happens, or that it is very uncommon. This, again, is untrue. Anxiety disorder it the most common mental health disorder in the US, and it is caused by several factors such as brain activity to genetics, to life events.

So, reach out if you need help, or be there for someone who needs help. Join District Health Department #10 (DHD#10) and NAMI as we promote Mental Health Awareness Month, More Than Enough!

If you are in a mental health crisis, there are numerous resources available. Please contact any resource listed below:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – Call 1-800 -273 -8255

Veterans Crisis Line – Call 1-800 -273 -8255, press 1

National Alliance on Mental Illness Help Line – Call 1-800 -950 -6264 or Text 62640

Mental Health America – Call or Text 988 or Chat 988lifeline.org (available 24/7).

You can also reach Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.

For Spanish speakers, call 1-888 -628 -9454

For Deaf or hard of hearing, dial 771, then 1-800 -273 -8255

Wonderful Mother God made a wonderful mother, A mother who never grows old; He made her smile of the sunshine, And He molded her heart of pure gold; In her eyes He placed bright shining stars, In her cheeks fair roses you see; God made a wonderful mother, And He gave that dear mother to me.

~ Pat O'Reilly

Self-Care Workshop

May 6th , 2023

Sorors enjoyed an afternoon of self-care making candles and jewelry.

It takes a big team of volunteers to ensure that the food insecure families in our community have access to the assistance they need.

Thank you to the more than 100 volunteers who signed up to lend a hand today for ALIVE!'s last Saturday food distributions at Cora Kelly Elementary School, NOVA Alexandria Campus, and William Ramsay Rec Center. We couldn't serve our neighbors in need without help from PHI

NU OMEGA

Chapter of AKA, Alexandria,VA and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity helping with food distribution, the Office of Emergency Management, City of Alexandria, VA's CERT volunteers and Deputies from the Alexandria Sheriff's Office, City of Alexandria, Virginia who manage traffic, and the volunteers who assist with language translation in Spanish, Dari, Pashto and more!

ALIVE

Sorors,

Thank you for your generous donations of work appropriate clothing to Friends of the Guesthouse (FOGH). Our donations were delivered last week and they could not have arrived at a better time. Katie Shapiro, the volunteer coordinator, explained that new residents were in need of clothing and others were eager to have clothes they could wear to church.

There were a few of you who still wanted the opportunity to contribute. I will be reaching out again by email to arrange another pick up in the coming weeks, or feel free to contact me at (315) 430-4777 to arrange something sooner.

Thanks for your help, Sorors!

Sisterly, Soror Romana

Sorors Out & About

Congratulations to Soror Ursula! On April 26 th, 2023 she and her husband got married!

Jatrice with Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, the first black woman elected to Congress from Virginia, at Rock the Blue Dinner in Alexandria.

Soror Karen celebrated 40 years in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. with 8 of 15 of her line sisters in Miami, Florida on May 14, 2023.

Soror Karen successfully rode her bike 45 miles in hilly Leesburg, Virginia on May 7, 2023 in the Ride to End Alzheimer's (ALZ). She would like to thank all the Sorors who made donations to her effort. She raised over $1000.

Soror Karen celebrated her daughter, Soror Carole's graduation from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering Science. Soror Carole will continue her education pursuing a graduate degree at James Madison University in Sports Management. She plans to play basketball for one year at JMU.