CSaturday, April 27, 2024
10:30 AM
Brookland Baptist Banquet & Conference Center 1066 Sunset Blvd | West Columbia, SC 29169
Lavell R. Thornton, RCA Chapter President
Sharon A. Parker, 30th Anniversary Chair
Nakell Matthews, 30th Anniversary Co-Chair
It is with great pleasure to welcome you to the 30th Anniversary of Richland County Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. April 24, 1994 is the special day we began our journey as a chapter. We were called, committed, and ready to serve with 44 visionary charter members. Richland County Alumnae (RCA) stands on the shoulders of our 22 trailblazing founders who saw opportunities within challenges and ignited meaningful change through the sorority’s mission and Five Point Programmatic Thrust For the past three decades RCA has been committed to excellence and serving Richland, Lexington, Fairfield and Newberry counties. Sisterhood, Scholarship, Service and Social Action are at the heart of what we do. To date, we have awarded over $250,000 to promising young men and women in pursuit of a higher education. The growth both personally as members and professionally as a chapter is impressive. The growth is evidenced by our membership (44 to 340), community impact, and representation at the state, regional and national levels.
The theme is Celebrating 30 Years of Excellence, Endurance, and Empowerment which highlights our past, present, and future aspirations. The Anniversary Committee has left no stone unturned. We are grateful for the week of sisterhood activities to include skating fellowship, a day of community service, a celebration brunch and Sunday worship service. This anniversary celebration was a labor of love for our sensational committee chairs, Sharon Parker and Nakell Matthews. The committee’s dedication, hard work, and special touches such as the Chat with the Charter Members fellowship have made this an affair to remember for many years to come
Our goal is to continuously engage, empower and elevate our sisterhood. With your continued support and active participation, we can also continue to transform lives and impact our communities with diverse programs, events, and public service initiatives.
Yours in Sisterhood and Service,
Lavell R. Thornton
Lavell R. Thornton President, Richland County Alumnae Chapter
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated
The date was April 24, 1994. The setting was the beautiful Carriage House on the grounds of the Historic Robert Mills House and Gardens in downtown Columbia. The excitement was electric, as all that was present knew they were embarking on a journey whose ending would know no bounds.
At the appointed time, then South Atlantic Regional Director Nettie Faulcon conducted the chartering ceremony for the 867th chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated - Richland County Alumnae (RCA). The historic event was witnessed by 44 charter members, of which 37 were reclaimed by the chapter. These founding members were the guiding force during RCA’s formation and inception.
The second chapter in the Columbia Metropolitan area, the fledgling RCA set about electing officers and moving forward with an eagerness to establish itself as a body of women with purpose and perseverance. Prior to its chartering, sorors participated in such community activities as the Diabetes Walk-a-Thon, and Habitat for Humanity, and they adopted girls from the Whitten Cottage at Carolina Children’s Home. Later, RCA would participate in such established projects as Relay for Life, the American Red Cross blood drives, and voter registration drives.
Early on, Richland County Alumnae grounded its commitment to granting scholarships to deserving college-bound students, and in 1995 awarded its first scholarship in the amount of $300. Since these humble beginnings, RCA has taken over four lines of phenomenal women and now boasts a membership of over 330.
Today, RCA is known for its signature programs that include: the Black Women and Girls Conference, geared toward educating and empowering women; the Red Diamond Scholarship Gala, RCA’s major fundraiser which, to date, has awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships to students in Richland, Fairfield and Lexington counties; a Jabberwock Pageant, a Cotillion-style program of elegance and entertainment that showcases the gifts and talents of the young women participates while advancing the goals and objectives of the Chapter’s scholarship program. In recognition of our anniversary, we will award another $30,000 to deserving students in our local community in 2024.
The Chapter continues to sponsor other core mentoring programs such as the Delta Gems for high school-age girls. Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays you can find sorors collecting toys, food, household products, toiletries, and gift cards for adopted families. To strengthen the bonds of sisterhood, RCA’s Membership Committee hosts chapter events such as Friends and Family Day, and the Carillon Christmas parade, as well as provides an opportunity for sorors to wind down and enjoy each other in a stress-free environment that may include a movie, dinner, a play, or bowling.
In keeping with the programmatic thrust of the national body of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, RCA has continuously structured its community and public service programs to fit the needs of the community it serves. In cooperation with our sister chapter, Columbia Alumnae, RCA hosts Political Issues Forums to introduce candidates running for office at the local, state, and national levels. Delta Days at the State Capital provides sorors a venue to meet elected officials one-on-one to discuss proposed legislative changes that may impact the community.
Now well into its third decade of existence, Richland County Alumnae is poised to build on the successes of the past while drawing on the dedication, enthusiasm, and excitement of its members to meet the demands of the future. Ongoing programs include Families Helping Families, school supply drives to help local school districts with much-needed materials, and continuing to keep RCA front and center to meet the challenges that lie ahead. New ventures with Birthright of Columbia and Fortitude Foundation, Inc. demonstrate the Chapter’s enduring commitment to serve.
On April 24, 2024, RCA celebrated 30 years of service in the community. Although our beloved chapter has grown greatly in size, its establishment in 1994, our mission remains the same: “A Sisterhood Answering the Call to Serve: Transforming Lives and Impacting Communities.”
PRESIDING
Nakell Matthews, 30th Anniversary Co-Chair, Past RCA Chapter President
Emergency Briefing
Processional
Welcome & Purpose
Introduction of the Dais
Greetings
Concurrent Resolution
Selection
Invocation & Blessing
Recognition of Charter Members
Video Presentation
Reflections
Introduction of Speaker
Selection
Speaker
Special Recognition & Acknowledgements
Closing Remarks
Recessional
Annette Clark-Brown - ERT Chairperson
Sharon Parker 30th Anniversary Chair, RCA Charter Member, Past RCA Chapter President
DeVonne Risher Smalls - RCA First Vice President, RCA Charter Member
Louise A. Rice - 23rd National President
The Honorable Kendra L. Dove - Richland County Treasurer
The Honorable Tameika Isaac-Devine - South Carolina State Senate
The Sounds of Delta
Patrice T. Green - RCA Chaplain
BRUNCH IS SERVED
Tracey Mobley Chavous - RCA Second Vice President
A Stroll Down Memory Lane
Angela Palmer Williams - 25 Genesis 2:22+1
Hattie Sims - 37 Daughters of the Dawn
Salandra Bowman - 80 Degrees of Crimson Heat
Wykeisha Lewis - 74 Dimensions of DiSTiction
Yolanda Kennedy - South Carolina State Secretary, RCA Charter Member, Past RCA Chapter President
The Sounds of Delta
Rosalyn Glenn - National Treasurer, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. RCA Charter Member, Past RCA Chapter President
Sharon Parker & Nakell Matthews - Anniversary Committee Chairs
Patricia Williams - RCA Charter Member, Past RCA Chapter President
Lavell Thornton - RCA Chapter President, RCA Charter Member
**Anniversary Photo Booth will be open during brunch and immediately following the program.
Greta Avery
Rosalyn Bland
Helen Mae Bryson
Donna M. Burgess-Huger
Thewanda F. Cooper
Sylvia Davis
Amy Certilda DeLyons
Mornique Brown Dozier
Tammie Epps
Rosalyn Glenn
Toni Hassell-Butts
Jannette Henry-Davenport
Devonne Hill
Felicia Howard
Linda Moyd Jackson
Charter Members
Majorie Jackson House
Joyce Johnson
Debbie Elaine Jones-Pinckney
Yolanda Kennedy
Lula Lee
Cheryl Mack
Donna McCray Poole
Leah Moody
Beverly Morris
Stephanie Morris
Carolyn Murphy Taylor
Monica Owens
Sharon Parker
Nancy Peppers
Jacquelyn Praylo-Johnson
LaKindra Pruitt-Grooms
DeVonne Smalls
Gwendolyn Smalls Jones
DeAlva Taundolyn Suber
Nancy Tanks
Doris “Tia” Thomas
Rhonda Banks Thompson
Lavell Thornton
Dana Tucker
Denine Ward Johnson
Carla Washington-Bullard
Priscilla White*
Patricia Williams
Margie Wise
*Deceased
President
First Vice President
Second Vice President
Financial Secretary
Assistant Financial Secretary
Treasurer
Recording Secretary
Corresponding Secretary
Chaplain
Sergeant-At-Arms
Custodian
Historian
Parliamentarian
Protocol Advisor
Nominating Chair
Immediate Past President
Chapter Officers
Lavell Thornton
DeVonne Risher Smalls
Tracey Mobley Chavous
Cheryl Wilson
Tiffany Riggs
Candice Haigler
Wykeisha Lewis
Danielle Cooper
Patrice T. Green
Shanee’ Moore
Adia’ Singleton
LaKenna McCrorey
Therese Griffin
DeVonne Risher Smalls
Jennifer Clyburn Reed
ZeNata Donaldson
30th Anniversary Committee Members
Sharon Parker, Chair | Nakell Matthews, Co-Chair
Greta Avery
Angenitta Bounds
Salandra Bowman
Carla Bullard
Deborah Burns
Denise Collier
Nicole Davis
Mornique Dozier
ZeNata Donladson
Sarah Ford
Mary Haile
Candice Haigler
Majorie House
Joyce Johnson
Vyce Johnson
Yolanda Kennedy
Wykeisha Lewis
Birthright of Columbia
Brookland Baptist Church
Fortitude Foundation, Inc.
Greek Traditions
Ayeshah Major
Taren Moody
Keisha Moore
Toya Murph
Davetta Pickett-Taylor
BJ Preston
Doris Tia Thomas
Terri Washington
Acknowledgements
J. W. Impressions
South Carolina ETV
The Sounds of Delta
Three Fountains Skating Rink