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Ivies Beyond The Wall
Ivy Beyond the Wall
Golden Soror Essie Bowe Matthews
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On Monday, July 12, 2021, Golden Soror Essie Bowe Matthews passed from this life of labor to a life of rest. She was born on July 4, 1948 in Portsmouth, VA to Willie Cornelius and Izora Ward Bowe. The family was complete with her 11 sisters and brothers.
Soror Essie attended public schools in the Portsmouth area and graduated from the I.C. Norcom High School in Portsmouth, VA in 1966. She began her post-secondary studies at Norfolk State University in Norfolk, VA, where she was initiated in the Delta Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® in 1970. During her years at Norfolk State, Soror Essie maintained her commitment to academic excellence and graduated from Norfolk State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education.
Soror Essie was a music educator in the Sussex Public Schools as well as the Fairfax County Public Schools. She was a member of the Music Education National Conference, the National Education Association, and the Community Orchestra Youth Choir. She was a private piano instructor and a musician for many organizations, churches, and functions. She was a music educator for 30 years, before retiring in 2002. Her greatest joy was working to improve and develop an appreciation for music in young children as well as adults.
Soror Essie joined the Mount Sinai Baptist Church in Washington, DC, where she served as pianist and organist. In her later life, she was an active member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Alexandria, VA where she served as the Youth Choir Director.
Soror Essie was a very active and faithful member of the Zeta Chi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®. She co-chaired the Zeta Chi Omega Music Committee and was a member of the Target 4 Committee – The Arts! She was also a member of the Diamond, Pearl, Golden, and Silver Committee, the Cotillion Committee, and the Founders’ Day Committee. She was a Zeta Chi Omega pianist and a member of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Choir. She always answered the call to service and represented sisterhood at its best. She became a Golden Soror in 2020 and served the sorority for 51 years.
Soror Essie leaves to cherish her memory her eight siblings: Iris Harding, Cynthis Smith (Frank); Joyce White Tasby (Arthur); Jacqueline Seymore; Carrlette Parker; Willie Bowe (Jean); Leonard A. Bowe; and Cornelius P. Bowe (Janelle); and her sorors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, Zeta Chi Omega Chapter.
Ivy Beyond the Wall
Soror Debra Anne Henry
On Thursday, July 15, 2021, Soror Debra Anne Henry passed from this life of labor to a life of rest. She was born on April 17, 1962 in Brooklyn, NY to Evelyn Anne Henry and Thomas Fitzstephen Henry.
Having grown up in Washington, DC, Soror Debra attended school in her home parish of St. Frances De Sales and transferred to Immaculata Dunblane for sixth to eighth grades. She graduated from Immaculata Preparatory in 1980 where she was on the debate team, a contributor to the literary journal, chairman of the elections committee and vice president of the student council. She matriculated at the University of Pennsylvania where she earned a B.A. in 1984. Soror Debra attended medical school at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN, graduating in 1990. Soror Debra returned to Washington, DC after medical school to complete her residency in Psychiatry at St. Elizabeth Hospital. During her time there, she was appointed chief resident and completed her residency in 1994. Family was her foundation, psychiatry was her vocation, but professional and service organizations were her avocation.
Soror Debra was a leader and member in many organizations: The Society, Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®, Jack and Jill of America, Inc.®, National Association of Parliamentarians®, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, American Psychiatric Association, as well as a charter member of the Greater Washington Urban League’s Thursday Network. Soror Henry was particularly proud of being a Professional Registered Parliamentarian.
In 2017 Soror Debra was initiated into the Zeta Chi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc.® in Arlington/Alexandria, Virginia where she was a very active and faithful member. She co-chaired the Zeta Chi Omega Bylaws Committee and was a member of the Target 2 Committee on Women’s Healthcare and Wellness. Soror Debra served as the back-up Parliamentarian and she presented workshops on parliamentary procedures.
Soror Debra leaves to cherish her memory: Loving husband, Vernon Fitzgerald Cooper, only child, son, Ross Carraway Cooper, parents, Evelyn and Thomas Henry, many loving family and friends, and her sorors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, Zeta Chi Omega Chapter.
Chairman: Soror Chiquita King
We’re looking for three fabulous sorors!
Be a NoVA NPHC Liaison!
Do you enjoy collaborating with other Divine Nine organizations? If so, consider nominating yourself to become a chapter representative for the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Northern Virginia (NoVA NPHC). To express interest and to learn more, please reach out to your NoVA NPHC rep, Soror Chiquita King, at PHC@aka-zco.org. Please note that all appointments must be approved by the Basileus.
ZCO CALENDAR
Sorors, Let’s Get Organized!
Meetings, events, programs, oh my! With so many exciting Zeta Chi Omega occasions to attend, wouldn’t it be helpful if you could see everything in one place? Now you can! Introducing the newly populated Zeta Chi Omega chapter calendar, available in the “Members Only” section of our chapter website.
HOW DO I ACCESS THE CHAPTER CALENDAR? There are two ways to view the calendar.
From the Wild Apricot Mobile Application
1) Download the “Wild Apricot for Members” mobile application from Apple’s App Store or Google Play.
2) Log in using your member credentials. These credentials will be the same as what you use to access the Members Only portion of the chapter website.
3) Once you are logged in, go to the “Events” button at the bottom of the application. There, you can view upcoming chapter events.
4) If you see an event that is relevant to you, select “Add to calendar” and the event will be duplicated onto your personal phone’s calendar. Note that registration via Wild Apricot is not enabled for most events, but this does not prevent you from saving the event to your phone’s calendar.
From the Chapter’s Website
1) Go to www.zetachiomega.wildapricot.com and log in with your member credentials.
2) Under the Members Only tab, select “Chapter Calendar.”
HOW FREQUENTLY IS THE CALENDAR UPDATED?
The calendar is updated on a weekly basis. If you have submitted an event to appear in the Ivyette or Rose Petal, your event will appear on the Chapter’s calendar within 24 hours of publication of these communications.
HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CALENDAR?
Please contact Soror Sarah Bowers at sarahbowers12@gmail.com.
FOR YOUR REFERENCE
ZCO Publications Submission Guidelines*ZCW Publications Submission Guidelines*
Type Description Schedule POC Deadline Format
Chapter Alias
@aka-zco-org)
Chapter e-mail account that redirects to the personal e-mail account for officers or committee chairs Varied Address e-mail changes and/or new committee alias updates to http://technology@akazco.org
eBlast Chapter notifications as needed Varied FINAL & APPROVED Submitted to president@aka-zco.org 72 hours in advance or as directed by the Basileus
Instagram Social media app that allows sharing of photos and videos
Ivyette Monthly chapter newsletter
Ivy Leaf, Magazine MAR Newsletter, External Publications
Articles and events of interest for chapter members and the general public. Varied Submit to the Ivy Leaf Reporter media@aka-zco.org MS Word articles Pictures & Flyers JPEG, PNG, PDF
Varied FINAL & APPROVED 48 hours in advance of publication date to socialmedia@akazco.org Monthly FINAL & APPROVED 15th of the month to newsletter@aka-zco.org MS Word articles
JPEG, PNG
Meeting Requests
Committee meeting announcements posted on Chapter website
Varied FINAL & APPROVED Submitted to meetingrequest@akazco.org one week in advance Website Updates as requested Varied FINAL & APPROVED Submitted to technology@aka-zco.org 72 hours in advance or as directed by the Basileus. Technical feasibility will require the Technology Committee approval for posting any content. PDF, JPG or PNG
PLEASE NOTE the Basileus approves all written communication PRIOR TO distribution and/or posting.
*Please refer to the chapter website for the complete ZCO Publications Deadline Guidelines: Members Only→Chapter Documents→Other Documents
IVY FOUNDATION OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA
It's our MISSION to do all we can to help the communities we serve, and for that - we need your contribution!
The Ivy Foundation of Northern Virginia, Inc., is the charitable affiliate of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®, Zeta Chi Omega Chapter. As such, the mission is to promote the well-being and betterment of mankind, and particularly to sponsor programs that address the needs of the community, with special emphasis on programs for families, cultural activities, and programs and services for youth, elderly, and disadvantaged persons to enhance their quality of life. Based on our mission, the IFNV strives to enhance the quality of life for the community that we serve by: l Providing scholarships l Making charitable donations l Promoting community service activities l Raising funds to support its theme: “Building Communities through Education and Empowerment”
HELP THE IVY FOUNDATION OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA
support the communities of Arlington and Alexandria. Current and retired Federal government employees can make a tax deductible contribution through the Combined Federal Campaign to the IFNV using code number 97220! For more information, please contact Soror Robin G. McCoy at: ifnvpresident@gmail.com
P.O. Box 25763 l Alexandria, Virginia 22313 l www.aka-zco.org
2021 Officers and Committee Chairmen
Officers "Serving With Grace"
Basileus Anti-Basileus Grammateus Anti-Grammateus
Robin G. McCoy Chiquita King VaShawn Guice Veal Gloria Bell
Epistoleus
Ocie Jacobs Pejcic
Tamiouchos
Kimberly Conner Anti-Tamiouchos T’Anya Johnson Newell Pecunious Grammateus Carolyn Hantz Anti-Pecunious Grammateus Charolette Holloway
Hodegos Philacter Parliamentarian Graduate Advisor Ivy Leaf Reporter Chaplain Archivist Historian
Sherisse Kenerson Naomi Fauntleroy Alkeyvia Walker LaFrances Williams Shealin Smoot Patricia Wallace Martha Coleman Carolyn Rowe
Standing Committee Chairmen
Archives
Martha Coleman
Awards
Veronica Jackson
Bylaws Connection Contracts Courtesy Directory Finance Graduate Advisory History Membership
Alkeyvia Walker Nelfred “Tilly” Blanding Irma Bogan Sherisse Kenerson Gloria Bell Kimberly Conner LaFrances Williams Carolyn Rowe Danielle Hogan Newsletter Ocie Jacobs Pejcic Nominating Committee Patricia Edwards Programs Chiquita King Property Joyce Parrish Protocol Bonnie Jones-Moon Public Relations Shealin Smoot Scholarship Diann Burns Sisterly Relations Tamika McPherson Standards Hazel Cameron Technology Carol Turner Telecommunications Naomi Fauntleroy
Ad-Hoc Committee Chairmen
Audit Belinda Shaw Diamond Pearl Golden Silver Starr Garrett
EAF (Educational Advancement Foundation) Sheila McCray
Founders' Day
Barbara Anderson
Logistics
June Monterio Music Aretha Cunningham National Pan-Hellenic Rep. Chiquita King Risk Management Jamila Burrell Rituals Ade’Leaka Gore
Spirit/Inspiration Strategic Planning Stroll Team Tellers Ways and Means
Patricia Wallace Barbara Ward Marquita Davis Lisa Wilson Jennifer Hansborough
THE IVYETTE
EDITOR PRODUCTION STAFF
Ocie Jacobs Pejcic Candice Fields C. Starr Garrett Sharon K. Gregg Jennifer Hansborough
