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CHAPTER CHARTER MEMBERS

The fifteen charter members were: Pearlie Payton Clark, ΩΩ Elwiza Duiquid Daniels, ΩΩ Jean Johnson Darden, Julia Calhoune Davis, ΩΩ Gloria Nimmo Dickens, ΩΩ Nora Foster Dowdy, Selina Langhorne Davenport Forbes, ΩΩ Edna Biggs Graves, ΩΩ Eleanor Cherry Hagans, Agnes Walters Jones, ΩΩ Annie L. Jones, Doris Sherrod Lee, Georgia K. (Lois) Reddrick, ΩΩ Ruth Marie Staton, and ΩΩ Mattie (Peggy) Wiggins Taylor.

The first chapter officers were: ΩΩ Jean J. Darden, Chapter President; ΩΩ Edna B. Graves, Vice President; Pearlie P. Clark, Recording Secretary; Agnes W. Jones, Corresponding Secretary; and Julia C. Davis, Treasurer.

These fifteen Deltas were organized in 1960 as TICS (Those Interested in a Chapter) with Soror Julia C. Davis as the first President. They presented programs and scholarships to worthy high school senior girls in this area. The TICS were instrumental in sending Sadie Clark, a French major at Johnson C. Smith, to an American College in Beirut, Lebanon.

 

CHAPTER NOTEWORTHY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

The chapter has convened seven initiations during its history. Our chapter has achieved many noteworthy accomplishments since its inception. Highlights of these undertakings are:

 

Δ On January 31., 1973, the chapter hosted Founders Day for eight chapters in the state. In 1985, we hosted Founders Day for 300 area sorors, and in 1998, the chapter hosted Founders Days for over 600 NC sorors.

Δ Miss College Bound/Jabberwock, a biennial medium for raising scholarship funds and for providing enrichment opportunities for outstanding young women in the area high schools, was implemented in 1962. The Little Miss Jabberwock component was added in 1992.

Δ Sponsorship of Kappa Sigma, the East Carolina collegiate chapter, was started in 1973. This chapter's Fall 2003 initiation produced thirty-six members.

Δ Numerous cultural programs including presentations by Hampton University, Healing Force, Collage Dancers of Durham and Goldsboro Dance Troupes have been provided to the area public.

Δ A Community Recognition Day was established in 1978 to cite persons from the African American community who had made outstanding contributions to the community.

Δ Through the years, we have sponsored a myriad of workshops including pregnancy prevention, employment, voter registration, and career planning.

Δ We have actively participated in Relay for Life, a cancer survivors program, for over 10 years. The chapter has received numerous awards for participation and financial support for these efforts.

Δ Operation Santa Claus, a Christmas gift-giving campaign for institutionalized mentally challenged individuals, is a long-standing project.

Δ We made financial contributions to the Ronald McDonald House in 1985.

Δ We began participating in “School America,” a national reading project in 1989.

Δ We hosted the Spring State Meetings for NC Chapters in 1993 and 2003.

Δ On May 5, 1990 at 6:00 p.m., the chapter celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary with a banquet at the Ramada Inn in Greenville.

 

Continued support of our National Five-Point Program Thrust has included voter registration and education activities, Teen Lift, the millennium financial support of DREF, sponsorship of a local baseball team for disadvantaged youth through the local recreation department, sponsorship of “For the Love of Us,” a blood donor recruitment program targeting African Americans, Adopt-a-Teen and Adopt-a-Family, Habitat for Humanity, retail sales services at “My Sister’s Closet,” a re-sale store that supports the local domestic violence program, Project TEACH, a college preparation program for prospective teaching fellows, (received a National Sorority award), and the Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta Academy.

 

The chapter has received additional awards presented by the local Jaycees for participation in the annual Christmas parade and South Atlantic Region Sincere Sisterhood and Stellar Service Awards. Since 1992, we have hosted an annual Seafoodfest, a social outlet, which generates funds for community projects.

 

During the 2003-2005 biennium, we expanded our services to include participation in an American Heart Association (Pitt County American Heart Association Chapter sponsored) “Go Red for Women” community luncheon, sponsorship of the ECU Brody School of Medicine Student National Medical Association MLK, Jr. Banquet and implemented a Best Business-of-the-Month Award project. Additionally, in collaboration with the other National Pan Hellenic Council Greek sororities and fraternities in the area, we expanded International Day of Service to a weeklong series of events providing a variety of services to clients and their caretakers, as well as the general public, convened an Internal Development Retreat, participated in the Bennett College White Breakfast and provided numerous opportunities for sorors to bond; i.e., in worship, in learning to manage stress and in social/cultural activities (Susan L. Taylor and Juan Williams lectures). The chapter has enhanced inter-chapter communications by instituting a quarterly newsletter, utilizing a telephonic messaging service and electronic mail and establishing a chapter website.

 

CHAPTER PRESIDENTS

The Greenville NC Alumnae Chapter has kept the promises of Delta through the administration of the following dedicated women: (TICS Presidents prior to chartering: Soror Julia C. Davis, Agnes W. Jones, and ΩΩ Jean J. Darden).

 

ΩΩ Soror Jean J. Darden 1965-67 and 1983-85
Soror Georgia K. “Lois” Reddrick 1967-68
ΩΩ Soror Ruth M. Staton 1968-73
ΩΩ Soror Pattie L. Leary 1973-75
ΩΩ Soror Lillie Powell 1975-77 and 1989-91
ΩΩ Soror Gladys R. Sanders 1977-79 and 1989-91
ΩΩ Soror Mary G. Murrell 1979-81
Soror Paulette Dove 1981-83
ΩΩ Soror Brenda H. Teel 1987-89 and 1995-96
Soror DeDe J. Carney 1991-93
ΩΩ Soror Mavis G. Williams 1993-95 and 2003-07
Soror Patricia Alexander-Johnson 1996-99
ΩΩ Soror Cynthia L. Doctor Boswell 1999-2001
Soror M. Annette Goldring 2001-2003
Soror Tara M. Honesty 2007-11
Soror Valarie Gatlin 2011-15
Soror Kandie D. Smith 2015-2017
Soror Gwendolyn R. Greene 2017-19
Soror Ursula Y. Belle 2019-23
Soror Elizabeth Blount 2023-Current

 

CHAPTER AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Our present chapter roster boasts one of the largest memberships in recorded history and includes the following Fifty+ Years members: Sorors Julia C. Davis, Allegra G. Gross, ΩΩ Eleanor C. Hagans, Doris S. Lee, Beatrice C. Maye, Jan Newell-Byrd, and Francine N. Taft.

 

The chapter was the recipient of the Best-Irons Humanitarian Award on February 25, 2006. This prestigious award is presented to community service organizations that provide exemplary benefits in the Greenille/Pitt County Community. As a result of our chapter having adopted Sadie Saulter Elementary School with a Distinctive Education Initiations during the 2o005-07 biennium, we received two certificates – volunteerism and outstanding support and dedication to the children – from the Pitt County Board of Education. The South Atlantic Regional Planning and Projects Committee recognized our chapter for this initiative at the 48th National Convention with a certificate for having implemented a program which emphasized the theme of National President Louise A. Rice, “One Mission, One Sisterhood: Empowering Communities Through Committed Service.”

 

In March 2006, ΩΩ Soror Mavis G. Williams was the first recipient of the Fortitude Award honoring Sorors Julia Davis, Gloria Dickens, ΩΩ Eleanor Hagans, and Doris Lee, charter members of Greenville (NC) Alumnae who maintained membership with the chapter through 2007. This most coveted award was established during the fortieth year of the chapter’s life to highlight on an annual basis the chapter and community accomplishments of a quintessential chapter member. Soror Valarie Gatlin was crowned the first “Ms. Greenville (NC) alum” on December 3, 2006. Soror Julia C. Davis was the 2007 Fortitude Award recipient.

 

Greenville Alum was the home chapter of the 2003-05 and 2005-07 NC State Coordinator, Soror M. Annette Goldring. It also served as the home of the South Atlantic Regional Representative, Natalie Pennywell during 2006-07. The chapter step team made its debut during the 23rd South Atlantic Regional Conference in Greensboro on June 25, 2007. Members of the charter team were Phelicia Price, Crystal Herring, Earlisha Leach, Chanitta DeLoatch, Gia Covington, LaShica Davis and Devonna King. Sorors Barbara G. Brown and Francine N. Taft assisted the team.

 

Soror Phelicia S. Price was elected member of the SA Regional Nominating Committee on June 16, 2007 at the 23rd South Atlantic Regional Conference. She was the first elected regional officer from the chapter. Soror Vickie W. Joyner was presented the Fortitude Award during the Jabberwock 2008 pageant on April 19 while Taren S. Cherry and Latavia Renee Hawkins were crowned “Miss Jabberwock” and “Little Miss Jabberwock” respectively. On December 6, 2008, Soror Teresa Lee was crowned “Ms. Greenville (NC) Alum” for the ensuing year.