Local AKA Sorority Members Celebrate 25 & 50 Years of Service

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated celebrated its 61st South Atlantic Regional Conference April 2-6 in Jacksonville at the Hyatt Regency Riverfront Hotel and the Prime Osborn Convention Center. Nearly 4,000 members dressed in pink and green came from Florida, Georgia and South Carolina to attend the event.

During the conference weekend, members addressed economic, health, social justice and human rights issues as well as contributed more than 25,000 in gift card collections for students aging out of the foster care system.

The following members from Zeta Upsilon Omega Chapter received special recognition for 25 and 50 years of service in the sorority:

• Joyce A. Bell, 25 years
• Lesley Cooper, 25 years
• Deborah Figgs-Sanders, 25 years
• Loretta Gilstrap, 25 years
• Bessie Kirnes, 25 years
• Sandra Patterson, 25 years
• Pamela Jones, 25 years
• Ann Tellis, 25 years
• Lena Wilfalk, 25 years
• Sonia Cotton, 25 years
• Rev. Keturah Pittman, 50 years
• Deloris Whitehead, 50 years

AKA member, Manitia Moultrie received the “Guiding Torch” award for her active chapter participation and significant success of implementing the sorority’s international Global Leadership Through ‘Timeless Service program initiatives.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. is the oldest Greek-letter organization established in America by black women and was founded January 15, 1908, at Howard University. Led by International President Carolyn House Stewart, the organization connects thousands of college-trained women who give of themselves to support community service projects and scholarship programs.

Hostess chapters for the South Atlantic Regional Conference, consist of 16 graduate chapters and 11 undergraduate chapters from Florida. The South Atlantic Region is noted as the largest of the 10 regions in the sorority.

The region, under the leadership of Regional Director Marsha Lewis Brown of Tampa, Florida, is comprised of 165 graduate and undergraduate chapters and 10,000 members. With a membership internationally of over 200,000 women, the sorority has more than 975 chapters in the United States, the Caribbean, Canada, Germany, Japan, Korea and Africa.