Omega Psi Phi 37th Annual Achievement Week

ST. PETERSBURG — Omega Psi Phi, Eta Rho Chapter will hold its 37th Annual Achievement Week Program Sun., Nov. 16 at 4 p.m.  The event will take place at Rock of Jesus Baptist Church 3940 18th Ave. S., St. Petersburg.

Achievement Week is observed each November by all chapters of the international fraternity and is designed to recognize those individuals at the local and international levels who have contributed to community uplift.

This year’s theme is “Leveraging our Collective Resources for Impact,” and the speaker will be Rev. Dr. Walter T. Richardson, 7th District Chaplain, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. The Tampa Bay area is invited to hear this dynamic man of God in a rare appearance that is sure to bring joy and uplifted spirits to all in attendance.

Richardson is widely known for having served 26 years as the Senior Pastor at Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Church in Perrine, Fla. While pastoring at Sweet Home, he grew a church of 125 members to a mega church with multiple worship services.

He is also senior chaplain for the Miami-Dade Police Department. An accomplished author, Richardson has written several books based in religion and personal development.  Among his many duties he serves as adjunct professor of religion at St. Thomas University, where he teaches World Religion. A true servant of God, Richardson is in constant demand to speak all over the world.

A high school essay contest is also held in conjunction with Achievement Week.  This year the fraternity will honor African-American males who are high school 11th and 12th grade students from Gibbs, Boca Ciega and Lakewood High Schools with a 3.0 or better GPA. Also recognized will be middle school African-American male students who the fraternity has worked with for over 20 years (The Pathfinders).

The fraternity will award its annual “Citizen of the Year” award to Pinellas County Commissioner Kenneth T. Welch for exemplary community service and service beyond the call of duty.  Last year the award was given to Gypsy Gallardo, publisher of the “Power Broker Magazine” and 2012 the award was given to Dr. William “Bill” Law, president of St. Petersburg College.

The community is encouraged to plan now to arrive early to guarantee a seat at this sure to be packed house.

Watson L. Haynes is the Chairman of the Achievement Week Committee, James Jackson, AIA is the outgoing Basileus and Ivan Tucker is the newly elected Basileus for the fraternity.

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity is the first international fraternal organization to be founded on the campus of a historical black college.  It was founded on November 17, 1911, on the campus of Howard University in Washington D.C.  The local chapter ETA RHO was founded in 1962.