Chapter History
The Athens Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. was chartered on October 19, 1973 at the home of Soror Ola Jennings. The regional director at the time was Anna Stroud of Albany, Georgia. Charter members included:
Linda Abrams
Marie Banks
Carolyn Baylor
Clara Brown
Louvincey Brown
Helen Butler
Ola Jennings
Shelia Neely
Deborah Rucker
Linda Simon
Rosetta Terrell
Vera Thurmond
Rosa Watkins
Patricia Wilker
Cynthia Williams
Marie Banks
Carolyn Baylor
Clara Brown
Louvincey Brown
Helen Butler
Ola Jennings
Shelia Neely
Deborah Rucker
Linda Simon
Rosetta Terrell
Vera Thurmond
Rosa Watkins
Patricia Wilker
Cynthia Williams
Since the 1973 founding, the Athens Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta has sponsored many service projects, including:
The community has given back, by contributing to Delta Sigma Theta scholarship fund by attending fundraisers that we host such as Literary Café, U.N.C.F Charity Ball, Las Vegas Nights, Ebony Fashion Fairs, Five Men on a Stool performances, and Jabberwock pageants. Through all of these fund-raisers, scholarship has been our main focus and Athens Alumnae has given over $70,000 in scholarship money since its inception in 1973.
In 1975 Athens Alumnae began to sponsor a group of girls in the community called Delteens. The girls meet monthly and participate in enrichment activities that will enhance their development socially, culturally, academically, and personally. These young women receive personal enrichment, while also being taught to give back to their community through involvement in the community service projects. They provide services in area Nursing Homes, Senior Centers, Community Centers, Soup Kitchens, and Day Care Centers. Today, Delteens exists through 2 different programs: Delta GEMS and Dr. Beta Shabazz Delta Academy.
Our chapter has been led by 17 different presidents since its inception.
Under our leadership we are currently providing:
For more information, visit the Southern Region’s Website at http://dstsouthernregion.com/
- Crusades for the Cancer Society
- Relay for Life
- Voter Registration Drives
- Tutorial program at the Nellie B. Housing projects
- Aid to the elderly
- Community health fairs for those in need and homeless
- Purchase of equipment for the Rutland Center
- Donation of musical instruments to area middle schools
- Financial planning seminars
- Town hall meetings with community leaders
- Helping habitat for humanity build homes
- AIDS Athens disseminate information into the community
- Scholarship awards
- Sponsoring numerous families in the community for Christmas and Thanksgiving.
The community has given back, by contributing to Delta Sigma Theta scholarship fund by attending fundraisers that we host such as Literary Café, U.N.C.F Charity Ball, Las Vegas Nights, Ebony Fashion Fairs, Five Men on a Stool performances, and Jabberwock pageants. Through all of these fund-raisers, scholarship has been our main focus and Athens Alumnae has given over $70,000 in scholarship money since its inception in 1973.
In 1975 Athens Alumnae began to sponsor a group of girls in the community called Delteens. The girls meet monthly and participate in enrichment activities that will enhance their development socially, culturally, academically, and personally. These young women receive personal enrichment, while also being taught to give back to their community through involvement in the community service projects. They provide services in area Nursing Homes, Senior Centers, Community Centers, Soup Kitchens, and Day Care Centers. Today, Delteens exists through 2 different programs: Delta GEMS and Dr. Beta Shabazz Delta Academy.
Our chapter has been led by 17 different presidents since its inception.
- The late Carolyn Baylor
- Shelia Neely
- Johnnie Burks
- Ernestine Deforest
- Patricia Wilker
- Shelia Neely (again)
- Aurelia Scott
- Floretta Johnson
- Frances E. McBride
- Jennifer Richardson
- Marilyn Favors
- Joyce Echols
- Dr. Wolanda P. Hardy
- Patricia Huff
- Jennifer Richardson (again)
- Shatana Williams
- Makeba Clark (current)
Under our leadership we are currently providing:
- Enrichment to the community by contributing to area public schools with Book Drives, collecting school supplies and providing book bags for children
- Exposure to students with minority status or disadvantaged socio-economic background to the visual, literary and performing arts as well as showing them the need to excel academically
- Tools that enable girls to sharpen and enhance their skills to achieve high levels of academic success proper goal setting and planning for their futures beyond high school as well to create compassionate, caring, and community minded young women by actively involving them in service and community service opportunities. These are our major goals for the young ladies of our community through our programs called Delta Gems and Delta Academy.
- Numerous voter registration drives at high schools in our service areas. This contributed to the mass out pouring of youth that voted for the first time in the 2008 U.S. presidential elections.
- We are also active in promoting health and wellness in our community through participation in the ACS’s Relay for Life and hosting community health fairs.
For more information, visit the Southern Region’s Website at http://dstsouthernregion.com/