Milledgeville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. reaches out into community

Published 12:15 pm Monday, February 11, 2019

There is power in numbers, especially when those numbers consist of strong, determined women working together in service to others — making positive change and lasting contributions in their local communities. 

The Milledgeville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is one such powerful group of women working in Baldwin, Putnam and Hancock to lift the lives of residents through volunteerism. 

The alumnae chapter was chartered on May 1, 1994, with 16 charter members and is a chapter of the national organization Delta Signa Theta Inc. (DST). The group is a private nonprofit whose purpose is to aid and support through established programs in local communities and throughout the world. 

The sorority was founded at the historic Howard University in Washington, D.C. Jan. 13, 1913, by 22 collegiate women. The students wanted to use their collective might to promote academic excellence and to assist those in need. 

The first public act of the sorority was to participate in the Women’s Suffrage March in the nation’s capital. Supporting voting rights remains a focus of the organization to this day with voter education and registration programs held throughout their local communities. 

Since its founding, more than 200,000 women have joined the sisterhood of predominantly African-American, college-educated women. The sorority currently has 1,000 collegiate and alumnae chapters located in the United States, England, Japan, Germany, the Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Jamaica, and the Republic of Korea. 

“We are celebrating our 25^th anniversary this year,” said Milledgeville Alumnae Chapter President Kimberly Odom. “We continue to achieve the DST mission of ‘Uncompromising Commitment to Communities: Service, Leadership, Empowerment.’”

The chapter is made up of educated professionals that have a desire to uplift their community through volunteer service. A strict application process is followed, but prior membership in a collegiate sorority is not required to join an alumnae chapter. 

The Milledgeville chapter implements programs honoring the legacy of the 22 founders and follow the national guidelines of service. Service areas include the sorority’s five programmatic thrust: economic development, educational development, international awareness and involvement, physical and mental health and political awareness and involvement. 

Odom said the chapter continues to advance each year through its public service programs including awarding scholarships, participating in voter registration drives, health walks, and Relay for Life.

“We work with school-age girls through programs that promote growth and self-esteem including those created by Dr. Betty Shabazz — the Delta Academy (middle school girls) — and Dr. Jeanne L. Noble — the Delta GEMS. (high school girls),” said Odom. 

In addition to service to others, Odom stresses the sorority’s focus on encouraging constructive development of their members. 

“We work diligently to improve our rich legacy of service and to provide our members resources that empower us individually and collectively,” she said. 

Under the economic development thrust, the sorority’s mission is to promote awareness of avenues for the community through financial workshops and seminars. The women hold annual NACA (a nonprofit HUD-certified homeownership and advocacy organization) workshops to assist first-time homebuyers in applying for a home loan. 

“We hold NACA seminars in Putnam County to educate those citizens on how homeownership is a reachable goal,” said Odom. 

The educational development thrust’s mission is to promote awareness of post-high school options and provide scholarships and awards. Programs under this focus include the Delta Academy, the Delta GEMS, and awarding scholarships to local young women in the serviced communities. 

“We focus on STEM activities, life skills, college readiness, and etiquette and hygiene,” added Odom. “We have recently focused on mental health issues and of course academics through our activities with these young women.”

The STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines — science, technology, engineering, and mathematics — in an interdisciplinary and applied approach. 

The international awareness and involvement thrust includes promoting awareness of issues facing African-Americans globally. Activites supported by the group include promoting World Aids Day, HIV/AIDS awareness, and supporting the Project Haiti Heart program.

The physical and mental health thrust focuses on promoting a healthy lifestyle in conjunction with the mind, body and spirit. The sorority is actively involved in the national campaign for heart health — “Go Red for Women” — that educates women on all matters of heart-related issues. 

“We participate every year in Relay for Life to raise money for cancer research. At Relay, we always honor our members who have had cancer, whether they are still living or have passed,” Odom said. 

The last thrust — political awareness and involvement — strives to promote political awareness in the community as well as participation in and sponsorship of civic events. 

The local alumnae chapter participates in Rock the Vote, Delta Days at City Hall and at the state capitol, and the program, The Community Connection. 

“We are very active in promoting voting rights and conducting voter registration events,” said Odom. “Last fall we participated in Hancock County’s Pine Tree Festival and held voter registrations onsite.”

For their exceptional public service, the local alumnae chapter has received many awards and accolades recognizing excellence in fulfilling the organization’s mission. 

“Our chapter won the 2018 Red Ribbon Award, the 2018 May Week Honors, and the 2018 Economic Development Award during the 2018 regional conference. The Red Ribbon Award was won during the 2018 state conference,” she said. 

Indeed, there is power in numbers. But, it is what the numbers achieve with that power that determines the legacy they leave behind. The women of the Milledgeville Alumnae Chapter and DST leave no room for doubt that history will judge their organization as empowering, uplifting, and full of changemakers that left their progressive mark across the country and the larger world community. 

For more information on both MAC and DST, visit http://www.dstmilledgevillealumnae.org/ and www.deltasigmatheta.org.