My Dear Phi Eta Omega Sorors, January means a lot of different things to people. For many, it’s a time of new beginnings and reflecting on the past in order to move ahead in the future. In our sisterhood, we take time to honor history-makers who paved the way for us, including the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and our revered Founders. This month, here are a few January-inspired reminders as we begin service year 2024 -- Phi Eta Omega’s 25th!!!! J - Join two committees. A - Act like a sister. N - Never suffer silently - we are here! U - Understand your documents. A - Attend chapter and committee meetings and conferences. R - Remember why you chose AKA. Y - YOU MATTER! Thank you all for all that you do and the way that you do it! Yours in Sisterhood and Service, Soror Liz January 2024 P E O P e a r l N e w s l e t t e r Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.® I Phi Eta Omega Chapter I Liz Nolley, President
Soror Linda Happy AKAversary PEO PEARL NEWSLETTER I JANUARY 2024 I PAGE 2 Happy AKAversary to Silver Star Linda Harvest who was initiated through Gamma Epsilon chapter on January 25, 1975. Mark Your Calendars! Union College Mentoring Program - 1/25 Alpha Kappa Alpha Incorporation Day - 1/29 North Atlantic Regional Conference - 2/8 - 2/11 Union College Mentoring Program - 2/15 February GBM - 2/17 March GBM - 3/16 Union College Mentoring Program - 3/21 Cluster IV Founders' Day Celebration - 3/23 Union College Mentoring Program - 4/18 April GBM - 4/20 Union College Mentoring Program - 5/2 May GBM - 5/18 Phi Eta Omega Charter Day - 6/6 Phi Eta Omega 25th Anniversary Luncheon - 6/8 June GBM - 6/15 IDF's Pearls and Diamond Fundraiser - 8/24 September GBM - 9/21 October GBM - 10/19 November GBM - 11/16 December GBM - 12/21 S A V E T H E D A T E
Log onto Club Express to access the financial reports for our meeting! (HINT: We'll be distributing our minutes and financial reports this way in 2024 so please make sure you're able to access Club Express!) A G E N D A & R E P O R T S PEO PEARL NEWSLETTER I JANUARY 2024 I PAGE 3
Happy Founders Day! Welcome New Officers and Committee Chairs Pecunious Grammateus – Soror Shellece-Jeanette Earles Ivy Leaf Reporter – Soror Yasmine Lewis Philacter – Soror Tiffany Flewellen-Cooper Protocol Chairman -- Soror Nikki May Rituals & Music Chairman; NPHC Delegate - Soror Anita Hicks Bey We still need a Technology Chairman, Anti-Pecunius Grammateus and AntiTamiochus Sign Up for Committees Soror Maureen Lewis will have a sign in sheet at General Body Meeting. Sorors can also Sign Up/Remove themselves from Committees on Club Express Delegates and NAR Elections We will host a forum to give certified candidates for Nar representative to the International Nominating Committee to visit with us via Zoom on Wednesday, January 24th from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm. The meeting will be recorded and posted to Club Express so all Sorors have the chance to hear from the candidates. We will then circulate an electronic poll after the candidate materials are posted to aka1908.com (est. February 1) so the chapter can identify which candidate we will support and direct our delegates accordingly prior to Regional Conference. Dues and Assessments A motion will be brought forth from Executive Committee to waive chapter dues for Diamond Soror Rosetta Lattimore and to have the chapter pay the $10 EAF membership fee and $10 documents fee due to corporate on her behalf going forward. NARC Updates 4 delegates entitled based on membership as on 1/15/24. We will try to meet up for a chapter lunch or dinner while we are in Atlantic City. Watch the Group Me for details. We developed and submitted an ad for the NARC Souvenir Journal. Soror Nikki May, NARC Vice Chairman, Operations; Soror Felicia Ellerbe, NARC Logistics Chairman and Soror Deana Lawson, Regional Director’s Dinner Chairman will have a chance to provide updates. 25th Anniversary Celebration Soror Jacquie Rhodes, Chairman will have an opportunity to provide an update. B A S I L E U S R E P O R T PEO PEARL NEWSLETTER I JANUARY 2024 I PAGE 4 Submitted by Soror Liz Nolley, Basileus
Recap of AKA Day of Service Event The Dignity Drive continues to be a popular event in the larger SPF Day of Service program. Last year's donation recipients advised they still had supplies from last year and did not need additional right now. This year's donation recipients were: Refugee Assistance Partners in Scotch Plains Josephine's Place in Elizabeth Iris House in Plainfield Suggestions for next year's event: Partner with Sisterly Relations & Membership as the current administration considers the MLK holiday an initiative under Strengthen Our Sisterhood 1. Increase chapter member participation in the in-person component of the event. As the chapter participates in more events, we are generating interest in our programs (e.g., questions about when & where YLI or Shark Tank will be held). 2. NARC Service Project At the December program committee meeting, the committee decided to support the diaper drive service project. Collection includes: diapers, wipes, onesies, baby shampoo/ wash, pajamas, grooming kits, towels & washcloths. Since we’ve just asked Sorors to donate to the dignity drive, the Program committee budget will make the purchases on behalf of the chapter. If other Sorors are interested in contributing, please connect with Soror Dewanna - unless you are attending NARC, as you can drop off the donation directly. Juneteenth celebration with Social Justice Matters, Saturday June 22 Wrap up and preliminary planning meeting will be held on Saturday, February 3 at 10am. As discussed, the chapter has been asked to take a lead role in the planning of this year’s event. This call is our opportunity to learn more about what is involved with planning the event. All chapter sorors are encouraged to attend, as this will be a chapter-wide commitment if we sign on, I.e., will need sorors involved in the various subcommittees. We also will need a Soror to organize the chapter’s table at the event. F I R S T A N T I - B A S I L E U S R E P O R T PEO PEARL NEWSLETTER I JANUARY 2024 I PAGE 5 Submitted by Soror Dewanna Graham, First Anti-Basileus P R O G R A M S
The Membership Committee met on 1/11/24 at 7pm via Zoom. Attendees: Soror Linda Harvest, Soror Maureen Lewis, Soror Lajuana Gonzalez, Soror Jacquie Rhodes, Soror Sandra Robinson The following items were discussed: The final version of the Evaluation Retreat Survey was reviewed and discussed by the committee and the link was to be distributed to the Chapter for Feedback. The Membership Committee Chairman will present the Membership Experience Presentation on January 31st, 2024. Info will be sent out to the Chapter shortly. The Membership Committee will move forward to make plans to prepare for the Chapter Health Check, and Member Sponsorship Eligibility. The Membership Committee and Sisterly Relations discussed ideas about activities and events to fellowship with Chapter Members within the next upcoming months. This concludes my report. S E C O N D A N T I - B A S I L E U S R E P O R T PEO PEARL NEWSLETTER I JANUARY 2024 I PAGE 6 Submitted by Soror Kelly Carmichael, Second Anti-Basileus M E M B E R S H I P Next Selection: Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez! Book Club! Coming in March
PEO PEARL NEWSLETTER I JANUARY 2024 I PAGE 7 B U D G E T & F I N A N C E Log onto Club Express to access the financial reports from Soror Shatiana Hilarski, Tamiochos and Soror Shellece-Jeanette Earles, Pecunious Grammateus. Dec. Financials (OP) Dec. Financials (CSP)
New Training! Check out these new mini-webinars from Soror Deana Lawson and the Leadership Development Committee! New Officer Training Becoming a Phenomenal Phi Eta Omega Leader Financial Officer Mini Webinar Grammateus & Anti Grammateus Officer Role Overview For the full training library, visit the Leadership Development folder in the Documents library on Club Express. PEO PEARL NEWSLETTER I JANUARY 2024 I PAGE 8 L E A D E R S H I P D E V E L O P M E N T F U N D R A I S I N G Thanks to all our Sorors for making the Chef Mark Virtual Cooking class a financial success! A suggestion to the Fundraising Committee is to have Chef Mark come before Thanksgiving this year to give our holiday spending a little relief in December. Join the Fundraising Committee for more! Submitted by Soror Martha Nolley Fundraising Chairman Submitted by Soror Deana Lawson Leadership Development Chairman
PEO PEARL NEWSLETTER I JANUARY 2024 I PAGE 9 Submitted by Soror Sonya Williams NPHC of CJ Delegate
PEO PEARL NEWSLETTER I JANUARY 2024 I PAGE 4 CALLING ALL SORORS! Join Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Phi Eta Omega Chapter as we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of our chapter chartering. 12 noon Pines Manor 2085 Route 27 Edison, NJ Get your tickets here: http://tinyurl.com/PEOSilver