ALL SMILES: Phaebra Croft, International Boule Hostess and Shari-lyn Gordon-Jackson, Local Boule Hostess.
SIGMA GAMMA RHO ICON: Dr. Gensa B. Scott honoring the children’s Chair at Grant A.M.E. during the Chapter’s 50th Annual Piano Recital.
Biennial Boule to kick off two-year focus on Enhanced Community Service with a continued focus on education and community building Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. is set to announce programs of greater global outreach and local commitment at its 53rd Biennial Boule, July 14-22, 2010 at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa in Palm Springs.
Armed with the theme, On Fire to Serve! Expanding Local Mobilization for Global Impact, the Sorority is calling on all members and supporters to convene at the biennial event and work to achieve all that is necessary to make a positive impact in their communities.
The Public Meeting is scheduled to begin Saturday, July 17, at 6:30 p.m. where Dr. Bertice Berry, noted lecture, TV host, comedienne, and author will be featured as keynote speaker. Later, inspirational and R&B singer, author and sorority member Kelly Price will perform in concert, with comedian Akintunde Warnock and world-renowned Hip-Hop violinists Nuttin’ But Stringz as the opening acts. Further, on Sunday, July 18, members and guests are invited to a Prayer and Praise Breakfast featuring gospel-recording artists Mary Mary, winners of the 2009 Grammy, American Music, NAACP, BET & Dove Awards.
Los Angeles native and 10-year-old singing sensation Roman Collins will provide opening songs of praise for the breakfast. A limited number of general admission tickets are available for purchase through the International Headquarters for the Boule Concert, the Prayer, and Praise Breakfast.
The conference festivities will conclude on Wednesday, July 21, with an awards and achievements banquet featuring actress and playwright Vickilyn Reynolds performing her self-authored play “Hattie: What I Need To Know.”
Distinguished leader in service and 22nd International Grand Basileus, Joann Loveless, prepares to announce high yet attainable goals for the next biennium, with action items set to begin during the 2010 Boule with a number of local conference area, national and international service initiatives.
“The leadership of our nation has declared this era as one to recommit to community outreach and service,” states Grand Basileus Loveless. “The convening of our membership, supporters and community partners is our opportunity to refresh and refocus on our goals and actions as an organization to achieve that end.
In this current economic climate, the needs of the communities we serve are even greater than before.
Sorority members must work in concert to improve the quality of life worldwide by touching one neighborhood at a time.”
Holding true to the renewed commitment to service, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. will begin its efforts on Tuesday, July 20 by hosting a baby shower for nearly 50 deserving military families stationed at Twenty Nine Palms Military Base. Operation B.A.M. (Babies and Mommies) is poised to provide gifts and gift cards for expecting mothers in an effort to assist the families of our servicemen and women.
In addition to gifts and prizes, the March of Dimes will be on hand to provide vital information on pre-natal and post-natal care. The Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twenty Nine Palms is the largest Marine Corps base in the world.
“We are extremely excited about hosting one of the largest International Conventions for our sorority,” says International Boule Hostess Phaebra Croft of Sigma Sigma Los Angeles Alumnae Chapter. “We recently celebrated seventy years of our local chapter’s existence in the Western Region and this is another added bonus with having so many of our sisters traveling to the West Coast.” “The last time Sigma Gamma Rho held its Boule in Southern California was in 1974, which was way before I chartered Theta Epsilon undergraduate chapter at USC,” adds local Boule Hostess Shari-lyn Gordon-Jackson.
The Mighty Western Region has a host of Alumnae chapters in the Greater Los Angeles Area and many undergraduate chapters including campuses such as UCLA, CSUDH, CSUN, CSULB, Loyola Marymount University, and many others.
Since they were last here in 1974, Sigma Gamma Rho’s icon Dr. Gesna B. Scott chartered the first African American chapter in Compton, California. She recently conducted her 50th Annual Piano Recital for fifteen children at Grant A.M.E. She has attended every Boule since 1974.
Dr. Scott has celebrated life for nine decades and believes in and lives the sorority’s motto of “Greater Service, Greater Progress”.
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority’s aim is to enhance the quality of life within the community. Public service, leadership development and education of youth are the hallmark of the organization’s programs and activities. Sigma Gamma Rho addresses concerns that impact society educationally, civically and economically.
For more information on Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and its 53rd Biennial Boule, please visit the national website at www.sgrho1922.org.
