VOL 67 ISSUE 2 SUMMER 2023
VOL 67 ISSUE 2 SUMMER 2023
SISTERS
IN MOTION
BROWARD COUNTY ALUMNAE CHAPTER
AS SEEN ON
ECONOMIC DEVEELOPMENT
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DEVELOPMENT
INTERNATIONAL AWARENESS &
INVOLVEMENT
PHYSICAL & MENTAL HEALTH
POLITICAL AWARENESS & INVOLVEMENT
Valerie Harley-Gardner
Sorors,
It has been an honor serving as the Chapter President for Broward County Alumnae. We successfully embraced and implemented the L.E.V.E.L. U.P. theme, achieving outstanding results! Our Delta DEARS received love and attention, while our DIVAS and DOLLS were fully engaged. The funds we raised for SOS and March of Dimes for Babies were the highest ever, and we made an impact by decorating one of the SOS Children's Village homes and donating an impressive number of books to families in the NICU.
We raised $63,000 without selling any tickets and are committed to exploring more creative ways to raise funds. Our Youth Initiatives saw a significant increase in participation, and we are excited about a new partnership that will fully fund EMBODI and bring in United Way and Big Brothers and Big Sisters as partners. The cotillion participants also posted impressive fundraising numbers. We took pride in engaging in new partnerships, and our appointed Community Partnerships Chair did an outstanding job bringing in new partners.
Our Finance Team achieved 100% A+ audit ratings in every cycle, and we have invested a significant amount of our funds into a High Yield CD, removing it from the small interest-bearing savings account where it remained for over a decade. Thanks to PP&D, our Risk Management was top-notch, and we successfully screened 48 volunteers, clearing 24 of them. We received superior accolades across the state and took over the Florida Cluster. The Crimson and Cream Takeover was a success, with all three chapters in the county collaborating and earning additional funds for scholarships. Our public relations team kept the public informed through social media channels.
We successfully prepared and obtained approval of our Policies and Procedures. Our Social Action Committee rallied at the school board and staged another BCACDST takeover during Delta Days at the State Capital. Our Tech Chair was responsible for tech at the tri-county Founders Day and the Florida Cluster. The Physical and Mental Health Committee hosted a well-attended mental health and wellness program for MEN and incorporated wellness tips into our chapter meetings. We also took our Small Business Saturday game to the next level. ERT has officially partnered with the Broward EOC, bringing awareness to hurricane season and other emergencies in our county.
International Awareness and Involvement took us on a cruise ship to the Bahamas, where we donated to support the elderly in Nassau, leaving the Nassau Alumnae Chapter with a check for $500 to continue their efforts. I am proud of our flawless Elections Committee, which held a flawless first election and included chapter awards on the ballot. Our May Week and Scholarship Committees brought forward more targeted programming for students in our community and a new level of organization to our scholarship program. These are just a few highlights of our accomplishments. As we move forward, please remember that Broward County Alumnae belongs to each of us, and we must all work together to sustain it. I encourage everyone to sign up for two committees in the new sororal year and put in the work to keep our chapter shining in our community.
Thank you for sharing your love, kindness, and encouragement. Let's continue to L.E.V.E.L. U.P.!
Yours in the Bond of Sisterhood,
Valerie R. Harley-Gardner,
Immediate Past President
Meet the team
Shirley D. Baker
Copy Editor
Karrah Fort
Contributing Writer
Valorie Burney
Contributing Writer
Tamara Gant
Contributing Writer
Kamesha Butler
Contributing Writer
Britney Marie Harris
Contributing Writer
Contributing Writer
Rochelle Davis-Cox
Roselyn Honyghan
Contributing Writer
the
journalist
Happy Summer, sorors! We hope you are enjoying your summer. With sincere gratitude, and a warm heart, thank you for an incredible sororal term. Under the #LeveledUp leadership, we successfully launched the Sisters in Motion newsletter. And we are committed to #MovingForwardWithFortitude in the next term.
Thank you to the SIM Journalism Team for your incredible work over the past two years and to all of my beloved chapter sorors for embodying the best parts of our standards: Sisterhood, Scholarship, Service, and Social Action.
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
MEMBERSHIP SERVICES
VISION OF PEARLS
Congratulations to the following sorors:
Beatrice Henry Baptiste
launched Conquered It Designs Graphics company
Dr. Angela Fulton -
Recently appointed to Regional Superintendent
at Broward County Public Schools
Deidra E. Johnson -
Recently promoted to
Master Coach - Coaching & Induction at Broward County Public Schools
Tina Teague
appointed to serve as a Board Member on the Housing Finance Authority of Broward County, FL
Shakyra Lawson
launched Timeless Therapeutic Services - Teens and Young Adult Therapist
TURQUOISE- DECEMBER
For Membership inquiries/updates and sharing announcements and other recognitions, Deidra E. Johnson: membershipservices@bcacdst.org.
PROGRAM PLANNING
AND DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTED AND DEdICATED
to providing an extensive array of public service and other initiatives
Recent Events
Delta Academy serviced a group home in our community through donations and kind words of expression to the girls at the group home. The bags were hand-delivered.
Any overage of items was placed in the "Praise Closet," a community closet where the girls select items once a week.
Sorors participated in the 5K run at the FLA Live Arena, demonstrating their support for SOS Children's Village.
Our mission and contribution are towards the noble cause of keeping siblings together in foster care.
Read America held a successful Family Book Distribution during the popular Carter Park Jamz event in Fort Lauderdale on May 19, 2023.
The books provided are meant to encourage kids to read during the summer...
Recent Events
Delta Education and Life Development Foundation, Inc., in partnership with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Broward County Alumnae Chapter, cruised in Nassau, Bahamas to raise funds to award scholarSHIPs to our Broward County graduating seniors.
Over 16 colleges and more than 10 vendors from the community gathered under one roof to bring information and goods to students and community members! Don’t miss it next year!
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Broward County Alumnae Chapter sowed over $95,000 in scholarships to students of need in South Florida!!
Service is what we do!
SERVICE IS OUR CORE
Delta Academy serviced a group home in our community through donations and kind words of expression to the girls at the group home. The bags were hand delivered. Each girl received $50 in gift cards to various places and 2 bags full of assortments from shower gel, lotion, ear pods, socks, lashes, and the list goes on. Pizza will be delivered at 6:00. Ms. Our Soror Crystal Barnes-Butler hand delivered the bags created by our Delta Academy girls and was able to witness the joy in the faces of a few of the girls that were there when she delivered. They were totally surprised and excited. Here are some pictures she took. Any overage of items was placed in the "Praise Closet," which is a community closet that the girls go to and select items once a week. The home always accepts donations for the closet at any time.
SOS Children’s Village 5K Run
On March 11, 2023, sorors walked and ran at the FLA Live Arena
in support of the SOS Children’s Village 5K Run. The mission of SOS is to keep siblings in foster care together. As we continued to LEVEL UP this program year, we showed up and showed out for children. BCAC was the #1 Team in donations surpassing 68 other teams by raising $12,480 in March of this year. Thank you to our chapter members and sorors across the State of Florida and the Bahamas for giving generously and prioritizing children! See you next year.
CHILDREN'S READING FESTIVAL
On April 29, 2023, Read America held a Children's Reading Festival at St. George Park. This day of literacy featured four dynamic local adult and kid authors who shared exciting excerpts from their books with the audience. Additionally, three animated storytelling sessions were held aboard the Operation R.E.A.D. Literacy Bus. 716 children's books were provided for students in Pre-K to 8th grade. Tote bags, pens and pencils were also disbursed. 108 students were served, representing 77 families. The total attendance was 161. A delicious healthy lunch was provided to all attendees. Students also enjoyed bead crafts, face painting, balloon twisting, video truck gaming and music from our fantastic DJ. Event partners included First Book, dd's Discounts, City of Lauderhill, Lauderhill Parks & Recreation, Memorial Hospital West, Literacy Connection and Author Portia Dunkley.
READ AMERICA
Read America held a successful Family Book Distribution during the popular Carter Park Jamz event in Fort Lauderdale on May 19, 2023. We distributed 1,263 free books and tote bags for kids in pre-k through high school, along with books for adult attendees. Our section of the event was attended by 112 families and served 143 children. This initiative is a critical resource to increase the home libraries of our families. The books provided are meant to encourage kids to read during the summer, and can help them maintain their reading skills, improve their vocabulary, and develop a love of learning.
56 National Convention:
TH
CALL TO CONVENTION
July 18 -23, 2023
aLL DAY
indianapolis , INDIANA
#DSTConvention2023
#ALLRoadsLeadToIndy
