The Official Newsletter of Mu Lambda Chapter Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
December, 2010
Photo by Bro. Rashid Darden
Message from the President Brother Kwame Ulmer
Faithfulness
Tavis Smiley finishes every talk show program with his catch phrase “Keep the Faith” and the expression always resonated with me. When I trained for my first marathon, I learned a similar phrase: “Hold off in the beginning and hold on at the end”. Both expressions imply that one should remember the definition of faithful: steadfast in affection or allegiance. When we grow weary, we need to find encouragement and press on towards our goal. The matter of faith is quite timely for us and the subject of our December program.
As we settle into the fraternal year, we can already see signs of faithfulness. Out of the 90 plus Brothers who come to chapter meetings, approximately one third of you have volunteered for a community service project, attended a social event, are actively engaged in foundation work, and have paid your dues and housing assessment. However, we need more than a faithful few. We have even more work planned for the Winter and Spring. These events will require even more steadfast allegiance. It will require, you brother, for us to meet our strategic vision of a fully functioning chapter of 125 black leaders. This Torch shows where we are relative to our goal.
For the December program, Brother Hawkins has assembled a group of brothers to share their faith journey. Our hope is you will relate to some element of their story and be encouraged to work hard as a good father, husband, uncle, professional, and mentor. The first Thursday of the month at 2405 is a sanctuary. We have built a House where we are physically fed, intellectually stimulated, and emotionally supported. The more faith you have, the better brother you are.
We are making good progress brothers, and we’re just getting started. Please join us and remember:
Keep the faith.
Fraternally,
Brother Kwame Ulmer President
Chair Drive
Brothers:
The chair painting, with a Mu Lambda logo pictured above, is well underway and your help is desperately needed to make the chair project a success.
The Mu Lambda Foundation is accepting tax deductible donations in the amount of $100 for the chair project.
Upon receipt of your donation, your contribution will be permanently noted for all to see. Your name will be inscribed in gold lettering on a black chair as follows:
Donated by Brother (your name inserted)
Please contact the following Brothers if you’d like to make a donation or to find out more about this project:
Brother Arthur King (202-744-6624)
Brother Larry Ware (202-621-3745)
Alpha Wives
THE NOVEMBER MEETING OF ALPHA WIVES WAS HELD AT THE MU LAMBDA HOUSE
The November meeting was quite a treat for the Alpha Wives. It was the first time that we met in the Mu Lambda House, which is being beautifully renovated. It was a pleasure to see how far the restoration project has come. Several Alpha Wives mentioned that they would love to have such a beautiful, upgraded kitchen of their own.
We were fortunate to have Mr. Le Roy Lowery from Mu Lambda as our speaker. Mr. Lowery gave a wonderful overview of the renovation project, including background, status, and future plans. Several other Alphas, some members of the Mu Lambda Foundation, were also presented to the Alpha Wives - including Julius Brice, Eddie Neal, Arthur King, James Speight, and LaVert Seabron.
We encourage Mu Lambda members to invite their wives to join us as we continue to support Alpha programs.
ALPHA WIVES CHRISTMAS PARTY
The Alpha Wives Christmas Party will be held on Sunday, December 12, 2010, from 2p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Mu Lambda House. The House is located at 2405 First Street, NW, at the corner of Bryant Street. The cost of the event is $32.00. Please come and have a wonderful time with us.
For information, please contact:
Alice Scipio (301-598-9261)
Charlotte Douglass (703-671-856)
Claudia Postell (410-266-6341)
Modestine Lowery (202-291-3129)
Membership & Brotherhood News
Preferred candidate for the position of president at Alcorn State University announced
Alcorn State, MS (November 22, 2010) – The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) announced in a press conference today that Dr. M. Christopher Brown II, executive vice president and provost at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, is the preferred candidate for the position of president at Alcorn State University. The announcement was made following a meeting of the Board of Trustees.
On Tuesday, November 30, Dr. Brown will participate in open, daylong discussions on the Lorman campus of Alcorn State University with various University and community constituency groups (schedule and webcast sessions forthcoming). Individuals attending the open discussions will be given the opportunity to provide feedback to the Board of Trustees regarding their impressions of the preferred candidate. At the end of the day, the Board will anno unce either that Dr. Brown will be the next president of Alcorn State University, or that the search will continue.
Brothers enter Omega Chapter
Brother Colonel William Joseph "Bill" Simpkins, Retired US Army, entered Omega Chapter on Saturday, November 6, 2010 at National Health Care Center, North Augusta, SC. Brother Simpk ins was a 1954 initiate of Beta Epsilon Chapter at North Carolina A& T. and a line Brother of Mu Lambda’s James T. Speight, Jr. He was a long time resident of the Washington Metropolitan area.
Brother Lieutenant Colonel William G. Stepp, Retired US Army, entered Omega Chapter on Wednesday, November 17, 2010. Brother Stepp’s lived in the Silver Spring area. Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer's Disease Research, 22512 Gateway Center Drive, PO Box 1950, Clarksburg, MD 20871-1950.
Mid-Atlantic Association of Alpha Phi Alpha Chapters (MAAC) at
On Saturday, October 30, 2010, Brothers from the MAAC were part of the 14,000 plus people to participate at the Capital Area Food Bank, helping to make a difference in the lives of others volunteering their time and talent.
Brothers came out, in great numbers, dressed comfortably in their jeans, sneakers/boots and, of course, their favorite Alpha shirts, to assist in packing and sorting donated foods. Our very own, immediate Past President of Mu Lambda, Bro. Tim Fitzgerald, serves as the Community Service Coordinator for the MAAC, and helped orchestrate this wonderful event.
Adopt- A-Block
On Saturday, November 20th, Brothers and a number of men interested in membership in our great Fraternity, assembled at the Mu Lambda House to clean the block and surrounding neighborhood.
Brothers enjoy a night out at The Park night club on Friday, November, 19th, 2010
Beautillion Mentors Needed
Brothers are needed in order to make this a successful Season. All individuals (Committee Members and Mentors) are encouraged to complete a police clearance for the 2010-2011 Beautillion Season.
Please visit the following police station for background/clearance services:
Metropolitan Police Headquarter
300 Indiana Ave., NW Washington, DC 20001
Department - Criminal Records/Police Clearance - 3rd floor
Phone - (202) 727-4245
You will need the following item to complete your police clearance:
- Valid Photo ID (Drivers license, Passport, state issues ID card, etc.).
The cost for this service is $7.00 and payment is expected at the time of service. All records will be held in the Mu Lambda Foundation achieves and records.
If there are any further questions, please contact the following Brothers:
Brother Mark Ross: (202) 422-8493
Brother Darrell Chase: (202) 294-3383
Brother Kent Benjamin: (703) 401-0888
Holiday Social and Toy Drive
Mu Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
You are cordially invited To join us for our
Holiday Social and Toy Drive
Saturday, December 18, 2010 6:00 p.m.
Mu Lambda House 2405 First Street NW Washington, DC
Cocktails, Hors d’oeuvres, & Desserts will be served
Tickets: $30 for single ticket; $45 for a couple
Please bring a new unwrapped toy For children at The United Medical Center –Children’s National Medical Center Emergency Department
To purchase tickets go to www.mulambda.org Click donate to Mu Lambda
Mark A. Ross
Ryle Bell
Rylan R. Harris
Major P. Gladden
William D. Thomas
Carl M. Bradley
Kenneth F. Holbert
Brian J. Moore
Jimmy L. Floyd
Louis A. Ford
Eric Mitchell
DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS
December 4
December 5
December 6
December 8
Julian C. Wilson, Jr.
James R. Haynes
Darrell M. Chase
Willie A. Flowers
December 11 Paul Hoggard
December 13
December 13
Michael L. Zimmerman
Theodore R. George, Jr.
December 19
December 21
December 22
December 23
December 23
December 26
December 27
December 13 Marcus Ware December 28
December 18
December 19
December 19
Bobby W. Austin
Dr. Clint C. Wilson II
December 29
December 30
The 2010-2011 Executive Board & Committee Chairs
President Kwame Ulmer
202-492-3487 Kwame.ulmer@gmail.com
Vice President Reginald Salter 301-379-6102 rsalterdds@aol.com
Recording Secretary T. Paul Jones 202-557-6246 freshlook@yahoo.com
Treasurer Mark Ross 202-422-8493 rossmarka@aol.com
Financial Secretary Arthur King 202-744-6624 aking536@aol.com
Corresponding Secretary Joseph Housey, III 561-932-3599 joe3rd@hotmail.com
Chaplain William Hawkins 202-583-3211 whawk39564@aol.com
Historian Craig Allen 314-607-9975 c.d.allen@hotmail.com
Archivist Kevin Giles 804-389-1906 Kevin_R_Giles@mcpsmd.org
Account or Life Member Number______________________________________ Address____________________________________________________
Work Number
Email Address
Housing Assessment: $50 Per month for 10 months or $500 lump sum
The Foundation accepts cash, checks and credit card payments.
If paying by cash, please bring it to the chapter meeting along with this form.
If paying by check, please bring it to the chapter meeting or mail it to the below PO Box along with this form.
Mu Lambda Foundation PO Box 4582 Washington, DC 20017-4582
If paying by credit card, please visit www.mulambda.org and pay via pay pal or bring your credit card to the meeting.
Submit this form with your dues to the financial secretary.
December Meeting
Thursday, December 02, 2010 Repast: 6:30pm; Meeting: 7:06pm Mu Lambda House 2405 First Street NW Washington, DC
(Month/Day/Year) ___________________________________________________________________ Home Number _____________________________ W ork Number ___________________________________ Email Address _____________________________________________________________________________
If transferring into Mu Lambda: Date of Initiation___________________ Chapter of Initiation________________
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Mu Lambda Chapter PO Box 1993 Washington, DC 20013-1993 ….Share the Light of the Torch with our inactive Brothers and Brothers new to the DC area….
