Happy Holidays from Gamma Pi -- The Super Chapter Goes to Work for Thanksgiving and Christmas

Gamma Pi Brothers Take a Break 

at the Holiday Extravaganza

You did not have to get all the way inside Panorama Elementary in Temple Hills, Md on Wednesday night, December 4, to know something big was happening. A huge red fire truck was parked out front with its emergency lights flashing and the engine running. A couple of county police cars were also parked not too far away with their blue and red lights flashing. It may have looked like there was trouble brewing, but not at all. Inside the school building it was all fun and excitement as more than 400 people enjoyed hot food, games, Christmas photos, toy giveaways and time with Santa. Welcome to Gamma Pi Chapter's 2024 Holiday Extravaganza.

Bro. John Morgan, Jr. surveys the huge crowd

Once again, the hardest working men in Omega Psi Phi were at it. The Brothers of Gamma Pi Chapter do not let anything or anybody stand in their way when it comes to delivering much-needed services and support to the community, especially when it comes to helping the youngest and oldest among us -- the seniors and the kids. In this case, Gamma Pi, the Super Chapter, was ringing in the holidays with tangible forms of cheer and good tidings.

The Christmas event, organized and executed by the chapter's Social Action committee, was planned for Panorama parents and students but it turned into a community affair. It did not really matter as there was more than enough food, toys and other gifts and Holiday Spirit to go around.

Bro. William "Santa" Lloyd

"I'm glad how it worked out. We had a great partnership with Panorama Elementary. It was a collaborative effort, said Bro. John Morgan, Jr., Social Action chairman for Gamma Pi. "The kids enjoyed it and that's all that counts."

If you stood inside the cafeteria-auditorium, where most all of the action took place, and looked around, there were lines everywhere. Lines for food. Lines for the raffles. Lines for holiday photos. Lines to sit and talk with Santa (Bro. William Lloyd). And lines for toys and Christmas trees. The toys were a wide variety -- motorized cars and trucks, dolls, action figures, games, puzzles and more. And more than a few students and parents could be seen wheeling new bicycles through the crowd. It looked like Christmas came early.

It was evident from the sheer number of people that this was Gamma Pi's largest-ever Christmas party.  The patrons attending the party would have not have fit into two airplanes.

Several local leaders stopped by, including Bro. County Councilman Calvin Hawkins, who said: "This is a prime opportunity for families to come together and celebrate the Christmas season in a safe and festive environment. Great job Gamma Pi!"

Bro. Tiresias McCall delivers

A few days before the Christmas event, the Brothers and Social Action committee helped seniors in the Forestville and Temple Hills communities enjoy Thanksgiving. On Saturday, November 23, a large contingent of Gamma Pi Brothers unloaded, repacked and delivered free Thanksgiving packages containing turkeys and trimmings to more than 100 seniors at Trinity Terrace in Temple Hills and Cheval Court in Forestville. Both dwellings are reserved for seniors.

"Our social action team does a real good job of identifying areas of need and planning activities for us to provide support in those areas," said Basileus Bro. Eric Fields. "We do an even better job of executing those plans when the time comes."

PHOTOS BY BRO. GEORGE DUBOSE

Bro. Basileus Eric Fields and Bro. Councilman Calvin Hawkins 

present turkey to one of the residents

Bro. Kerry Wilson (left) and Vice Basileus Bro. Terrance Hare

 present bicycle to young family at Christmas event

Bro. Morgan and Hare unload Thanksgiving food boxes

Brothers transfer Thanksgiving packages from the truck

Bro. Shake Alieu leads the way with Thanksgiving food boxes