Top County Officials Honor Gamma Pi for 40 Years of Dedicated Service to the Local Community

Gamma Pi with Brother Councilman Derrick L. Davis

The 40th birthday is usually a special one. It is one of those milestones that calls for special gifts and special recognition. For some individuals, reaching 40 can be somewhat traumatic -- you are moving into a new age bracket and a new phase of life. For the Brothers of Gamma Pi chapter in Prince George's County, Maryland, turning 40 was anything but traumatic, but was, instead, "sweet" as members of the chapter were honored yesterday by the Prince George's County Council, led by Brother Councilman Derrick L. Davis, for four decades of exemplary service to the local community. Both Brother Councilman Davis and Brother County Executive Rushern Baker co-sponsored the Proclamation. Both are members of the chapter.

Close to 40 Brothers turned out for the recognition ceremony at 10 a.m. on March 26 at County Council Chambers in Upper Marlboro. The event included a Proclamation presented by Bother Councilman Davis and his fellow council members in honor of Gamma Pi's stellar and steady community service. It was an event to experience and will go down as one of the proudest days in Gamma Pi history. The chapter, which surged to more than 200 dues-paying members in 2011,  was chartered on March 5, 1973. This past March 5, Gamma Pi  held a ''reunion" program to commemorate the occasion and kickoff a yearlong slate of activities honoring the 40th anniversary. More than 100 Brothers past and present attended that program at the Super Chapter Fraternity Center in Capital Heights, Maryland.

At County Council chambers on Tuesday, the venue was turned into a "sea of purple" as Omega men from Gamma Pi donned their trademark purple sport jackets to show unity. In many ways, it was a day of "Purple Reign," which is a theme the chapter has chosen for the 40th anniversary year activities. The Council also sponsored a continental breakfast reception for the Gamma Pi Brothers prior to the ceremony.

Brothers Ikey Staton, McIntosh and Everett

"Having the county government recognize our 40 years of service to the citizens is outstanding," said Gamma Pi Basileus, Brother Gordon Everett, Sr. "To have some of our charter members still active with the chapter is a blessing. They have taught us well the meaning of Omega Man."  

Brother Tim McIntosh, one of the chapter's founders, served as the first Basileus. He addressed the County Council during the recognition ceremony, saying:"Forty years seems like a short period of time... The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity is over 100 years old, and we hold four Cardinal Principles very dear. They are Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance and Uplift. They guide us and enable us to make an impact wherever we are: Manhood….standing up and being the man that we are called to be; Scholarship….excelling in whatever we undertake; Perseverance….hanging in there to see things through, regardless of the cause; and Uplift….reaching down to lift someone up. It is because of our adherence to these Principles that we are here today."

"We are grateful that County Councilman Derrick Davis and County Executive Rushern Baker are among our Brotherhood," Brother McIntosh added. "Thank you Brother Davis for this Proclamation ….and Long Live the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity." Brother McIntosh is one of several charter members who are also 50-year members of the Fraternity.

Click here for a link to the Council agenda. Gamma Pi was front and center at the March 26 meeting: 

Above and below are some photos from the event provided by Brother David Sierra. Additional photos from Brother Sierra's collection are also located on the Gamma Pi web site. Some video clips from the Tuesday event  will also be made available soon.

Brothers listen in Council Chambers

Brother Councilman Davis (right) briefs chapter

Brothers Hines, Wyatt and Branch discuss the event 

Gamma Pi Brings Holiday Cheer to Kentland Community Children, Families

Once a month, the Brothers of Gamma Pi chapter arrive at the Kentland Community Center to the delight and anticipation of many of the children in the area who look forward to the chapter's Que Kidz Dayz program as a time to learn, grow and experience activities and opportunities that they normally would not get. Many of these children come from disadvantaged backgrounds. But today was different, marked by the presence of Santa "in the house," and there were many gifts, treats and holiday music and decorations.

Could it be Christmas? Absolutely. Christmas came early for the Kentland kids and the greater Kentland Community thanks to the chapter's Community Holiday Celebration held at the center today.



Members of Sister4Sisters

 More than 100 people -- many of them young children, some with their parents - joined in a range of festivities that the children will never forget. There were games; a live magic show courtesy of Brother Otis Fowler, the official chapter "magician;" an interactive science presentation that featured real-life science projects; food; and a little bit of line dancing at the end.

Gamma Pi collaborated with the Kentland Community Center, 4H, the local Boys and Girls Club and an organization called Sister4Sisters on the event, which began at 10 a.m. and ended at 1 p.m. Brother Orlando McDowell coordinates Que Kidz Dayz for Gamma Pi chapter. To learn mroe about Que Kidz Dayz, click here.

Among those attending was Maryland State Senator Joanne C. Benson, who addressed the audience and praised the efforts of Gamma Pi and the other partner in making the event happen. Below are some comments Senator Benson offered on video about the event. Some other video highlights are also posted:

Another Great Achievement Week Program for Gamma Pi

In recent years, Gamma Pi's Achievement Week programs have been inspirational celebrations of the Four Cardinal Principles of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Name speakers. Young community talent on display. And a salute to academic achievement and community service within the chapter and in the Greater Prince George's area. Yesterday was all that and more as Brothers, their families and community leaders joined together at Charles Flowers High School for Achievement Week 2012. The school in Springdale, Maryland is actually named for an Omega man who was a Tuskegee Airman.

View of the Dais at Saturday's Gamma Pi Achievement Week

Only a General could lead the way and U.S. Army General (Ret.) William "Kip" Ward, a member of the Fraternity, served as keynote speaker. It was one of the best Achievement Week speeches in recent memory as he quoted from the poem "Invictus" and talked about the historical context of achievement by Omega men in all walks of life since the Fraternity's November 17,1911 founding at Howard University. "The Founders gave Omega life. Now it is our job, the current membership, to keep it going."

Gamma Pi's Brother William Reese, a Fraternity member for more than 40 years, has known Brother General Ward for many years and invited him to speak several months ago. Last year's speaker was Brother Rushern Baker, Prince George's County Executive. Other noteworthy speakers from previous years were Brother Ernest Green of The Little Rock Nine (who was interviewed on XM Satellite Radio about Gamma Pi Achievement Week), Brother Dr. Joe Leonard of the Obama Administration and Brother Dr. Mickey Burnim, president of Bowie State University. Brother William Smith was chief organizer of all Achievement Week activities for the chapter.

Brothers Reese (left), Basileus Gordon Everett (right) with General Ward

While General Ward keynoted the occasion, another highlight as always during Achievement Week is the awards. Brother Brian Keith Long, current chapter Keeper of Records and Seal, was voted Omega Man of the Year by the chapter and officially received the award  at Saturday's program. He was also given the Superior Service Award for this year, a rarity. Immediate Past Second District Representative Brother Kenneth Rodgers, a legend in Gamma Pi history who blazed trails to District and International Fraternity level involvement by the chapter,  was also given the Founders' Award. Community winners were Brother Rev. Tony Lee (Religious Leader of the Year),  State's Attorney for Prince George's County Angela Alsobrooks (Citizen of the Year), Denise Swann (Educator of the Year) and wife of Gamma Pi member Ronald Swann, and Taivon Jacobs (Student Athlete of the Year).

Two highly talented musical aggregations, both directed by Gamma Pi men, performed at the program. They were the Flowers High School Jazz Band (Brother Don DeMarco Myles) and the Surrattsville High School Choir (Brother Marcus Davis).

Brothers gathered for the annual Achievement Week dinner at Andrews Air Force Base on Friday, November 16. Brother Teddy Taylor, a past Basileus of the chapter who just completed three years as an U.S. Ambassador in the South Pacific, brought a special message to members. Several other Gamma Pi Brothers were singled out for awards and certificates at the dinner.

Video highlights from Achievement Week, including General Ward's speech and Brother Long's acceptance speech, are available at Gamma Pi TV, the chapter's YouTube channel: Click here for Gamma Pi TV.

The Super Chapter Brings Cheer to Local Seniors

Contributed by Brother Thomas Boone

Gamma Pi chapter has a following among the seniors in Prince George's County. Every summer, the Ques from the Super Chapter host a Seniors Banquet at a local church in Capitol Heights, Md. that has become very popular and was even covered once by a local newspaper. Throughout the year, there are several other gathering for our seniors including a summer picnic/cookout and a series of Seniors Birthday Bash events held at the Windsor Crossing complex in Suitland.

Several Gamma Pi Brothers led the way with a program of mind-stimulating games, cake and ice cream, music and chit chat. Thanks to Brothers Bleu Colquitt, Don Norwood, Rod Lawrence, Don DeMarco Myles (who played the guitar) and Thomas Boone for organizing and carrying out the program.

The seniors have already requested that Gamma Pi come back in December. They have already engaged the Ques in gold-natured ribbing about who has the best skills in Wii bowling. The next Birthday Bash is  scheduled for December 19. Below are some photos from the event provided by Brother Boone:

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