For the past three years, the Hinesville alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta has worked tirelessly to improve the local communities of Liberty, Long, Wayne and Bryan counties.

It has not been an easy task considering the numerous challenges impacting the community at large, but through the leadership and guidance of Chapter President Petula Y. Gomillion and Chapter Vice-President, Sarah C. Stevens, the Hinesville alumnae chapter has been able to create lasting changes and improvements within the community.

Shortly after they were elected to their current positions within the chapter, Petula Gomillion and Sarah Stevens immediately implemented a vision and focus that would serve as the umbrella for all of the chapter’s programs and events.

The theme, Refocus, Reaffirm and Reconnect, has assisted the chapter leadership and all of its members in developing programs and service events that would refocus the community, reaffirm community partnerships and reconnect the chapter with other organizations that can assist the chapter in creating lasting change.

The chapter has been able to:

1. Increase its programs and community service activities by 50 percent from the previous year

2. Increase its revenue which serves to provide scholarships to members of the community and pay for its programs and activities

3. Increase its chapter members by 51 percent from the previous two years

4. Increase its level of community giving by 75 percent from the previous two years

5. Recognition as Project 13 Chapter by National Headquarters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Two Delta GEMS, Mikia Frazier and Imani Jessamys were recognized on the national level in Houston, Texas.

The Hinesville alumnae chapter has more than exceeded its goal and vision and continues to develop and implement creative and effective ways to continuously impact the local community.

Here are some of the major highlights for the Hinesville alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. during the 2016-2017 sorority year:

• Two Hinesville alumnae chapter members, Debra Covington, regional autism awareness chair and Dalmyra Caesar, regional journalist, were selected to serve on the Southern Region Leadership team of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

• Annual participation and giving during the St. Jude Walk/Run Day; chapter has donated more than $1,700 in the past two years towards the St. Jude’s mission

• The first voter education Forum in conjunction with the Wayne County NAACP with guest speaker, Dr. Francys Johnson, president of the Georgia NAACP

• 1st teen voter Registration drive held at Liberty County High School

• 1st teen summit, one day youth empowerment summit that brings together youth from within the chapter’s service area to explore issues relevant to teens and to propose solutions through a facilitated workshop. The event was co-sponsored by Webster University and held at the Fort Stewart Education Center.

• Socks for Courtney donation drive; Socks for Courtney is a nonprofit organization located in Richmond Hill that provides socks to adults and children throughout the world.

• 3rd Annual Christmas social that raises funds for the chapter’s Annie B. Givens Scholarship Fund and collects toys and canned goods that are donated to local organizations. This past year’s donation was donated to the Bryan County Family Connection. The 2nd Annual Christmas Social provided donations to the Atlantic Area CASA.

• Sugar Plum/Winter Warm Up event that provided a Christmas party for low-income kids in Hinesville and an economic empowerment workshop for their parents. Karl Riles, local tax accountant provided tax tips to the parents who attended the workshop.

• Sponsors for the hospitality room during the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. remembrance event.

• 3rd year the Delta GEMS served as volunteer escorts during the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. remembrance event.

• 3rd Annual GO RED Bowling event which is held in the month of February and brings recognition and awareness to the issue of Heart Disease and Stroke; the event also raises funds for the chapter’s scholarship fund as well as the American Heart Association and promotes a healthy heart for all of those that attend.

• 3rd year that the Dr. Jeanne L. Noble Delta GEMS participated as volunteers in the Atlantic Area CASA Dancing with the Stars Event.

• Mission to Haiti drive that collected non-perishable donations for the citizens of Haiti. The chapter collected over 75 non-perishable items and money that were delivered to Port-Au-Prince Haiti.

• 3rd Annual College/HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) College Tour; for the past three years the chapter has toured more than 10 colleges and universities in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina and North Carolina with more than 100 teens and parents attending. Many of the teens have gone on to enroll in these colleges and universities including Bethune-Cookman University, Spelman College, Mercer University and North Carolina A&T University.

• 1st ever Delta Days with county commissioners which allowed the chapter leadership and its members to provide information and input to the commissioners on topics relevant to the chapter’s service areas.

• 1st ever Autism Awareness Golf Tournament held in April, which is Autism Awareness month. The tournament brought awareness to the increased number of children and adults impacted by autism each year. The golf tournament was a collaboration with local autism awareness organizations like Unique Puzzle Pieces.

• Annual mental health forum which highlights the growing impact of mental health issues in teens, adults and military members. This event was co-sponsored by the Beta Gamma Gamma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and was held in May which is Mental Health Awareness Month.

• 2nd annual Financial Fortitude workshop in partnership with Navy Federal Credit Union, providing financial information to members of the community on various financial topics, including home loans and improving your credit score.

• May Week, which is a national program of the sorority and spotlights the importance of higher education, and places specific emphasis on some of the more important educational topics impacting the local community

• 1st ever Delta Days with city council which allowed the chapter leadership and its members to visit a city council meeting and hear important topics relevant to the chapter’s strategic planning process and the

• 2nd time a member of the Delta GEMS program was selected for the Presidential Youth Conference. Imani Jessamy will attend the conference this year in Las Vegas in August 2017.

If you would like to learn more about the Hinesville alumnae chapter’s upcoming events and how to become involved, email the chapter at Hinesvillealumnae.dst1913@gmail.com.

If you are a business owner and you would like to sponsor some of the chapter’s upcoming programs and events, please email or call the chapter president at 912-980-1075 or hinesvillealumnae.dst1913@gmail.com .

Look out for all of the great things in store with the Hinesville alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. in the upcoming months because the chapter will continue to push the boundaries of service to this community.