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Greeks collect more than 400 dictionaries for Africans BY FELECIA P MCMILLAN. PH.D. THE CHRONICLE * The Delta Sigma Chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma Frater nity Inc., the Rho Zeta Chap ter and the Nau Tau Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. came out early on Saturday morning and collected more than 400 English dictionaries that will be shipped to Africa to help raise the literacy rates in schools and orphanages in East Africa.? According to Ken Love, president of ? Delta Sigma Chapter, this collection effort is in support of the Books to Africa program that state Rep. Larry Womble started six years ago. During the collection on Saturday, Ed an^ Miriam McCarter of Special Occa sions Bookstore opened their doors to the project. They will be collecting dictionaries at the store throughout the year to assist with the project. Since the beginning of this project. Womble has shipped more than 30,000 books to Africa. For the last 16 years, he has been making yearly trips to the motherland. He has been to Ghana, Mali, Kenya, Egypt, Senegal, Gam bia, Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, Uganda, Somalia, and his next trip will take him to Sier ra Leone. His first trip was associat ed with his involvement with an organization called the Friendship Force. This group seeks to foster one-on-one friendship to people in other countries. Womble went to England. Wales and then to Kenya with the group. He made contacts with the people of Kenya, and now he contin ues to return. He often stays in their homes. After seeing the tourist side of Kenya, his friends introduced him to "the real Africa," and this unveiling opened a door for his educa tional ministry to the less for tunate. "God has plans that you don't even know about, so I don't question Him. A group of my friends in Kenya took me to meet another American who wgrked for the U.S. Embassy. She took me to an r 11 area called 'the bush.' In America, we would call, it going to the 'country' or the rural parts," Womble said. "She took me to a small vil lage that was a refugee camp for the Ugandans who sur vived the war. Of all the things they asked me to bring to them from America, they wanted books. I promised them that I would keepcmy promise to send books." According to Womble, this work requires an assembly line of people to sort, pack, label and tape the boxes of books. For the last six years, he has worked alone, except for a few individuals who would help occasionally. The Sigmas and Zetas have eased some of the burden. President Love noted that the groups decided to get involved because the mission of the project fits in with the mandates of the fraternity and the sorority. Education is one of the major thrusts of the organizations. The Phi Beta ' Sigma Fraternity awarded Womble the Social Action Award for 2001 because of his service to the community at home and abroad. Although Womble is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the Sigmas had no qualms about recognizing Womble's service record. "We do not discriminate. In the community, we look for people who are exemplary in the fields of education, social action and business. We brought our idea to state Rep. Womble about sending dic tionaries after we saw all of the work he was doing." Love said. "The children in Africa have to learn English because it is the language of higher education, of business and commerce and administra tion. If they do not know Eng lish, they cannot matriculate." The purpose of the pro gram is to send educational materials to help students whd actually must learn English if order to matriculate to all lev els of learning. According to Womble, the Sigmas and the Zetas are the first fraternity and sorority to assist him as organized groups with hit Books to Africa project. ? Danetta Fitts, president of the Rho Zeta Chapter, was pleased to participate in th{ project. * "This is part of our nation, al thrust to provide service t<) our community. We also have some Zeta chapters in Africa'. So we are helping our sisters in Africa. Since we are a serv ice organization, education is a component of our national thrust," Fitts said. Virneva Penn-Wilson of the Nau Tau Chapter was proud to help. "1 consider myself an African woman. Americans should not only reach out to other countries besides Africa. We need to reach out to Africa also," she Jsaid. Rodney Ellis, language arts instructor at Atkins Mid dle School and a member of Phi Beta Sigma, was able to secure 75 dictionaries fron) principal Sterling Garris. ; "We just donated all of the dictionaries that we are no longer using. We upgraded our dictionaries, so we were able to donate these." Ellis said. . Several churches donated dictionaries and shipping sup^ plies. Mildred Peppers, a retired history teacher, came out with a bag of dictionaries to give. "Anything I can do to improve the strides from thi mother country, I will do. Die' tionaries give you a whole list of words to learn, to master. Education is the key to al) progress," Peppers said. "If we learn words, we can maneuver in a capitalist socie, ty. It can only help them." [ ... Photoi by Felecui McMillan Mildred Peppers drops off her books Saturday. Members of Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta organize the books they collected. File Photo Chancellor Harold Martin is sworn in last year as the chan cellor of Winston Salem State Universi ty. Martin led the school as interim chancellor for a year before he was sworn | in. I Martin to lead UNC system delegation to South Africa SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE Winston-Salem State Uni versity Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr. is leading a delega tion from the University of North Carolina system to explore the possibilities of a student exchange program between the universities in the North Carolina system and institutions in the Western Cape of South Africa Aug. 28 ! through Sept. 3. The delegation includes: Dr. Betsy Brown, associate ! vice president for academic ; affairs for the University of North Carolina system; Dr. Olasope Oyelaran. director of the Office of International Pro grams at Winston-Salem State University: Dr. George Wilson, vice provost of international affairs at N.C. State University: Minnie Battle Mayes.' director of the Office of International Programs at N.C. A&T State University: and Steve Flynn, the director of the University of North Carolina Exchange Pro gram (UNC-EP) "This trip is extremely important in the university's continuing mission to offer our students and faculty the most, meaningful cultural and enlightening .experiences possi hie both at home and abroad," Martin said. "This is the first of many such trips I hope to make in order to make this effort a reality here at WSSU." SMILE II Have You Been To The Dentist Lately? Meet our Hygienist, Sharon Williams <6 Ruth Sechrist ? Gentle Dental Care ? Hygienists on staff ? Extractions ? Restoration ? Cosmetic ? New Patients Welcome T Dental Fact: Did you know that you can whiten your smile? WILLIAM R.WARREN, D.D.S. 2606 NEW WALKERTOWN ROAD WINSTON-SALEM, NC 27101 TELEPHONE: (336) 724-5055 f C Fire stations plan Sept. 11 events SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE The public is invited to attend commemorations that will be held at all city fire sta tions as part of a nationwide observance of the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Mayor Allen Joines, Alderman Vivian H. Burke. Fire Chief John Gist and Police Chief Linda Davis will participate in the commemo ration at the Arnold Bullard Fire Station. 651 N. Marshall Street. The ceremony will include bagpipes and a read ing of the names of the 15 police officers and eight fire fighters who have died in Winston-Salem in the line of duty. A community reception will follow. All commemorations will be held from 10 a.m. fo 10:30 p.m. During the commemora tion. all fire stations in the city will sound their sirens at 10:05 a.m. and again at 10:28 a.m. as fire departments throughout the United States mark the moments that the towers of the World Trade Center collapsed. Members of the public interested in attending are asked to gather at city fire sta tions in silence. For more information, call the city's Marketing & Communica tions Department at 727-2317. Here's the schedule of events fpr the observance at the Arnold Bullard Fire Sta tion: ?9:45 a.m.: Trucks roll out of bays. ?10 a.m.: Public assembles in silence. ?10:05 a.m.: Siren solinds to remember the collapse of the World Trade Center South Tower*. ?10:06 a.m.: Flag is low ered to half-mast, moment of silence*. ?10:07- 10:27 a.m.: Wel coming remarks by Alderman Vivian H. Burke, remarks by Mayor Allen Joines. reading of "The Final Alarm" by Fire Chief John Gist, remarks by Police Chief Lindi Davis, recitation of fallen police offi cers and firefighters, ?10:28 a.m.: Siren sound? to remember the collapse of the World Trade Center North Tower*. ?10:29 a.m.: Flag is raisif to full mast, moment of silence.* ?10:30 a.m.: Bagpipers play "Amazing Grace." ?10:32 a.m.: Community reception. * The events are being coordinated by The Interna tional Association of Fire Chiefs as a national obser vance on Sept. 11. File PhoiA New York area firefighters look at the devastation at Ground Zero last year caused by the Sept. 11 attacks. Blue, U.S. SENATE Experienced Leadership Working for Us ? State Legislator representing Wake County for 22 years ? Former Speaker of the NC House of Representatives ? Leader in improving public education, expanding health care, and holding down taxes on working families ? Graduate of NC Central University and Duke Law School ? Married with 3 grown children ? Elder at Davie Street Presbyterian Church in Raleigh SVOTE DAN BLUE To help support Dan Blue for U.S. Senate, visit www.blue02.net or call 919-821-7420 ? ???VOTE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2002*** Paid for by Dan Blue Senate Committee
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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