Black Arts and Culture

29th Annual Unsung Heroes Banquet

PORTSMOUTH
The South Hampton Roads Pan-Hellenic Council – SHARPC – recognized the performance of members and community leaders at a banquet held on March 18 at the Edmonds Center in Portsmouth. Over 325 supporters gathered to honor selected members of the nine historically Black Greek letter organizations.

Rev. Dr. LeRoy Hill, Jr. served as master of ceremonies. Dr. Hill is the Senior Pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Portsmouth. Along with a lengthy list of pastoral duties, he is currently completing his dissertation for a second doctorate in Community Transformation of Urban Studies at Regent University. A member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., he is also Vice President of the board of the Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless – PVH – and works as a church planting consultant and church health coach.

SHARPC presented its first 2017 Community Service Organization Award to the Norfolk Chapter of Sisters Network, Inc. for long-time involvement in supporting women who have experienced breast cancer and its related effects.

SHARPC presented its Divine Nine Award for community service by a Black Greek to Antonio Brown. This member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity was recognized for his work with area youth. Brown is currently the President of the Public Housing Youth Alumni, Inc., a non-profit organization in Norfolk. Their mission is to educate, inspire and empower all young people to reach their full potential and become productive, caring and responsible adults.

A $1,000 SHARPC scholarship was presented to Kierra Martin, a Senior Communications major at ODU and a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. They also presented a $500 book award to Christian Williams. The ODU Senior is majoring in Chemistry and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc.

The SHARPC Unsung Heroes for 2017 are Dr. Colita Fairfax, LaCrystal D. Stokes-Hogan, Patricia Wyche and Anissa Walker, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority; Kenneth Sutton, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity; Rosalyn Green, Rosemary W. Fonville and Rhonda Harris , Delta Sigma Theta Sorority; Patrice Hare and Drcel Johnson, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority; Christian D. Porter and Hughes G. Valmond, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity; Damon Gilkes, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity; Selicia R. Sellers, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority; and Vian S. Irving., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

The Unsung Hero Banquet Committee was chaired by Terry Caldwell of Alpha Kappa Alpha. Chloe Jones, of Sigma Gamma Rho, is the SHARPC president.