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Feature
The ‘Divine Nine’ Are In Tampa For Retreat
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
Leaders from the country’s nine historically Black Greek- letter organizations traveled to Tampa this week for their an- nual retreat – and a food bat- tle.
The retreat – which began Thursday – of the National Pan-Hellenic Council’s Coun- cil of Presidents is equal parts work and fun, with the latter consisting of a cook-off in the style of popular Food Network TV show Iron Chef.
It’s a team-building exer- cise where two teams of presi- dents will compete against each other for bragging rights of the best Cuban-style dishes, said Sherri Brown, multi- cultural business development executive for Visit Tampa Bay.
Organizers wanted to do something different to set this retreat apart from other gath- erings, Brown said.
The battle – along with a dinner cruise around Tampa Bay – offers the presidents a chance to see a side of Tampa with which they may not be fa- miliar or have ever seen and that could lead to the presi-
dents recommending the city for their organization’s next regional or national meeting, Brown said.
Tampa resident, Dr. Paulette Walker, the inter- national president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and chair of the Council of Presi- dents, said she recommended Tampa as the retreat site at the end of the Council’s 2014 meeting at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach.
“Anytime I can, I love to show off the city,” she said. “We have more than the beach to offer and that makes a big difference.”
Delta Sigma Theta, Sigma Gamma Rho, and Omega Psi Phi each have hosted regional meetings in Tampa in the last five years.
Founded in 1930, the Na- tional Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) – is the umbrella or- ganization for the nine histor- ically Black Greek-lettered organizations, commonly re- ferred to as the Divine Nine. Collectively, they represent more than two million mem- bers.
Attendees at this year’s re- treat include: Dr. Everett
The ‘Divine Nine’ includes: Tampa native and international president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Dr. Paulette Walker; Dr. Everett Ward, president, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.; Thomas Battle, Jr., Grand Polemarch, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.; Antonio Knox, Grand Basileus, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; Jonathan Mason, international president, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.; Robert Clark, Grand Polaris, Iota Phi Theta Fra- ternity, Inc.; Cynthia Howe, executive director, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (in place of international basileus, Dorothy Buck- hanan Wilson); Mary Wright, international president, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and Deborah Catchings-Smith, International Grand Basileus, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.
tional president, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.; Robert Clark, Grand Polaris, Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.; Cynthia Howe, executive di- rector, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; Mary Wright, international president, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.; Debo- rah Catchings-Smith, In- ternational Grand Basileus, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., and of course, Dr. Walker.
The retreat offers the lead- ership a chance to “get off the merry-go-round” and ex- change information and ideas in a relaxed setting, said NPHC president, Jennifer Jones.
“They talk about things coming in the next year and make sure everyone’s on the same page,” she said.
The fellowship of the pres- idents sets a good example for the memberships of each NPHC organization to follow, Jones said.
“It’s sincere love and re- spect and that’s what we are and it needs to trickle down into the membership,” she said.
Catchings-Smith, Sigma Gamma Rho’s leader con- curred, adding that the presi- dents share genuine friendship and camaraderie.
“At the root of it all is our responsibility to exhibit good citizenship,” she said. “It’s great for us to come together.”
Ward, president, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.; Thomas Battle, Jr., Grand Polemarch, Kappa Alpha Psi
Fraternity, Inc.;
Knox, Grand
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; Jonathan Mason, interna-
Antonio
Basileus,
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