Discover the impactful and fun-filled events of Greek Week, celebrating unity and service through community-focused activities and service projects
Photo courtesy Mike Boyd
In the heart of East St. Louis, Greek Week is set to kick off from March 18th to March 24th, 2024. This week-long celebration serves as a platform for various Greek organizations to come together, implementing camaraderie through friendly competition while actively engaging in community service initiatives. The Divine Nine organizations, representing a diverse array of backgrounds and values, have curated a series of events that reflect their commitment to both their members and the communities they serve. Mike Boyd, the President of The National Pan-Hellenic Council of East St. Louis, shared his perspective on Greek Week, emphasizing its role in recognizing and celebrating the hard work and dedication of individuals within their respective organizations. “It’s a time where we celebrate and pay tribute to those representing their chapters and serving the communities,” Mike explained. The week’s activities commence on Monday with a spotlight on Black businesses, followed by a trivia night on Tuesday. Wednesday’s focus shifts towards community service, as organizations contribute canned goods and assemble food boxes for local pantries, exemplifying their dedication to supporting those in need. Thursday sees a gathering of all Divine Nine organizations for a meaningful meeting.
Friday brings a joyful happy hour, providing a space for socializing with a purpose. The Divine Nine members contribute to their communities by making contributions during this festive event. Sunday brings the community together for church services, culminating in the eagerly anticipated awards presentation for Greek Week.
Anthony Bond, representing the Basileus Nu Chi Chapter, highlighted the community-based initiatives of Greek organizations, including social civic services, mentoring, and uplifting communities of all ages. Additionally, Bond mentioned the upcoming Mardi Gras event on March 30th at the River City Casino in South St. Louis, expecting an impressive turnout of 600 to 800 people. The Mardi Gras event aims to support the community. Also Esteemed Co-Chair, Ashley Carey Cotton, emphasized their commitment to supporting Black businesses during the Greek Week events. Rich Simms, the second Co-Chair, revealed that the Friday happy hour will feature a live band and spoken word artists, enhancing the event’s entertainment and cultural richness.
Greek Week Chair, Kya Hill of Zeta Phi Beta shared details about the organization’s involvement, stating that each group will donate non-perishables and spend Saturday morning boxing them up for distribution to organizations to help out the community. Kya explained how important it is to give back to the less unfortunate..
The weekend will conclude with a church service at Pilgrim Green Missionary Church. Mica Ike, President of Delta Delta Omega Chapter Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., outlined an event called “Build Your Own Business” on March 23rd. The unique aspect of this event is that it involves young entrepreneurs aged 5 to 18 setting up pop-up shops, creating economic development among the youth. The members of DAOZ Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Magolin Franklin, who is the Chapter President and Sonja DeJesus, who is the Vice President discussed their upcoming event, “The Finer Womanhood Observance.”
This celebration, running from the last week of February through March, emphasizes the organization’s standards, morals, customs, and attributes. Sonja explained that the event provides an opportunity for members to rededicate themselves to the organization and reflect on its impact on the community.
Magolin Franklin expressed the importance of the Finer Womanhood Observance, emphasizing that it showcases African American women and women of color in elegant roles, solidifying their presence and influence in the community. The upcoming “Finer Since 1920 Fashion Show” in the first week of April promises to showcase fashion through the years, celebrating the legacy and fashion styles from 1920 into the present. In essence, Greek Week is not just a time for friendly competition among Greek organizations but a powerful demonstration of unity, community service, and dedication to uplifting the neighborhoods they proudly call home.
#GreekWeek #CommunityService #StudentUnity
