Alpha Phi Omega is a National Coed Service Fraternity that has been in operation since 1925 and was founded in 1948 on Ole Miss’ campus.
The chapter aspired to branch out to more charities throughout Mississippi and the idea came about during chapter when a member of the fraternity, Darrius Moore, spread news of the service project opportunity.
“I wanted to branch out and get more of a relationship going with the children in Jonestown and the chapter here at Ole Miss,” Darrius commented.
Since then, Epsilon Omega, or the chapter of Alpha Phi Omega at the University of Mississippi, has been actively raising money and gathering supplies to kickstart the bond with the program, otherwise known as the Durocher Service Development Program. The program has been around since 1989, thanks to Sister Kay Burton, and it is designed to engage residents in both education and community development. Sister Kay Burton worked along with Mr. Donal Burnett, a resident and owner of the Jonestown Resource Center, where the program this past weekend was held. Mr. Burnett has owned the resource center since the 1990’s and spoke of how he had cleaned up the place from being a “garbage dump” to now where he has been able to work with the children in the area. Both felt a need to help with the impoverished and seemingly “ran-down” Jonestown and Delta area, hoping to positively impact the children’s lives in the area.
This weekend’s program had a focus on Black History Month and the importance of knowing the history and achievements of those integral and famous Civil Right’s Activists, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. The program lasted from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and allowed for the members of Alpha Phi Omega to actively engage with the children at the Resource Center. The children’s ages ranged from elementary school to eighth grade.
“It is harder to find truly compassionate people now. These kids see your love and I believe they can see that you are fighting for them, fighting for them to be strong and educated. After all, people never forget how you made them feel,” Hollye Huggins, the President of the Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega commented.
The program included reading quotes and poems from significant and historical black figures with the children involved in the program, including beloved poet and artist, Maya Angelou. The members of the service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, also took the time to talk about Black History Month and asked the importance of it from the children’s perspective.
Sister Kay Burton, founder of the Durocher Service Development Program, mentioned that, “The program was great! We’ve never actually had a group come in and do a Black History Month program like today, but it was much appreciated.”
When asked about the program, the store owner and Jonestown resident, Mr. Burnett, commented, “When you give something to someone, you don’t expect anything back. Kids need to know about the Civil Rights Movement and the struggle we all went through so life could be the way it is today. We should and always will strive to be better and to further education.”
The compassionate program ended with lunch and a fun arts and crafts activity to further elaborate on the children’s feelings toward Black History Month as well as their lasting impressions of the program. Some of the most inspirational and touching comments from the children included the following paintings and drawings, along with their deeper meanings.
The Durocher Service Development Program has been quite successful in positively impacting children’s lives from across the world and probably even more so in Mississippi’s own Jonestown in the Delta. Founder Sister Kay Burton spoke of her engagement with children throughout the country and even the world, including her involvement with a Vietnam mission where she plans on bringing along a volunteer from Jonestown. For more information on the program and how you can get involved with it, please visit their website. Members of the McLean Institute at the University of Mississippi also participated in the festivities of the program this past weekend and helped to capture some of the moments as well.
Staff writer Samantha Mitchell is a member of Alpha Phi Omega and went to the program herself this past weekend, where she captured all of the following pictures. She can be reached at Smitche3@go.olemiss.edu.
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