Brotherhood will be the word of the day on Saturday, Aug. 16, as members of the Fayetteville/Fort Bragg/Pope Air Force Base Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity hold an “Achievement Luncheon” to honor five local African-American men and women of distinction.
The luncheon will start at noon and be held at the Fort Bragg Officers’ Club.
Those recognized at the luncheon include: North Carolina State Supreme Court Associate Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson; Billy R. King, Cumberland County Board of Commissioners; C. Mason Quick, M.D. (posthumous); Charles W. Cookman, president/owner-WIDU Radio; and Dr. Allen S. McLauchlin, president of the Fayetteville-Cumberland Ministerial Council.
According to Floyd Shorter, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi, as well as director of the Fayetteville Business Center, “all of the honorees have distinguished themselves as community leaders and exhibited outstanding achievement in the respective award categories of service, business and economic development, leadership, civic involvement and spiritual empowerment.”
Kappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate fraternity with a predominantly African-American membership. The fraternity was founded on Jan. 5, 1911, at Indiana University-Bloomington and has more than 150,000 members with 700 undergraduate and alumni chapters in every state of the Union, and international chapters in the United Kingdom, Germany, Korea, Japan, the Caribbean and South Africa.
The local chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi has about 150 members said Shorter, and is active in providing mentoring and leadership to young African-American males in Cumberland County.
“We teach them etiquette and how to prepare themselves for collegiate life as well as fitting into society,” said Shorter. “The kids are very enthusiastic and excited to be networking with other kids. It helps boost their confidence.” Shorter said Kappa Alpha Psi also provides food for the needy.
The fraternity was the first predominantly African-American Greek-letter society founded west of the Appalachian Mountains still in existence, and is known for its “cane stepping” in NPHC organized step shows.
The president of the national fraternity is known as the Grand Polemarch; Dwayne M. Murray, an attorney and the 31st Grand Polemarch of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., will be the guest speaker for the luncheon.
Murray, an experienced bankruptcy attorney, was the first African-American lawyer appointed to the Chapter 7 Panel of Trustees for the United States Middle District Bankruptcy Court.
“It’s a huge honor to have Grand Polemarch Murray at our luncheon,” said Shorter. “And it’s an honor to recognize the achievement of five African Americans so involved with and so important to our community.”
The cost of the luncheon is $35 per person. Proceeds will support scholarships for high school young men upon graduation who are involved in the Kappa League program, an ongoing program of the fraternity that focuses on the mentoring and personal growth of young males.
“We’re looking forward to seeing many members of the public at our luncheon,” said Shorter, who added that non-active members of Kappa Alpha Psi are encouraged to get back on board with the local chapter.
For ticket requests, contact Lee Beavers, chairman of the Achievement Awards Luncheon by calling (910) 527-3707, or inquire via e-mail to
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LakeRimRecreationCenter, 1455 Hoke Loop Rd, Fayetteville. Classes for those ages 7 and up, for those currently in self-defense class & have a yellow belt. $35 a month.
LakeRimRecreationCenter, 1455 Hoke Loop Rd, Fayetteville. Classes for those ages 7 and up, for those currently in self-defense class & have a yellow belt. $35 a month.
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Shorter said Kappa Alpha Psi also provides food for the needy.
