Get glammed! Get your stylish hat and outfit ready! Come party in style and with a purpose at the Fort Liberty Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.'s 15th Annual Big Hat Brunch. The event is set for Saturday, March 16, at the Iron Mike Conference Center, 2658 Rock Merritt Ave. on Fort Liberty. The event runs from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

The Big Hat Brunch is one of the chapter's defining events. It debuted in March 2010 as an annual scholarship fundraiser. The event has risen in popularity year after year, attracting many attendees, including notable community leaders. Some of The Big Hat Brunch's previously featured themes include Community Diamonds, which acknowledged outstanding female local leaders; From Brunch to the Ballot Box, motivating attendees to the polls; and Moving Forward in Unity with NC State Senator Val Applewhite, who served as last year's keynote speaker.

This year's Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. BHB theme, expected to draw 500 attendees, is "Continuing the Legacy, One Scholarship at a Time." La’Tanta (L.T.) McCrimmon, APCO's Governor Director of Legislative Affairs, will deliver this year's keynote speech.

"We're focusing on continuing the legacy of our sorority," said Shelia Wilson, this year’s committee chair.
The event has a meaningful purpose, as the chapter's "party with a purpose" motto ensures that eligible high school students receive financial assistance to attend college. The Big Hat Brunch has raised over $75,000 in scholarships to give to deserving high school students each year, contributing to reducing the cost of college expenses.

Wilson also announced that this year's event will commemorate the tenth anniversary of the 2nd Lt Lisa Nicole Bryant scholarship. "We present this scholarship, biannually, to a Fayetteville State University student," she shared.

Bryant, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, was on temporary assignment at Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty), as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army. She had a promising career before her tragic death on July 10, 1993, at the age of 21, in a Fort Bragg residence hall. “The chapter will be honoring the story of the Princeton University graduate, and she will never be forgotten”, shared Wilson.

When asked about the essence of giving back to the community while preserving the legacy of the Big Hat Brunch, Wilson responded, "It feels like this is the service that we signed up for—to be able to be part of a legacy that continues to help, academically, for our students and to help make the burden of college fees a little lighter."

In addition to presenting scholarships, the event will include vendors, a purse auction, the infamous hat parade, music, food, and much more.

The committee's behind-the-scenes work, according to Wilson, is likened to planning a big party with a purpose. It's a fun, stylish party while supporting high school seniors and Bronco students' academic financial needs so they can make a global impact in their professional endeavors.

To attend the event, purchase tickets through PayPal for $63.00 (including PayPal fees) at dst.fbaac@gmail.com. Civilians are welcome to attend the event, but will need a visitor’s pass to gain access to the installation. Guests can get a pass through the Visitor Access Center at the All American Gate on Fort Liberty, or online by visiting FORT_LIBERTY_VISITOR_PASS_REQUEST_USING_ONLINE_PRE.pdf (armhttps://home.army.mil/liberty/application/files/6816/8372/2450/FORT_LIBERTY_VISITOR_PASS_REQUEST_USING_ONLINE_PRE.pdf y.mil).

For more information, contact dst.flaac.bhb@gmail.com or 910-551-4708.