The Omicron Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. is celebrating 25 years of service to the Sandhills region.

The chapter currently has 26 active members serving under the leadership of President Natalie Sharpe, of Fayetteville. The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority was founded in 1908 at Howard University in Washington, D.C., with the mission of providing service to all mankind. Alpha Kappa Alpha has a network of 352 undergraduate chapters and 551 graduate chapters in the United States and internationally.

Charted in 1985 by 15 members of the sorority, the Omicron Omega Omega chapter has been pursuing Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority's mission of service since its creation. Over the past quarter century, the organization has been involved in a number of charitable endeavors. These have included providing scholarships and tutoring to area youth and conducting educational and enrichment programs in the community.

In addition to delivering its own programs and events, such as a yearly community Easter egg hunt and senior citizens' Christmas luncheon, the sorority has supported a number of other local organizations, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Sandhills, Moore County Housing Authority and Sandhills/Moore Coalition for Human Care.

The sorority always honors and recognizes elected officials and community leaders at their events. Judi Kempf, court advocate at Friend to Friend Crisis Service for Moore County, recounts the generous contributions of Omicron Omega Omega and other members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority at a recent regional meeting held at Little River Resort in October.

"I was so moved by the extraordinary generosity of Alpha Kappa Alpha," she says. "Their contributions will be a great help to the people who are in need here."

Recent service projects of the chapter have included volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and the chapter's debutante program, which is currently providing leadership, mentoring and personal development, and scholarships to eight rising high school seniors from the Sandhills.

In celebration of a quarter century of service, the chapter is hosting a gala celebration in August. At this event, the chapter will honor its 15 charter members, including a special recognition to the chapter's first president, Nancy Wooten Coor, who spearheaded the effort to bring Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority to the area. Coor, a native of Goldsboro, worked at Sandhills Mental Health for 20 years and was serving as the habilitation program coordinator at the time she left the agency.

Reflecting upon the legacy of Omicron Omega Omega, Coor says, "I am just so proud that we have served and continue to serve our communities, including Hoke, Moore, Richmond, Montgomery, Lee and Cumberland counties."

The chapter's celebration will be held at the Pinehurst Resort in the Grand Ballroom on Aug. 7, and ABC11 news anchor Tisha Powell will serve as the mistress of ceremonies. Tickets are $40.

Interested individuals can call (910) 423-4604 for tickets to the gala celebration or for more information regarding the organization.