By VASHTI HARRIS
Staff writer
EAST BRUNSWICK – The East Brunswick Town Council proclaimed October of 2016 as “Alpha Delta Kappa Month,” recognizing the chapter’s ongoing commitment to the local community.
Alpha Delta Kappa (ADK) is an international honorary organization of women educators dedicated to educational excellence, altruism and world understanding. Kappa’s East Brunswick chapter was founded in 1970 and is comprised of current and retired educators from East Brunswick, South River, Sayreville and New Brunswick districts.
October is recognized as Alpha Delta Kappa (AKD) Month/Founders’ Day, during which ADK celebrates the four women who were its founders in 1947, according to Leslie Gaerther, the co-president and publicity chairperson for ADK’s East Brunswick chapter.
As such, the chapter was presented with an official proclamation during the Oct. 24 council meeting.
“They have always been recognized in our community and they have been a mainstay for years. Their organization is respected throughout the community because they primarily focus on education which is a cornerstone in our town because we care so much about our school systems,” Mayor Kevin McEvoy said.
The Kappa chapter has been actively involved in bettering the township of East Brunswick through local based projects, scholarships and creating local events.
“Our chapter has participated in many local altruistic projects which we fundraise to support. Among our most recent or ongoing projects are: members volunteer monthly at Elijah’s Promise in New Brunswick, we purchased and donated supplies for the Menlo Park veterans home, made monetary and supply donations to Mary’s Place by the Sea in Ocean Grove, we annually present a scholarship to a high school graduating female entering college to pursue a degree in education and we donate a scholarship for a child to attend the summer Daisy Camp in East Brunswick,” Gaerther said.
Overall, the chapter’s goals are to give recognition to outstanding women educators, build a fraternal fellowship among women in the field of education, promote high standards of education, encourage educational and charitable projects and activities, sponsor scholarships, further and maintain worthy standards in the field of education and to cooperate with worthy community programs relating to education and charities, she said.
And also to contribute to world understanding, goodwill and peace through an international fellowship of women educators united in the ideals of education.
“We feel grateful that our efforts to create world understanding, further educational excellence and help others is being recognized. It gives us great pride to know that our community recognizes and supports our efforts,” said Elizabeth Framhein, current chapter president of ADK.
To join ADK, a woman must be involved in education for two years, according to Framhein.
“You should express your interest in our organization to a member. Then, you will be invited to join us at some of our meetings to see whether what we do is something you would like to share in. If it is, then you can become a member,” she said.
To learn more about the Alpha Delta Kappa organization and its upcoming events, visit alphadeltakappa.org.
Contact Vashti Harris at [email protected].