The Omicron Kappa chapter of Alpha Psi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. will complete more than 30 hours of community service and sponsor events for Auburn students to participate in this week as a part of its annual Alpha Week event. Alpha Week began Sunday, and the entire chapter attended church together, said Clearthur Billigsley, junior in civil engineering. "Sunday, we went to Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church, and we had a large turnout," said Antonio Fortson, senior in marketing and theatre. "A lot of students came out and worshipped with us, and afterward we had a dinner at one of the brothers' house and we had a good turnout with a lot of fellowship."
Billingsley said the Christian faith is important to all the members of Alpha Psi Alpha, and they wanted to begin the week by worshipping the one true God. The community service began Monday. "We're a service organization, and we pride ourselves in mainly being scholarship and love for all mankind, so every event we do this week will somehow tie back to that," said Joshua Agee, sophomore in political science. "We're doing a lot of community service this week."
Monday, Alpha Psi Alpha held a voter registration drive. "We had a total of 200 people who registered to vote in this local area," Fortson said. "We had places set up at Winn-Dixie, J&M Bookstore and also at Walmart here in Auburn and in Opelika." Billingsley said voter registration is a program put on by members of Alpha Psi Alpha all over the country. "One of our national programs is called 'A Voteless People is a Hopeless People,' so we always want to extend that right to everyone," Billingsley said.
Tuesday, Alpha Psi Alpha hosted a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Student Center. More than 20 people gave a pint of blood each, Fortson said. Tuesday night, the fraternity hosted a Battle of the Sexes night. "It's basically a male versus female type outlook on relationships and things of that nature on Auburn's campus as far as people who are in a relationship, people who are single--just all the different aspects of relationships on Auburn's campus," Billingsley said.
Wednesday, members of Alpha Psi Alpha visited Drake Middle School and encouraged students to stay in high school and to attend college. "Because of how the world is now, especially because of our struggling economy, you basically have to be the cream of the crop to have a stable job," Billingsley said. The fraternity members taught the students how to tie a tie and other skills needed to be ready to enter the business world, Billingsley said. Wednesday night, Alpha Psi Alpha members held "Homeless for a Day," where they dressed and acted like the homeless and accepted clothing donations to give to the Salvation Army until 10 p.m., Billingsley said.
Today is Ladies' Appreciation Day for Alpha Psi Alpha. "Our fraternity has a motto, 'upholding womanhood and uplifting womanhood to the best of our abilities,'" Billingsley said. "Anytime a girl doesn't feel appreciated, we'll compliment her in some kind of way." Tonight, massages will be given to women by three members of the fraternity, Billingsley said. Members of Alpha Psi Alpha will also cook a meal for women tonight. Friday night there will be a cookout on campus as well as the kickball tournament at 5 p.m. After these events, there will be an '80s and '90s party in the Foy ballroom at 10 p.m. Admission is $5, Billingsley said. Saturday morning, the fraternity will be helping with a Habitat For Humanity project. The fifth annual Alpha Psi Alpha fashion show and the first semiformal ball will be Saturday night in the Foy ballroom. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., and the fashion show will begin at 7 p.m. The ball will follow immediately thereafter.
Tickets are on sale now in the Student Center for $8. This includes tickets to the fashion show and the ball as well as catering, Fortson said. The price at the door will be $15. "Everybody throws parties and everything, but we wanted to bring something different to Auburn," Fortson said. "That's why we're having a ball--semiformal attire. We'll have catering and a photographer on site; it's going to be a real classy event."
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