ASU alumni chapter puts out call to grads, supporters

ALBANY — “My Albany State, Your Albany State, and Our Albany State” are the words of imaginary voices that are echoing throughout southwest Georgia, across the state, nation and the world. Perhaps these voices, which emanate from a collaboration of strong ASU advocates who are stakeholders, alums, students, entrepreneurs, etc., have special connections to the ASU story.

On this note, the Albany Alumni Chapter of Albany State University National Alumni Association has been demonstrating its stake in the ASU story through means of executing proactive visibility in the local community by rendering supportive services. It is noted that many of our city’s employees are productive ASU graduates who are making a remarkable difference.

The Albany Alumni Chapter’s platform, “Unity in the Community,” has been in its implementation phase since the fall of Fiscal Year 2018-19. Our chapter also takes pride in being involved in several community service projects, including the Belk Fall Charity Sale Event that was used to help fund three scholarship recipients. Additionally, a financial donation was provided to a family who lost everything in a house fire; Christmas gifts were provided for clients at the Slater King Rehabilitation Center; canned goods and non-perishable food items were donated to the local food pantry for Thanksgiving. These services will be ongoing for upcoming special holidays.

Currently, the chapter is off to a great start in 2019 with a collection and donation of school supplies to a school partner in the Dougherty County School System. Chapter members are also preparing to participate in a Black History Month celebratory program at the Slater King Rehabilitation Center. Another noted gesture of community partnership for the chapter’s recruitment was shown as the Albany Alumni Chapter president and vice president participated in the university’s faculty and staff pep rally and an athletic luncheon.

The time has come for the chapter to invite inactive alums as well as interested non-alums to join our proactive servant team to make an impact on helping us to bring about more unity in our ASU community. You may become an associate, a life, or a regular member of the Albany Alumni Chapter, where every member’s input is significantly appreciated.

Although the chapter’s goal is to serve as a primary advocate of ASU while rendering limitless community services in words and/or deeds, we also pause each year to celebrate and evaluate our activities at a fun-filled appreciation Christmas social. Members have demonstrated special commitment and dedication to “giving back;” however, rather than exchanging gifts among the members, each chapter member donates several gifts to the Slater King Rehabilitation Center.

Because the chapter feels that more input is needed to tell an even stronger ASU story, we are relying heavily on members from our ASU community to join the chapter’s task force, “TEAM-Helping ASU!” We have scheduled monthly meetings on the first Thursday at 6 p.m. on ASU’S East Campus.

Contact Phyllis Holsey at (229) 291-1672 or Jackie Reese at (229) 886-1132 to inquire about active membership information and participation. The public is invited to share any comments, concerns, suggestions or recommendations that you may have to Janice Hardy, president of the Albany Alumni Chapter, at P.O. Box 4528, Albany, Ga. 31706, or via email at [email protected].

We thank our community for all that you do, have done, and plan to do to help preserve ASU’s story and legacy by serving as primary advocates for her mission and vision. We ask everyone to allow our chapter’s slogan, “My ASU, Your ASU, and Our ASU,” to impact a search of your soul while you focus on becoming very bold in supporting the land of the blue and the gold.

Janice Coats-Hardy is president of the Albany Alumni Chapter of the Albany State University National Alumni Association.