Students make holiday cards

IU students and community members experimented with stickers, glitter and markers Wednesday night.

The group created holiday greeting cards for the military and the homeless in celebration of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity’s 107th “ALPHAversay” event, Joy To The World.

Attendees enjoyed food, ping-pong, pool and stereo music at the event, which was free and open to the public in the Briscoe Quad basement.

Senior and Alpha Vice President Tyler Kelley said this is the first time the Alphas have done an anniversary event like this.

“We wanted to find a way to give back to the Bloomington community and the community at large,” Kelley said. “We also wanted to bring other minority organizations together to create gifts for the holiday season.”

In the past, the Alphas have organized events such as a mini step show in order to celebrate their anniversary.

“This lets us tell the campus what we’re about while being able to do great things for our country as well,” Kelley said. “We want to lead our legacy on.”

Senior and Alpha President Ron Gilbert said he is honored to be a part of the organization.

 “We’ve been here for years, and we’ve continuously grown and have consolidated a high standard of excellence,” Gilbert said. “Not just within the African American
community.”

Kelley emphasized the growth of the fraternity over the years.
“Being the first Black greek organization to exist, it means a lot to us,” Kelley said. “We’re 107 years strong, and we’re continuously growing in numbers.”

For the holiday event, the Alphas collaborated with multiple minority student organizations, including Beta Kappa Chi Scientific Honor Society, Chi Alpha Epsilon National Honor Society and the Black Graduate Student Association.

Kelley said he was glad this event gave the organizations the chance for group
collaboration.

 “We want to bridge the gap between the fraternities and the honor societies,” Kelley said.

Senior Mariah McGhee, the President of Chi Alpha Epsilon, said she was excited to work with these other organizations for the first time.

McGhee said she made four holiday cards.

“Some of them don’t have families, and this is the closest thing they’re going to get to a gift,” McGhee said. “It’s nice to be able to spread that joy.”

The Alphas were first founded at Cornell University. They were the first organization to be a part of the National Panhellenic Council and the only one to be founded at an Ivy League university, Kelley said. Some of their previous members include Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., W.E.B. Dubois and Thurgood Marshall.

Though the destination for the holiday cards hasn’t been finalized, Kelley said they are looking into the Shalom Center and the Middle Way House.

“Service is something universal,” Kelley said. “We wanted to reach back to the community and uplift its members.”

Follow reporter Tori Lawhorn on Twitter @ToriLawhorn.