Members will “Dig in the Dirt” to Sustain the Environment, Beautify Center and Serve Atlanta 

In keeping with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority's environmental-sustainability mission, over 200 members will volunteer to “get down to earth” and “dig in the dirt” to help revitalize the grounds of the Outdoor Activity Center at 1442 Richland Road, S.W. in Atlanta, Georgia. The event will take place on Thursday, July 14^th from 7:00 am to 9:00 AM. Leading the contingent will be Alpha Kappa Alpha’s international president Attorney Carolyn House Stewart.

The Center, a 26-acre urban forest and nature center, is desperately in need of an overhaul and, in partnership with the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance and the City of Atlanta Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs, members will devote a day to returning the Center to its former glory. 

Among those who will participate are members from all over the world including from various sites in the United States as well as from Germany, Japan and the Caribbean. A large contingent from Atlanta will also be on hand to beautify the Center.

Dressed in their signature pink and green, members will tag trees in the forest with name labels, build birdhouses, clean the activities center, perform office duties and bring school supplies to the Center.

President Stewart declared that the project parallels the Sorority’s Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability mission. “Alpha Kappa Alpha is committed to enhancing the environment and this project directly mirrors that mission. This community service project encourages reforestation, urban gardening, and environmental zones in urban communities and we are delighted to be helping to restore this urban forest and nature center to its former splendor.   The hundreds of volunteer hours that the members will donate, represent a gift of love to the citizens of Atlanta who value the ‘go green’ message and treasure the importance of maintaining the environmental integrity of the Center.

Stewart noted that devoting the morning to volunteerism reinforces Alpha Kappa Alpha's mission: “to serve all mankind.”

The environmental event at the Outdoor Activity Center is one of the activities of Alpha Kappa Alpha's biennial Leadership Conference, which takes place from July 13-17 and is driven by the theme: “Leadership & Service: A Timeless Mission.”

The Conference is a forum where members master leadership skills, chart the Sorority's future and gain the tools needed to lead the world. Prior to the Conference, members will participate in health forums, youth summits and engage in a political discussion. Members will also donate school supplies to several area youth agencies.

All of the activities correspond to the administration theme: “Global Leadership Through Timeless Service.”