CHAPTER HISTORY

Xi Lambda Lambda Chapter was founded in Pomona , New York ( Rockland County ) on September 25, 2003 by a group of graduate and professional men. They had a vision of organizing a chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc which would serve the growing county and community.

On September 3, 2003 the application process for the chapter charter was completed and mailed to the Second District Representative, Brother Benjamin Jeffers. The application was then presented to the Supreme Council during an economic conference in Washington , D.C.

In February 2003, through perseverance, brothers instrumental in founding the new chapter were Dennis McGloster (Beta Alpha Alpha, '01); Melvyn Davis (Beta Alpha Alpha, '90); Edmund Gordon (Alpha, '40); Hannibal Holmes (Beta Alpha Alpha, '86); Byron Hurlock (Xi Phi, '84); Gerald Inman (Chi Delta, '74); Michael Johnson (Beta Alpha Alpha, '99); T. Ed McBride (Xi Phi, '92); Michael Peterson (Beta Delta Delta, '89); Chris Sampson (Beta Alpha Alpha, '90); David Smith (Zeta, '63); David Smith, Jr. (Omicron Sigma, '91); and Herbert Thomas (Phi Upsilon, '75).

On October 5, 2003 the brothers of Rockland County received a letter from The Executive Director, Brother S. Earl Wilson, informing them that the Supreme Council had approved the chapter application for Rockland County . The official date of the chartering was September 25, 2003. The Supreme Council assigned the chapter Name "Xi Lambda Lambda" On November 21, 2003 the first official meeting of Xi Lambda Lambda Chapter was held at the Louis Kurtz Civic Center in Spring Valley , New York .

The brothers elected Chris Sampson as Basileus, Byron Hurlock, as Vice Basileus, Dennis McGloster as Keeper of Records and Seal, Michael Peterson as Keeper of Finance, Gerald Inman as Chaplain, Melvyn Davis as Keeper of Peace and T. Edward McBride as Chapter Editor. Brother Edmund Gordon was bestowed the honor of Basileus Emeritus. Brother Thomas Wallace, Second District Corridor 5 Representative, performed the swearing in of the elected officers.

Xi Lambda Lambda has performed many of the fraternity's mandated programs from Achievement Week to the Blood Drive to the Talent Hunt. We implemented and coordinated a Scholastic Aptitude Test preparatory course for Rockland area high school students with the assistance of members of Phi Delta Kappa, a Rockland African American teaching sorority. In 2006 launched our first Xi Lambda Lambda / Charles Drew Blood Drive at the Palisades Mall in West Nyack, New York . An added feature to the blood drive was the inclusion of a bone marrow drive.

For the past three years Xi Lambda Lambda has provided college scholarships to four Rockland County male students who attend public high schools and who will be matriculating to college after graduating.

In compliance with Omega Psi Phi's National Social Action Program Xi Lambda Lambda has performed voter registration drives. In our most recent drive during the primary season we registered well over 150 new voters. The drives were conducted at Rockland Community College in Suffern , New York .

In March of 2007 we embarked on our flagship program, the Rockland Omega AcaDemy (ROAD), a mentoring program for African American/Latino in grades 5 through 11. The program encompasses public speaking, financial literacy classes, study skills, etiquette training and host of other skills we feel will help the young men prosper and thrive in this challenging world.

The chapter chartered a bus to take the ROAD mentees, their parents, and others in the Rockland community to the presidential inauguration of America 's first African American President, Barack Obama in the nation's capital. The mentees were also taken to the movie premiere of “The Express.” Future plans for the ROAD mentees include traveling to upstate New York this year on an outdoor weekend camping trip. The program is funded in part through grants written by our tax-exempt financial arm, the Rockland Omega Community Development Foundation, Inc, a 501(c) (3) organization.

During the years 2004 and 2005 we held an art auction with great success. In 2007 the chapter presented its first Jazz Brunch. The jazz brunch, which is held on the third Sunday of February, has not only been a financial success but serves as great entertainment and enjoyment for those that have attended. This event has become a staple in Rockland that sells itself.

The chapter held its first two Talent Hunt Programs in 2008 and 2009. On Sunday, March 16, 2008 Xi Lambda Lambda was selected to host the Corridor 5 Memorial Service. The venue for this program was the Pilgrim Baptist Church in Nyack , New York . Over 100 members of the fraternity from Long Island to Albany as well as the surrounding states were in attendance.

On April 26, 2009 Xi Lambda Lambda crossed its first line, The Final Four, under the guidance of Bro. A. Tyrone Bailey (MSP chair) and Bro. Byron O. Hurlock (Asst. MSP Chairman), and Basileus Dennis V. McGloster. Members of this line are Bros. Floyd R. Long, Tony Burrows, Nate Lawson and Carl Jenkins.

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