PROVINCE NEWS
East Central Province’s Founders Day Weekend was all about Achievement By Howard Russell T he East Central Prov- ince of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. Keynote speaker, 84th Laurel Wreath Laureate-designate Lt. General Leslie C. Smith and East Central Province Polemarch Marcus D. Bailey.
Laureate-designate, deliv- ered an inspiring address titled “All In,” which also served as the theme for the weekend. During the time of the luncheon, the Pittsburgh Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. partnered with the Kappa Scholarship Endowment Fund of Western PA (KSEF) to host a women’s health symposium entitled “And The Beat Goes On.” This symposium featured expert panelists discussing import- ant women’s health issues related to heart and mental wellness, drawing signifi- cant attendance. Following the closed banquet lun- cheon, Brothers paid their respects at the grave site of National Founder and PAC Charter Member Brother Marcus Peter Blakemore, holding a ceremony and moment of silence in his honor. Saturday evening con- cluded with the KSEF Annual Fundraising event, “Klub Kappa,” which trans- formed the Rivers Casino
(ECP) celebrated Founders Day Weekend in Pittsburgh, PA, from January 31-Febru- ary 2, 2025. The event was hosted by the Pittsburgh (PA) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc (PAC) and the Beta Epsilon Chapter (BE) of the University of Pittsburgh, with activities taking place at the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh. The festivities com- menced on Friday with a meet and greet for Broth- ers at the Rivers Casino Landing Hotel, followed by a happy hour at Burn by Rocky Patel, where Brothers and the Pittsburgh commu- nity enjoyed an evening of music, fun, camaraderie and cigars. Saturday’s events began with a Brothers-only Founders Day Closed Banquet Luncheon at the Rivers Casino, attended by 112 Brothers. The keynote speaker, Lt. General Leslie C. Smith (Iota Pi 1982), the 84th Laurel Wreath
Event Center into a lively club atmosphere complete with lights, music, dancing, food, and drinks. Guests were “blown away” by the event’s ambiance and style. The event successfully raised over $300,000 to support Western PA students pursu- ing higher education. Since its inception in 1991, KSEF has awarded over $5.3 mil- lion in scholarships to more than 275 students. Brother Howard Russell, the past KSEF President, received
the inaugural Thomas K. Motley Award for Leader- ship, honoring the legacy of the late Brother Motley, a former PAC Polemarch and the driving force behind KSEF’s creation. The driving force behind the weekend’s success were East Central Province Pole- march Marcus D. Bailey, PAC Polemarch Richard Free- man, BE Polemarch Ryan Ellison and KSEF President and a Past PAC Polemarch Robert Powell. ♦
14 THE JOURNAL ♦ WINTER 2024-2025
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