Theta Lambda Lambda, local chapter of the international Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, has committed to participating in the American Cancer Society’s 2010 Relay For Life of Fayette County. Founded in 1911 at Howard University in Washington, D. C., Omega Psi Phi is the first African-American national fraternal organization to be founded at a historically black college. Peachtree City based Theta Lambda Lambda is just one of the 750 chapters of Omega Psi Phi that exist throughout the world.
The founding brothers of Omega Psi Phi chose the fraternity name from the initials of the Greek phrase meaning “friendship is essential to the soul”. The phrase was selected as the fraternity’s motto. Manhood, scholarship, perseverance and uplift were adopted as cardinal principles. The mission statement of local chapter Theta Lambda Lambda states the goal of the organization: “To enthusiastically support the ideas and ambitions of our members; foster brotherly love and friendship within the chapter; promote the principals of manhood, scholarship, perseverance and uplift and remain steadfast in our dedication to the social, economic, and political uplift of the citizens of Fayette and Coweta counties.” It is in honor of this mission that the fraternity has decided to form and sponsor at least one team at the 2010 Relay For Life of Fayette County.
Curtis Taylor Thomas, Jr. is one of the 51 members of Theta Lambda Lambda who will participate in this year’s Relay For Life of Fayette County. Curtis, an alumnus of Florida State University is employed by the State of Georgia Department of Labor. He urrently serves as the Chaplain for the fraternity.
Deciding to participate in Relay was easy for Curtis; he acknowledges “Everyone knows someone who has been touched by cancer.” In fact, in the United States, blacks are more likely to develop cancer than persons of any other racial or ethnic group and are about 33 percent more likely to die of cancer than whites. In Georgia, African American incidences of prostrate cancer are higher than the national average for men over the age of 45.
Theta Lambda Lambda is looking to do some traditional fundraising for the 2010 Relay For Life, but they are also hoping to use some new high-tech fundraising. Mr. Thomas has already set up a web page via the American Cancer Society’s website: www.relayforlife.org/fayettecounty. Donors can make an on-line donation from that website. Curtis has also put a link to his Relay fundraising website on his social networking Facebook page. Via these two internet sources Mr. Thomas will make an appeal to hundreds of Omega Psi Phi brothers, family and friends.
If you would like to support the Theta Lambda Lambda Relay For Life team you can contact Mr. Curtis Thomas by email at curtis_115@msn.com or via the Relay For Life website at www.relayforlife.org/fayettecounty – Theta Lambda Lambda Team. If you would like to join the Relay For Life in Fayette County as a volunteer or team participant, call Kim Westwood, Community Manager at (770) 631-0625, or email kim.westwood@cancer.org.
