About Us

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After  careful planning and working with several Deltas in the Pee Dee Region  for over two years, on December 17, 1983, the seven-hundred twenty-third  chapter, Bennettsville-Cheraw Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta  Sorority, Inc. was officially chartered. The South Atlantic Regional  Director who later became our twentieth National President, Bertha  Maxwell Roddy, performed the chartering ceremony at the Valerie Motel,  Patrick, South Carolina.  Six women from Cheraw, five women from  Bennettsville and two women from Marion working in Marlboro County  decided that they wanted to make a difference in Marlboro and  Chesterfield Counties.  They are  Ann Brown, Beatrice J. DuPree,  Georgia E. Gillespie (deceased), Gayle Gore, Cynthia B. Hodge, Jesse S.  Johnakin, Lenora V. Powe, Leathia M. Powe (deceased), Oralee S. Powe  (deceased), Marie C. Smith (deceased), Julia Spears (deceased), Cynthia Streater, and Vanessa Stuckey-Brown.

With the leadership of nine presidents (Dannie H. Blair, Karen R. Clark, Beatrice J. DuPree, Yolonda G. DuPree, Jesse S. Johnakin, Lenora V. Powe, LaShawn R. Palmer, Braber Spell and Lynn C. Henry (current president), the chapter has raised over $100,000 for scholarships through twelve Jabberwocks for students in Marlboro County, Cheraw and other counties, given out scholarship monies to other deserving students, sponsored a SC State Meeting in 2001 with over 300 members attending, sponsored teams for local recreation departments, hosted Senior Citizen’s Dinners for over twenty years, sponsored  Red/White Balls, Delta Academy, Delta GEMS, EMBODI, and numerous other service projects.  At the 20th Regional Convention in June 2001, the chapter won an award for Sincere Sisterhood and Stellar Service for  sponsoring the Spring Mock Convention in South Carolina. In July 2008, the chapter won the Distinguished Program Award at the 49th National  Convention for the South Atlantic Region. 

 At the 2011 Regional  Conference, Charleston, SC, the chapter was recognized for Excellence in  Sisterhood.

Through membership intake, we have brought forty-four members into  the sisterhood. They are The Magnificent Seven-Spring 1984, The Dynamic  Three-December 1987, Double Trouble-March 1992, Circle of One-Spring  1995, Six Dreams of Crimson and Cream-Spring 2001, Eleven Reflections of  Divine Discretions-Spring 2007, The Five STEMS-Spring 2014 and 14 F.O.R.C.E.S of Distinction-Spring 2021.

In thirty-seven years, the Bennettsville-Cheraw Alumnae Chapter of  Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. continues to be recognized in Marlboro  County and Cheraw as a leader in public service.  We are thankful to God  for his blessings, and we will continue to be a viable and positive  force in these communities.