Columbia’s Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. chapter might be small, but these 10 women make an impact in the community.
The sorority’s week of activities is titled “When DoveZ-PHI” after their call. The National Pan-Hellenic Council annually helps each NPHC chapter choose a week to showcase its values to the community. Zeta Phi Beta’s week revolves around helping others.
“When (NPHC chapters) create their weeks, people see how serious or not-so-serious each chapter is,” Zeta Phi Beta President Chanecka Williams said. “Our week’s heavier in service, showing what we’re about. We really care about the community.”
Zeta Phi Beta started the week at Sunday’s Susan G. Komen Mid-Missouri Race for the Cure. Following the walk, the women attended a service at Second Baptist Missionary Church.
“We try to practice faith within our sorority,” Williams said. “We think it’s important to have constant prayer within our lives.”
The women hosted the Ace of Pastries bake sale Monday afternoon in the MU Student Center. All proceeds will go toward both Columbia’s March of Dimes chapter and suicide prevention, the latter having a personal tie to Zeta Phi Beta historian and parliamentarian Chasidy Allen.
“During the second week of school, my little sister told me my cousin tried to commit suicide,” Allen said. “I came back and wanted to talk about (suicide prevention). You rarely see people put on events about suicide prevention.”
Zeta Phi Beta plans to host a visual presentation for suicide prevention in October.
The chapter volunteered at Intersection, a local after-school care center, Monday evening. The women will continue to visit the children weekly.
The sorority will hold P M(en) S, a men-only workshop, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Memorial Union. Jimmy Miller, Men Against Rape and Sexual Assault adviser, and Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center Director Nathan Stephens, will talk about how to deal with stress and how to have a positive influence on the community.
Members will exchange school supplies for food at Cooking for a Cause from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Stephens Lake Collins Shelter. The supplies will be donated to Columbia Parks and Recreation or local churches for them to distribute.
“It’s something we keep close to our hearts because we really want to get connected with the Columbia community and not just the Mizzou campus,” Zeta Phi Beta Z-Hope Coordinator Samira Hilliard said. “It’s a chill event. We get to hang out and know one another while also helping people.”
Zeta Phi Beta will hold an informational meeting for prospective members 7:20 p.m. Thursday in the Stephens Library Penthouse. Business attire is required.
“We don’t have formal recruitment, so we like to take the time to get to know the girls,” Williams said. “It’s a time to formally introduce them to Zeta and the process to become involved.”
The chapter will host the Chi Kappa Comedy Zone 7:20 p.m. Friday in The Shack. Based on MTV’s “Wild ‘N Out,” the improvisational comedy show will feature three teams competing with jokes.
“We want people to just sit back, laugh and have a good time,” Allen said.
For its final event, Zeta Phi Beta will tutor and mentor children at the Saturday Fun Academy from 12 to 3 p.m. at the Blind Boone Community Center. The women will sponsor programs and workshops monthly for children ages 8 to 14.
Throughout the week, Zeta Phi Beta will also be collecting pennies and gently used sneakers. The shoes will be shipped to Africa, and the pennies will help build a well in a village there.
Williams encourages community members to attend events.
“We could always use extra hands,” she said. “It’s always important to give back to the community.”