Story and Photos
By
Brother Alvin Swilley (unless otherwise indicated)
NORFOLK—The South Hampton Roads Pan-Hellenic Council—SHARPC—recognized the performance of members and community leaders at a banquet held on March 30, 2019 at the Wyndham Hotel Norfolk. More than 300 supporters gathered to honor nineteen selected members of the nine historically Black Greek letter organizations—the Divine Nine. A community service organization was also recognized. This was the 31st annual awards event. Divine Nine members who had died since the last banquet were also memorialized. Brother Charles Davidson and Brother Michael Mitchell were the Omega Men honored as Unsung Heroes. Davidson is a 44-yr member of Lambda Omega Chapter in Norfolk, VA. The Norfolk native is a graduate of Norfolk State University and entered the Fraternity via Lambda Omega in June 1975. The former Health and Physical Education teacher retired from the Va. Beach Public School System in 2010 and was a former Teacher of the Year. A Fraternity Life Member, Davidson has served the chapter in numerous roles over four decades. This includes serving as Chapter Editor and chairing the Mardi Gras along with working diligently on more than a half dozen committees and dozens of projects. Bro. Mitchell is a retired Naval Officer and Fall 2000 initiate of Gamma Xi Chapter in Virginia Beach, VA. A graduate of the University of Maryland and University of Nebraska Medical Center, Mitchell is a Physician Assistant in a local orthopedic practice. Since 2013, he has led the chapter’s co-ed flag football team in the annual Over The Hill Bowl, a charity fundraiser supporting the Help and Emergency Response (HER) Shelter. He has also chaired the chapter’s Stop The Violence Golf Tournament over the past two years. Last year’s effort resulted in an additional $1500 donation to the HER Shelter. Mitchell has also represented Gamma Xi on the Joint Achievement Week (JAW) Committee and is a regular golfer on the Que Tour, and served as a Marshal when the event came to Va. Beach.