News Article - 3 minute read

On Sunday, September 1, 2024, members of Sigma Mu Mu Chapter, Third District of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., celebrated the chapter’s 13 th anniversary at their annual Sigma Mu Mu Anniversary and Family COOKOWT. This year’s event was held at Algonkian Regional Park in Sterling, VA. Approximately eighty (80) chapter brothers, family members, friends, and visiting brothers attended. Brother Felton Hayes showcased his fish frying skills while Brothers Lee
Johnson, Edwin Harmon, Paul Forbes and others manned the grill to provide burgers, hot dogs and grilled chicken. Youngsters played volleyball and tossed around the football with their dads and “uncles”; adults played chess and cards, smoked cigars, listened to music, and shared stories; and a good time was had by all.

The highlight of the COOKOWT was the official unveiling of the chapter gift from the 2024 Sigma Mu Mu line, “The Six Resurrected Sons of Doom”: a custom designed 10’ x 20’ canopy tent. The tent color is royal purple with old gold accents. The canopy top is emblazoned with the Fraternity’s escutcheon on the front and back. The canopy’s ends display a large Greek letter Omega with the Omega shield in the middle. The back inside wall sports the Sigma Mu Mu crest in the center, with the names of all twenty-eight charter members on either side of the crest.  The back outside wall also displays the Sigma Mu Mu crest in the middle, as well as the names of the 2013 and 2016 Sigma Mu Mu initiates. The side panels display the Sigma Mu Mu crest with the chapter’s name and charter date, along with the Fraternity’s motto: Friendship Is Essential To The Soul. The gift was designed to be an enduring monument to the chapter’s founders and Sigma Mu Mu’s first sons, as well as a practical asset that can be used for future events.

This year’s COOKOWT was a great success, allowing brothers, their families, and friends to fellowship and enjoy each other’s company on a very nice fall day. Surplus food from the COOKOWT was donated to the Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad Station 25 to avoid waste and show appreciation for emergency services the agency provides to the community. Following the COOKOWT, Sigma Mu Mu and visiting brothers continued their fellowship at Ivy By the Lake
in Sterling, VA.