Pearls and Stars Come Out and Shine

On the warm summer evening of Saturday, June 18th, 2011, hundreds of Pearls and Stars turned out to show their support for the cancer awareness effort.

The Seven Pearls Foundation and National Iota Foundation -the charitable arms of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Incorporated, respectively - organized a fundraising gala to help raise cancer awareness. Attendees came from far and wide for this black tie affair.

Dignitaries in attendance included two of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity's founders (Fndr. John Slade and Fndr. Lonnie Spruill), Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority's International Grand Basileus (Joann Loveless) and Immediate Past Grand Basileus (Mynora J. Bryant), and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity's International Grand Polaris (Karl Price).

Soror Gwendolyn Briley-Strand, event chair, kept the evening's momentum flowing as the evening's mistress-of-ceremonies. A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Hattie McDaniel Health Award to Dr. Deepa Subramaniam, Interim Chief of the Center for Thoracic Medical Oncology at the Lombardi Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center. The award was presented in honor of Dr. Subramaniam's efforts in cancer research, and in memory of the late Soror Hattie McDaniel, who passed away from breast cancer. Soror McDaniel was the first African-American woman to receive an Academy Award; she was a member of the Sigma Sigma chapter, in Los Angeles, California.

All guests enjoyed music, fine dining and excellent company.

The Zeta Tau Sigma chapter worked in conjunction with the event organizers, and wouild like to thank the Seven Pearls Foundation, the National Iota Foundation for their leadership and vision. We would also like to thank all guests who attended and supported this wonderful event. We look forward to continued progress in cancer research.