First Responders Appreciation: AKINDELAS Fraternity Inc. gives back
Published 12:06 am Wednesday, October 2, 2019
- The AKINDELAS Fraternity and first responders from around the community, including representatives from the St. John Office of Fire Services, enjoyed a show of gratitude, food and fellowship Saturday in LaPlace.
LAPLACE — Law enforcement and first responders are there at a moment’s notice to protect and serve civilians in distress, without expecting anything in return.
The AKINDELAS Fraternity New Orleans Chapter, led by Anthony Deloch of LaPlace, decided these acts of bravery deserve a grand show of appreciation.
Police officers, firefighters, EMTs and nurses were met with food and fellowship at the fourth annual AKINDELAS Fraternity First Responders Appreciation Day, held Saturday in front of New Wine Christian Fellowship in LaPlace.
St. John Parish officers and their families enjoy a meal provided courtesy of the AKINDELAS Fraternity New Orleans Chapter.
Deloch said Saturday saw one of the best turnouts in the history of the event, with approximately 200 people present for a worthy cause.
“We show our appreciation to them once a year,” Deloch said. “They show their appreciation to us every day. We just want to give back to them.”
The East St. John High School Marching Band provided on-site entertainment. Especially important to the success of the event was the dedicated kitchen staff that helped prepare and serve white beans, jambalaya, fried fish, fried chicken, potatoes, sausage, hamburgers, shrimp pasta and much more. Deloch said special thanks go to the Rev. Jeff Patterson and Deputy Lennie Valentine, in addition to the many community members who donated food to make the event possible.
Clarence Walker has been a member of AKINDELAS Fraternity since pledging in 1973. Over time, the group has put a greater focus on service in the community.
“To me, the rewarding part is talking with the first responders who show up. I’ve had some wonderful conversations with those guys and ladies,” Walker said. “When you get there and talk with them, they say thank you, because nobody ever thinks about us in this fashion. If your house is on fire or something negative is going on in the neighborhood, the policemen show up, but nobody ever says thank you.”
Walker enjoys taking part in other AKINDELAS events, including the family oriented Barbecue on the Coast, annual Thanksgiving baskets for needy families and awarding scholarships to deserving students.
First Responders Appreciation Day is especially meaningful to AKINDELAS member Mose Sam, a retired Jefferson Parish officer. In a world where officers are ambushed and gunned down, Sam feels it’s important for the community to see the fraternity support law enforcement and first responders.
“I think it’s a worthwhile endeavor that we continue to do this with the support of the community because the community donated a lot of the stuff that we served,” Sam said.
There are about 20 to 25 active members in the New Orleans chapter of AKINDELAS Fraternity, Sam said. Brothers from neighboring chapters in Hammond and Baton Rouge also turned out for Saturday’s appreciation event.
“It’s about the fellowship and the camaraderie we’ve fostered all of these years,” Sam said. “I pledged in the all of 1974. It’s been 45 years, and these guys that I have met have been friends for life.”
Fraternity member Douglas Bullock said AKINDELAS is a word that originated in the Western part of Africa meaning, “Born into Bravery.”
“We try to teach our members that if you see something that’s not right, be brave and step in to make a difference in our community,” Bullock said.
Sometimes, being brave means volunteering at elementary schools to read to students and participate in school events. At the First Responders Appreciation Day, Bullock said being brave meant taking steps to improve the relationship between law enforcement and the African American community, while serving as role models for local youth.
He was grateful to speak with Sheriff Mike Tregre and Pastor Neil Bernard, two men he said show a great deal of care for the community.
Pastor Bernard said he is pleased to offer the New Wine facility to host the annual event, noting Jesus said there is no greater love than a person that would lay his life down for a friend. He said this is the love first responders show every day.
“They are a great service fraternity, and the reason why we partnered with them is because we think one of the greatest ways we can serve is to reach out to our first responders,” Bernard said.
In a release, the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office said their representatives are grateful to AKINDELAS Fraternity for its kind act and support of law enforcement.
AKINDELAS started in 1970 at Alabama State University as a social organization. In 1973, the organization migrated to Southeastern Louisiana University and became a fraternity. The fraternity was also chartered at Southern University in 1980.
In 1997, the first graduate chapter was formed to serve the community.
Deloch said service is possible through nonprofit fundraising, which includes events like the Strawberry Festival and a black and white gala.
