Virginia Omicron

Alpha Delta Kappa came to Virginia on August 23, 1954, when Agnes Shipman Robertson, Executive Director of International Honorary Sorority for Women Educators in Kansas City, Missouri, initiated thirteen candidates into Alpha Chapter at the Monticello Hotel in Norfolk, Virginia on October 31, 1954.

​In 1963, Alpha Chapter planned, screened, and invited thirteen women educators to an Initiation Tea at the Oceana Officers’ Club on Saturday, April 27. Thus was the beginning of Omicron Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa, the 15^th chapter to be initiated in Virginia.

​Invited guests were International Grand Chaplain, Coralease Jennings; Virginia State President; Hilda Harwood, Director of Personnel of the Norfolk City Public Schools; Gladys Charlton, Assistant Principal of Maury High School;Dorothy Gilchrist; and Assistant Principal of Granby High School, Ellen Blake.

We are grateful to Alpha Chapter for their guidance and inspiration for the accomplishments of Omicron Chapter and for the bonds of friendship and love that have evolved.

Officers were elected, committees were appointed, and Omicron was on its way under the leadership of Virginia Treakle, known to all as “Ginny”. The charter members were Josephine Acton, Edith Alexander, Marian Anderson, Mary Barber, Rose Breedlove, Myrtle Cheatham, Janet Finnegan, Dorothy Jones, Claire McDermott, Hazel Reynolds, Edith Robison, Virginia Treakle, and Ava Williams. Rose Breedlove and Marian Anderson remain as the only original charter members.

Our past presidents have been: Virginia Treakle, 1963-65; Myrtle Cheatham, 1965-66; Edith Robison, 1966-68; Ava Williams, 1968-70; Margaret Fraser, 1970-72; Marian Andersen, 1972-74; Claire McDermott, 1974-76; Lois Wootton, 1976-78; Dorothy Jones, 1980-82; Jeri Tata, 1982-84; Gail Nicholson, 1984-86; Betty Callahan, 1986-88; Barbara Stokey, 1988-90; Cita Broome, 1990-92; Gail Nicholson, 1992-94; Becky Herron, 1994-96; Gini Barnes, 1996-98; Gail Nicholson, 1998-2000; Marsha Hayes, 2000-01; Sandra Mullen, 2001-02; Jane Brown, 2002-04; Lynn Hollingsworth, 2004-05; Jane Brown, 2005-06; Josie Collier, 2006-08; Joyce Jones, 2008-10; Yvonne Jones, 2010-12; Mary-Ellen Davis, 2012-14; Sharon Brown 2014-16; Becky Maxey 2016-2018; and Mary-Ellen Davis and Janet McDonald 2018 - present.

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​Gail Nicholson has served two terms as State Treasurer and two terms as State Recording Secretary. Lois Wootton, Marian Anderson and Martha Ragland all served on the State Executive Board.

​A 20^th Anniversary Luncheon was held at the Ramada Inn at the Oceanfront on May 7, 1983 where a historical sketch of the chapter, written in verse, was presented by Virginia Wooddell.

​The 30th Anniversary Celebration was held at the Virginia Beach Resort and Conference Center on April 24, 1993.

​Lois Wootton hosted our 40^th Anniversary at her home in 2003. A skit,written by Jane Brown about the history of the Omicron Chapter, recognized and honored our surviving founders. Past accomplishments of the Chapter were also highlighted in the skit.

​During the 2010-2012 biennium, plans were begun to reorganize the seventeen chapters of the Tidewater District. Diane Gibson and Nancy Watkins served as co-presidents of the Tidewater District and assisted in orchestrating the reorganization. Three districts were then created from the original seventeen – the Azalea District, the James River District and the Chesapeake Bay District of which the Omicron Chapter (Virginia Beach) Alpha Mu Chapter (Virginia Beach), Alpha Nu Chapter (Virginia Beach), Alpha Xi Chapter (Chesapeake), Beta Kappa Chapter (Chesapeake) and Beta Tau Chapter (Eastern Shore) are a part.

​In February 2013, The Omicron Chapter celebrated its 50^th Anniversary with a gala event at the Black Angus Grille in Virginia Beach. State, district and chapter officers were in attendance.