BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) — David Lewis has been a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. for 35 years. On Wednesday, Lewis and a dozen other members of the fraternity’s Chi Beta Beta Chapter handed out turkeys to members of the Bloomington-Normal Community at Union Missionary Baptist Church.
Within one hour all 200 turkeys were gone.
“We actually got here and there were people in line. Which is good. It’s good,” said Lewis. “It also tells you that there’s a need in the community. And there’s nothing better or nothing more fulfilling than filling the need in the community.”
Omega Psi Fraternity, Inc was founded November 17, 1911, at Howard University. Lewis said the organization is all about service and giving back to the community.
“The hope is that this level of kindness helps someone else down the road and it’s contagious,” said Lewis.
On Thursday, the chapter is hosting its Charles R. Drew Blood Drive in partnership with 100 Black Men of Central Illinois. The goal for this year is to have 21 donors.
“We want to impact our community, impact Illinois, impact lives across the country that will take advantage of the blood that we provide,” said Chapter Secretary Sylvester Davis.
While some members are wrapping up the blood drive others will be in Champaign and Danville handing out more turkeys.
“We’re just trying to do what our founders and the 10th District requested us to do,” said Davis. “To do something that’s impactful and meaningful in our community.”
The blood drive is Thursday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church located at 801 West Market Street in Bloomington. Beginning at 5 p.m. turkeys will be given out at Mt. Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church located at 1310 North Sixth Street in Champaign. Immediately afterwards the chapter will go to Danville to give turkeys to the Laura Lee Fellowship House.
