Florida Senate - 2011 (NP) SR 1074 By Senators Hill and Siplin 1-00235-11 20111074__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution recognizing and commending Omega Psi Phi 3 Fraternity, Inc., for its invaluable community service 4 to the people of the State of Florida. 5 6 WHEREAS, on November 17, 1911, three Howard University 7 undergraduate students, assisted by their faculty advisor, met 8 and conceived the idea of founding Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, 9 Inc., based on the cardinal principles of “manhood, scholarship, 10 perseverance, and uplift,” and 11 WHEREAS, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., was the first 12 fraternity founded at a Historically Black College or 13 University, and, since its inception, has initiated more than 14 100,000 members in 700 chapters in 44 states, the District of 15 Columbia, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, 16 and Panama, and 17 WHEREAS, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., is committed to 18 rendering community service that makes a difference in quality 19 of life, and has made invaluable contributions toward improving 20 the educational, civic, and social lives of the people it has 21 touched in Florida and throughout the world, and 22 WHEREAS, Dr. Andrew R. Ray presently leads Omega Psi Phi 23 Fraternity, Inc., serving as the Fraternity’s 39th Grand 24 Basileus; Brother Keith Jackson, of Snellville, Georgia, is the 25 National Representative for District 7, which includes Florida, 26 Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi; and Brother Anthony Brown of 27 Miami, Florida, is the National Representative for the State of 28 Florida, and 29 WHEREAS, other distinguished Floridians who are Brothers of 30 Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., include former United States 31 Congressman Kendrick Meek, State Senator Anthony C. “Tony” Hill, 32 Sr., State Senator Gary Siplin, State Representative Darryl 33 Rouson, Florida Secretary of Juvenile Justice and former State 34 Representative Frank Peterman, Jr., Miami-Dade School Board 35 Member and former State Representative Wilbert “Tee” Holloway, 36 and Tallahassee Mayor John Marks, NOW, THEREFORE, 37 38 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 39 40 That the Florida Senate commends Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, 41 Inc., for its invaluable community service to the people of 42 Florida and recognizes March 19, 2011, as “Omega Psi Phi 43 Fraternity Day” in the State of Florida. 44 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution, with 45 the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to Dr. Andrew R. 46 Ray, Grand Basileus of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., as a 47 tangible token of the sentiments of the Florida Senate.