Sisters Sippin Tea Literary Group Tulsa Chapter

Being a part of a community means more than just living in it!

We are involved in various community activities that are geared towards raising literacy awareness through mentoring, counseling and outreach programs.We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else. The miracle is this--the more we share, the more we have. I have an irrepressible desire to live till I can be assured that the world is a little better for my having lived in it."

Current Community Service Projects

* Little Sisters Sippin Tea Literary Group – 8 – 12 years of age
* Commentators for Sunday news brief on live radio broadcast UPDATE, airs Sundays 5 - 6 p.m. EST on   Talk Radio 1430AM at www.wlkf.com, Hall Communications, Lakeland, Florida.
* October Annual fall Books and Brunch – featured the following phenomenal authors – Professor Charles   Ogletree, Dr. Bertice Berry and Lorna Owens.
* Proceeds benefit our Scholarship program.
* Interviews – North Tulsa Magazine, Oklahoma Eagle, The Doris Moore Bailey live talk radio show –   UPDATE,
* Ad donation to the Miss Black Oklahoma Pageant
* Ad donation to Raw Sistaz Annual Literary Affair
* Book donation to Freedom Ranch – half way house for women recently released from prison that are   trying to get back into normal life.
* Co-sponsors of the African American Author Expo – in honor of Zora Neale Hurston – featuring seventeen   phenomenal guest authors
* African American Resource Committee Volunteer Work – Author Resource Committee events:
* Dr. Julia Hare of the Black Think Tank
* Gwen Forester
* Dr. John Hope Franklin recognition ceremony
* First ladies of Christian Literature – Victoria Christopher Murray, Michele Andrea Bowen and Jacquelin   Thomas.
* Gloria Mallette and Donna Hill

Past Community Service Projects
2005– 2006

• Little Sisters Sippin Tea Literary Group – June 2005 – present
• Volunteer for the African American Resource Center – Author Committee Sponsored the Michael Eric    Dyson Breakfast for the February 11 Sankofa Awards Ceremony.
• Provided a $50.00 check to a family in need of immediate food provisions for one day - Request made   by Deborah Boykins.
• Hosted our first Juneteenth Author Expo with over twenty authors participating which will be an annual    event.
• Coordinated the weekend events for S. James Guitard on July 7, dinner at Lola’s and July 8th dinner at    Los Cabos.
• Supported the Dallas Tulisoma Annual Book Fair on August 18.
• Request for interviews from Sistah Connect, The GRITS Dot.Com, TriCom Publicity and Upscale    Magazine.
• Contributed candy to Chamberlain Park for October Fest – October 2006. Members    volunteered    as    chaperons.
       • Hosted our 2nd Annual Books and Brunch event with the help of the following
         phenomenal authors: Terri Williams, Dr. Monica Anderson and Dr. Obrey Hendricks.
      • Hosted Terrie and Obrey at dinner Friday night at Camerelli’s Italian Restaurant.
         Toured Obrey, Terrie and Dr. Moe around Tulsa on Saturday after B & B event, dinner at Fish          Daddy’s. Coordinated Obrey’s speaking engagement at Shiloh Baptist church Sunday.
       • Proceeds designated for the Ida B. Wells Foundation.

Past Community Service Projects
2004– 2005

• Little Sisters Sippin Tea Literary Group – June 2005 – Initiated reading group for young ladies    between the ages of seven and twelve to be supported and facilitated by SST.
• Hurricane Katrina Relief - August 2005 - Our book club members are actively involved in providing    relief for victims of Hurricane Katrina.
• Volunteered at Urban League to fill care packages for Katrina survivors arriving in Tulsa.
• Volunteered @ Camp Gruber where Katrina survivors were housed.
• Volunteered at Cross Town Church as intake workers for displaced families.
• Designated receiver and transporter to receive books and transport them to Camp Gruber, relief    centers or homes where Hurricane Katrina victims are staying; Sponsored by Tony Rose, Amber    Communications National Book Donation Launch for the Victims of Hurricane Katrina.
• World Hospice Senior Care Service - October 2005 - Book club members participated in    Rock- A- Thon fund Raiser to purchase prescriptions for patients.
• Chamberlain Park October Fest – October 2005 - Members provided candy and volunteered as    chaperons/hostesses.
• Hosted our first Annual Fall Books and Brunch event with the help of the following phenomenal    authors: J.D. Mason, Lisa Teasley and Camika Spencer.
• Hosted a welcome author reception the Friday evening before the Books and Brunch.
• Proceeds provided to a family that was displaced by Hurricane Katrina and made Tulsa their home.

Past Community Service Projects
2003– 2004

• Coordinated a Christmas drive that collected used greeting cards that were sent to the St. Jude’s Ranch    for children
• Collected gently used clothing that was distributed to disadvantaged families in time for the 2003/2004    school year.
• Donated books and video tapes to the Freedom Ranch, a half-way house for incarcerated women.
• Initiated the Falcon Book club within the educational system that meets twice a month on Saturdays. The    ages range from 12-16 and are comprised of male and female students. Lunch is provided at each    session and each child is awarded the book upon completion. Student officers were nominated and each    student will be awarded extra credit points from an Instructor upon completion of the 6 month session.
• For Christmas SST donated funds for items to place in gift bags for the Senior Citizens at a local nursing    home. SST and the Falcon Book club delivered the gifts and each student read a poem to each of the    recipients. Pictures were taken and Christmas carols were sung.
• Coordinated a community fund raiser that raised $1000.00 that was sent in and matched by Modern    Woodmen of America. The funds will be utilized to operate the Falcon Book Club for the 2004 school    year.
• Adopted a Viet Nam Vet at Christmas time from the EDS Angel tree in conjunction with another group    and purchased winter outfits for the recipient.
• Coordinated book drive in conjunction with Volunteers of America that resulted in over 2000 books   donated to Hamilton Middle School students to take home for summer leisurely reading. The books were    bagged and distributed at the close of the 2004 school year.
• Made a contribution of several boxes of personal items to provide to the women’s prison outreach   ministry.
• Write African American book reviews to be utilized periodically for the Tulsa World Sunday Book    Scene section, a local newspaper.

Past Community Service Projects
2002– 2003

• Members volunteered a half-day’s service at the following agencies:
     o Salvation Army’s Annual Christmas Campaign: Toys for Tots
     o Day Center for the Homeless
     o Higher Esteem Life Programs
• Coordinated a drive that raised funds to purchase Teddy Bears & books to be given as Christmas gifts    to toddlers that are estranged from their parents and living in a low – moderately-income family.
• Purchased gloves and hats that were distributed to disadvantaged Hamilton Middle School students.    Collectively, money was contributed to provide two coats to two students that were in need of    outerwear. The schools counseling office recommended the two students that were most in need.
• Participated in the March of Dimes 2003 Walk America Fundraiser Campaign.
• Our Professional Storyteller does public service work by contributing to our culture with the oral tradition    of storytelling, encouraging children in attendance to read at least one book and tell one story to at least    one other child, therefore, making them an official storyteller. She has reached out to children in all    arenas and most recently (June) performed at a children’s day camp in Atlanta.
• Adopted the Hamilton Middle School 6th grade class for the SST end of school year summer campaign.    Each student (210) was provided books of his or her own to take home during the summer to promote    reading as a leisurely and thought-provoking pastime. Over 10 children’s authors and several publishing    companies contributed books to make the SST campaign a huge success. Most students ended the    school year with two or more books to take home for summer reading. Each student has the option of    writing a short essay on the books received, to be turned in at the beginning of the next school term. For    those students that take advantage of the essay writing, they will be awarded with extra credit points to    start the school year.
• Coordinated a media day for the book distribution for the 6th grade students, which included an awards    ceremony, poetry readings and storytelling by members of SST. The students also feasted on pizza,    chicken, rolls, drinks and desert that was also provided and served by SST. Fox local news covered the    event.
• SST coordinated a book drive to help supply books and audiotapes for the OU African American    Student’s Union. This is an on-going project but SST has provided currently over 100 books and 20    audiotapes to the group.