About

On February 18, 1996, Jacqueline Veal, Ruth Bowers, Artice Ledbetter and Carol Mitchell met to create a list of potential families interested in providing a cultural and enhanced educational experience for their children through Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Prospective families who were interested in providing cultural, social and educational experience through Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated, gathered March 17, 1996 and the first official meeting was held at the home of Ruth Bowers.

On December 11, 1996, the group was honored to be sponsored by the Oakland County Chapter. President Theresa Preston, Regional Member at Large (MAL) Sharon Harper, Ruth Bowers and Cynthia Martin met to establish boundaries. Shortly thereafter, they officially became known as the Northeast Oakland/Macomb County Group.

After five months of bonding, meeting, and planning, they were officially given approval from the Mid-Western Region to become a Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Interest Group. The group began with forty-one families. The following officers were elected: Ruth Bowers, President; Jacqueline Veal, Vice President; Cynthia Martin, Recording Secretary; and Vicki Brown, Treasurer. Appointed officers were Priscilla Rice, Historian; Tara Washington; Parliamentarian; and Chief Uwa Osimiri, Program Chair. The Group began exposing their children to civic, cultural, educational and social activities to enrich their lives and give them a sense of being in service to their communities.

Workshops were conducted by National President Sheryl Thomas, Mid-Western Region Secretary/Treasurer Terri Hylton, Mid-Western Region Member At Large Alice Leigh Peoples, Oakland County Chapter President Theresa Preston, Chapter Organizer Sharon Harper and Oakland County Chapter members. The Group gained official status to become a chapter at the 1998 National Convention in New York.

The North Oakland/Macomb Chapter was chartered on October 10, 1998 under the leadership of President Ruth Bowers and Officers Jacqueline Gadson-Veal, Cynthia Martin, Vicki Brown with the following members:

Doris Bailey

Carlene Bohannon

Gabriela Darris

Joyce Dean

Donna Demby

Yvonne Dixon

Bernadette Gebregiorgis

Beverly Gooden

Brenda Griffen

Carolyn Lee

Karen Lewis

Glenda Minor

Barbara Moore

Uwa Osimiri

Priscilla Rice

Tara Washington

Eleanor White

Monica Wiley