From left, Marion Baldwin, Bonnie Cooper, Christine Hicks, Malcolm Walker, Jewell Cousin, Irene Chapman, Michael Hoskins, Edna Varner and Ivy Strickland
The Chattanooga Chapter of the Tennessee State University National Alumni Association, led by President Malcolm Walker, launched the holiday season again this year with a Donation Drive-By of its members, yielding toys and a check for $1,315 (up from last year) to the local Forgotten Child Fund.
The fund began in 1961 when a police officer responded to a domestic violence call at Christmas and saw the children hovering in a corner with only an apple and an orange as Christmas gifts. For the past three years, the TSUNAA-Chattanooga Chapter has made donations to the fund in memory of Chief Peggie Bullard, a past president of the fund, retired Chief of Police-School Patrol, and mother of TSU Alum, Dr. Edna Varner. Mrs. Irene Chapman and Mrs. Bonnie Cooper served as committee co-chairs.
The Chattanooga chapter is also celebrating the season with a gift of $1,200 to support travel expenses for TSU’s Aristocrat of Bands performing in this year’s Rose Bowl Parade. This gift is in honor of Alum Roland McIntyre, a former member of the band.
The chapter takes on other service projects as well, including filling the TSU Tiger Pantry each January with food and emergency toiletry items for Tennessee State students in need.
One of the chapter’s most ambitious projects to date has been establishing an Endowed Scholarship with the TSU Foundation in honor of chapter member Judge Curtis L. Collier. This was to be a three-year project to raise the required minimum for $25,000. An overwhelming response to the campaign led by Dr. Joyce Hardaway, Mrs. Christine Hicks, and Roland McIntyre raised $28,500 in a few months.