In the run-up to their annual days, community organisations often hold a variety of events as part of the celebration. Some organisations, such as the Alpha Kappa Rho – Qatar (AKP-Q), bring in their big day by focusing on benevolent activities such as the Bowling for a Cause last week, and the blood donation drive on the weekend.
To celebrate its 43rd anniversary, which happens to be today (Monday), AKP-Q set up a blood donation drive, in partnership with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), at the Hamad Blood Donor Centre on Friday, from 9am to 2pm, drawing more than 50 registrants who enthusiastically lined up to be part of a good cause.
Dubbed ‘Help Save a Life, Donate Blood’, the initiative saw AKP-Q not only encouraging regular blood donation drives but also raising awareness on its significance. 
A team of 17 from both the Hamad Blood Donor Centre and AKP-Q supervised the activity, with the former providing the physical set up and phlebotomists for the bleeding areas. Registrants, blood donors and the medical team were provided with snacks and refreshments by generous sponsors from Hamad Medical Corporation.
Jayson Mora, AKP-Q Chairman; Lance Magpoc, AKP-Q Co-Chairman; and Daryl Jan Violenta, AKP-Q Grand Skeptron, ended the event by acknowledging the crucial participation of all the registrants who came “to offer a part of themselves in order to extend the life of others.” 
Violenta told Community, “We are thrilled at the success of our first blood donation drive, and as part of our social responsibility, we look forward to hosting more such projects in the future. On behalf of AKP-Q, we would like to express our utmost gratitude to everyone who made this blood drive a success. Many thanks especially to HMC for the partnership and the support. Of course, we cannot thank the blood donors enough to express how grateful we are to all of them. When it comes to the question of donating blood, we must all remember that ‘Every drop (of blood) counts!’”
For AKP-Q, tending to the needs of the community comes naturally. AKP-Q shared with Community their grand history and how the Qatar unit of the organisation came into existence. Established in the Philippines in 1973, the Alpha Kappa Rho Fraternity and Sorority, also called AKRHO, made up of men and women from different universities was formed to promote loyalty, unity and pride in the fraternity amongst its members.
Today, it is registered as an International Humanitarian Service Fraternity that encourages members to be involved in humanitarian projects and offer various services to people. Founded in the Philippines, it is now in several other countries such as United States, Australia, Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Qatar, Korea, UAE, Kuwait, Canada, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand.
Violenta said, “Our fraternity will celebrate its 43rd anniversary across the world today. Here in Qatar, we will celebrate with a gathering on Thursday night and more than 140 attendees have confirmed for the same. On this occasion, we would like to extend our gratitude to all the Filipino communities who supported Alpha Kappa Rho.”
The Fraternity’s motto ‘Vincit Omnia Veritas’ meaning ‘Truth Conquers All’ or ‘Truth Prevails’ comes from the emblem of the University of Santo Tomas where the Alpha Kappa Rho Fraternity and Sorority was founded. Members are called ‘Skeptrons’ a Greek word for the ‘ceremonial staff’ or the sceptre carried by a monarch as a symbol of sovereignty.
As for the Qatar unit, AKP-Q was founded in June 2008 by seven Skeptrons from different chapters in the Philippines who moved to Doha and organised the Alpha Kappa Rho Qatar National Council. “Their main objective is to unite all fellow Skeptrons around the Qatar archipelago,” says AKP-Q, “Today, AKP-Q has been involved in numerous humanitarian services in Qatar and abroad especially in the Philippines to show what AKP-Qatar is all about.”
AKP-Q is composed of six chapters within Qatar – Doha, Mesaieed/Wakrah, Industrial Area, Ras Laffan/Al Khor, Sanaya and Shahaniya – with 184 registered and active members. These active chapters are under the ruling of AKP-Q National Council, the Chairman of which is Jayson Mora, the co-Chairman is Lance Magpoc, the Grand Skeptron is Daryl Jan Violenta, and the Vice Grand Skeptron is Robert Senoron.