Be a leader. Be a friend. Be of service. For the coeducational, national service organisation Alpha Phi Omega (APO), these are the building blocks and key rules that guide their members in college and in life.
A boon to communities of all kinds, Alpha Phi Omega provides its members the chance “to develop leadership skills through service projects on their campus, in their community and across the nation.” As the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States of America and in the Philippines recently brought in its 91st founding anniversary across the world, the APO-Qatar Alumni Association (APO-QAA) here in Doha, celebrated the occasion in style.
In the more than 91 years since it was founded on December 16, 1925, by Dr Frank Reed Horton at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, over 400,000 students have been part of APO. Dr Horton’s view was to make APO an organisation “for college men who co-operated with all youth movements, especially scouting.”
An inclusive group, open to all nationalities, backgrounds and genders, APO has always welcomed everyone who would like to work towards a common goal – leading through service to others. Membership is conferred upon enrolled students of an institution of higher education at which a chapter of APO is located who are selected by that chapter to participate.
The APO-QAA, the 97th recognised alumni association of Alpha Phi Omega (Philippines) International Collegiate Service Fraternity and Sorority, points out that by 1950, the organisation continued to foster leadership, friendship and service, and till today remains true to the basic principles of scouting upon which it was founded. Since then, the group attracted thousands of Filipino college men and women, many of who went on to become notable leaders, public servants in the US and in the Philippines, including thousands of professional alumni in the Middle East, APO-QAA say.
To celebrate APO’s anniversary, APO-QAA organised a grand dinner at Governor West Bay Suites and Residence for more than a hundred APO “brothers and sisters fully committed to its three cardinal principles: Leadership, Friendship and Service”. Ressie S Fos, Chairman, UFOQ, the guest speaker at the event, delivered his keynote speech and expressed his gratitude to APO-QAA for their continuous community development projects in Qatar. Also present was Benjamin Celedio Jr, Vice Consul, Philippine Embassy in Doha, who inducted the 10 New Alumni Officers for 2017 of the APO-QAA.
Fos told Community, “In my speech, my message to APO was that I commend their organisation as partner of UFOQ in reaching out to the distressed Filipino expats and other nationals especially through blood-letting, which the organisation is known for, and for realising this programme regularly with Hamad Hospital and Red Crescent. I congratulate APO on the occasion of their 91st anniversary.”
“APO-QAA, as a service organisation, is fully committed in upholding Leadership, Friendship and Service not just for OFWs but also for the rest of the expatriates here in Qatar,” President-elect Christopher “Perry” Enciso of Gamma Omicron said. Among the highlights of the induction ceremony was the turning over of key responsibilities from Fernando “Andy” Aguilar, outgoing president, to the new President-elect, Perry Enciso. Certificates of appreciation, and Leadership, Friendship and Service Awards were given to some members who exemplified outstanding performance in the organisation.
To closing the night on a scrumptious high, a festive dinner was in the offing. The evening concluded with cool raffle prizes for the lucky ones.
Led by a diverse group of members “who are elected by their brothers”, APO’s members dedicate themselves to serving APO and guiding the Fraternity as they strive towards their goal of 500 chapters by 2025.
Horton, the man behind the creation of APO, during the first World War, served as an ensign in the United States Navy aboard a minesweeper in the North Sea. “Our ship and its partner exploded more than 1,000 magnetic mines. My law school background at Boston University led to my appointment to try court martial cases in our division. When we reached ports some of the sailors ran wild. Many court martial cases resulted. I saw young boys in their teens getting into trouble,” Horton had said, explaining why he decided to initiate APO.
“Because of these experiences, I made a firm resolution within myself that if I returned alive, I would try to do two things and do them with all my power. First, do my best to help young people get the right start in life by holding up before them a ‘standard of manhood’ that would withstand the test of time! Second and just as important, try to help the nations of the world settle their disputes in a more sensible and legal manner than war,” Horton had said. With the 91st anniversary, it seems Horton’s dreams have gone the distance and show no sign of slowing down.