Honored guest, Forrester Lee, at the Alpha Phi Alpha Ball, the only living member and founder of the Zeta Episilon Lambda Chapter.
THE PRESENT, THE PRESENT AND THE PRESENT
On this Saturday, November 6, 2010, Zeta Epsilon Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. invited me to their 55th anniversary scholarship gala at the Sheraton Hotel in Eatontown, New Jersey. It was the 55th anniversary formal dinner and dance, attended by about 250 people. It was one of the most elegant affairs. They honored the daughters of Zeta Epsilon Lambda Chapter of A Phi A, and all Alpha daughters who were present, including my daughter, Marian Lewis. The special honorees were Pat Battle of NBC and Wendy Williams of the Wendy Williams Show on Fox and BET.
They wanted me to be one of their special guests only because I was not only an Alpha brother, but because I am the only living charter member and also the founder of the chapter.
This part of my story is really about what one may face when the goal is always in sight, but seems to be moving away two steps for every time you take a step.
I went to Red Bank, New Jersey as executive of the branch YMCA. At age 34, I had a lot to learn about being head of a small branch YMCA and also how to relate to the many facets of being a good influence in the community, which was not a real problem for me. In the spring of 1950, I met several fraternity brothers. We would give each other the fraternity handshake and talk frat stuff and be on our way.
Red Bank, New Jersey, is a relatively small town, and I knew five or six frat brothers during the first year or two. By the end of the year, I began to realize that there were a number of small communities and towns close by, and I also became aware that they were socially connected business people, working people, professional people, etc. To make a long story short, I realized there was a close connection of people in these towns.
About the third or fourth year, I knew a number of frat brothers and arranged a meeting and we discussed applying for a charter. The only real objection was that they were already involved in one or more community local organizations in their towns. They finally decided to go forward.
I contacted our national office in Chicago, and was informed of all requirements such as minimum number, the proper I.D. regarding schools, degrees, and location.
It was l955 by the time we had the number of brothers and all other requirements. The national office was to send a member to install our new chapter. The fun part, if you want to call it that, was three days before the installation date. I called the office and we arranged for the brother on the staff to arrive in Newark, New Jersey, the morning of the installation. We would pick him up at the airport. The installation was to be a dinner that evening.
The office informed me that the national president was on vacations with his family and would be back on the day before the installation. I called the office back and told them to call him and explain the situation. They called back and said that he and his family are out in some location away from the main office and we were not to call him there. Somehow, I got through to him and the first thing he said was “How did you get through to me?” I joked with him; I had met him before. His signature was on that charter in time. I say again, “all is well that ends well.”
Forrester with daughter, Marian Lewis
Forrester Lee with Zeta Epsilon Lambda Chapter president
Two distinguished alpha men, Gary Lewis and Forrester Lee
Barbara Ham, Forrester, and Marian Lewis
Jay and Barbara Ham with the honorable guest, Forrester
The Hamms were the only people that we knew at the ball from Red Bank
some 55 years ago
ADDENDUM FROM MARIAN LEWIS
To say that it was an honor to attend this illustrious event with my father just does not say enough. He is a celebrity in our own community, and he was certainly a celebrity that night. People were coming up to him just to get their pictures taken with him. It was amazing.
He may have been the oldest guest there, but don't let that fool you. The band had the whole place jumping, and although my father may not have been on the dance floor, it was such a pleasure to see him enjoying himself at the table, rocking out with the rest of us. He is too modest to say how much of an honored guest he was. These Alphas picked us up in Delaware, escorted us to our room at the Sheraton Hotel where the event was, and drove us back to Delaware. It was such a joy to see young brothers have such an appreciation for their elders and the rich history of African American Alpha brothers. Everything was paid for by the fraternity. One brother, Quincy, met with us the next morning after we had our breakfast at the hotel. He asked if dad paid for it. He told him that he did. Quincy reached into his pocket and took out $32.00 of his own money to reimburse my father. My father asked if he could get the fraternity to reimburse him. He said, "I won't even ask them. It is a privilege and an honor just to be here with you." Brother, Richard Hall, drove us up and back. He is an exemplary Alpha brother dedicated to service and mentoring young brothers in need. He has spent time with my father, getting his history and can do nothing but sing his praises. Dad found out that he actually knew people in Rich's family from his time at the YMCA in Red Bank. They were children at the time that he worked at the YMCA, and he had just told me the story of how he had met them, not knowing that Rich was a relative and would be driving us to the ball. We found that out on the ride up to Eatontown. Not unusual. Dad knows everybody.
I was blessed to be able to follow along in my father's footsteps to attend this affair. I only wish that more family members had been there to share the spotlight cast on a living legend, as we have all been blessed to personally benefit from the light that he has shone on us.
Thank you, dad.
Amazing!!!
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