Macon (GA) Chapter History
In 1946, Philadelphia residents Margaret Rosell Hawkins and Sarah Strickland Scott brought together seven friends in hopes of starting an organization to respond to the cultural, education, and civic needs of African American women based on the tenets of friendship and service. The founding meeting on November 9, 1946 launched what is now The Links, Incorporated. Today, The Links, Incorporated consists of a membership of over 16,000 women in 292 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of The Bahamas who are committed to improving the lives of humankind through community service. It is one of the nation's oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and persons of African ancestry. Our core values are friendship, integrity, service, commitment, family relationships, courage, respect for self and others, legacy, confidentiality, responsibility and accountability. The members of The Links, Incorporated are distinguished women who are influential decision makers and opinion leaders who work towards a common goal of strengthening their respective communities and enhancing our global society. Annually, Links members contribute more than 1 million documented hours of community service.
The Links, Incorporated came to the Middle Georgia area by the chartering of the Fort Valley (GA) Chapter in 1969. Several years later, the members who lived in Macon desired to establish a chapter in Bibb County to expand the vision and mission of the organization. In Spring 1971, the ten women requested to establish a chapter in Macon at the Southern Area meeting in Montgomery, AL. After fulfilling the requirements of the national organization, the Macon (GA) Chapter was chartered on October 8, 1972 at the Holiday Inn on Riverside Drive. The charter members were Dorothy C. Bonner, Martha Edwards, Martha Hooper, Carolyn Jackson, Sadie Malone, Ruth B. Johnston, Margaret P. Sheftall, Gwendolyn Williams, and Valeria Williams. Cynthiabelle Smith served as the first president of the chapter. Today, the Macon (GA) Chapter is an intergenerational, dynamic group of 54 active members and five alumnae members who live and work in the Middle Georgia community. In addition to their Links membership, many members contribute time and funding to the community through their service on non-profit boards, governmental agencies, and other community organizations. Annually, members contribute nearly 3,000 volunteer hours in the Middle Georgia community through Links programming and initiatives.
For nearly 50 years, the Macon (GA) Links members have worked to improve the quality of life in the Middle Georgia community though strategic collaborations addressing child abuse prevention, childhood obesity, and literacy and supplying volunteers and funds to support HBCUs, Tubman African-American Museum, American Red Cross, Loaves and Fishes Ministry, Salvation Army, and the Ruth Hartley Mosley Women’s Center. The chapter has also implemented several dynamic programs including the following: Project Lead – High Expectations, a nationally funded project at Ingram-Pye Elementary School to emphasize scholastic achievement, career guidance, self-esteem building, and drug prevention; sponsoring an annual International Tea for the seniors residing at McAfee Towers in East Macon; adopting the primary grades at M.M. Burdell Elementary School; and sponsoring the first African American Heritage Summer Camp in Macon. The Macon (GA) Links programs have received several awards from The Links, Incorporated at the national and area levels including first place program for The Arts facet at the National Assembly in Louisville, KY and first place achievement award for the implementation of Project Home Safe – Children in Self Care at the Southern Area Conference in 1995.
Presently, the Macon (GA) Chapter signature program is Project R.E.A.C.H. – Reading Enrichment, Arts, and Children’s Health – at Hartley Elementary School. This integrated program works with kindergarten students to improve reading scores, provide age-appropriate books, teach healthy habits, and appreciation for the arts. Project R.E.A.C.H. received an honorable mention for Integrated Programs at the 2017 Southern Area Conference in Atlanta, GA and was recognized as a Best Practices integrated program at the 2018 National Assembly in Indianapolis, IN. Additionally, the chapter programming includes providing monthly snack bags and holiday gifts for the patients receiving treatment at the Navicent Children’s Health Center, partnering with the TEARs2C program to promote HIV/AIDS awareness and testing to African American youth, holding food drives benefiting Loaves and Fishes Ministry, collaborating with the League of Women voters to hold voter registration drives, providing education surrounding breast cancer and heart health, and providing international outreach in Jamaica and The Bahamas.
The Links, Incorporated came to the Middle Georgia area by the chartering of the Fort Valley (GA) Chapter in 1969. Several years later, the members who lived in Macon desired to establish a chapter in Bibb County to expand the vision and mission of the organization. In Spring 1971, the ten women requested to establish a chapter in Macon at the Southern Area meeting in Montgomery, AL. After fulfilling the requirements of the national organization, the Macon (GA) Chapter was chartered on October 8, 1972 at the Holiday Inn on Riverside Drive. The charter members were Dorothy C. Bonner, Martha Edwards, Martha Hooper, Carolyn Jackson, Sadie Malone, Ruth B. Johnston, Margaret P. Sheftall, Gwendolyn Williams, and Valeria Williams. Cynthiabelle Smith served as the first president of the chapter. Today, the Macon (GA) Chapter is an intergenerational, dynamic group of 54 active members and five alumnae members who live and work in the Middle Georgia community. In addition to their Links membership, many members contribute time and funding to the community through their service on non-profit boards, governmental agencies, and other community organizations. Annually, members contribute nearly 3,000 volunteer hours in the Middle Georgia community through Links programming and initiatives.
For nearly 50 years, the Macon (GA) Links members have worked to improve the quality of life in the Middle Georgia community though strategic collaborations addressing child abuse prevention, childhood obesity, and literacy and supplying volunteers and funds to support HBCUs, Tubman African-American Museum, American Red Cross, Loaves and Fishes Ministry, Salvation Army, and the Ruth Hartley Mosley Women’s Center. The chapter has also implemented several dynamic programs including the following: Project Lead – High Expectations, a nationally funded project at Ingram-Pye Elementary School to emphasize scholastic achievement, career guidance, self-esteem building, and drug prevention; sponsoring an annual International Tea for the seniors residing at McAfee Towers in East Macon; adopting the primary grades at M.M. Burdell Elementary School; and sponsoring the first African American Heritage Summer Camp in Macon. The Macon (GA) Links programs have received several awards from The Links, Incorporated at the national and area levels including first place program for The Arts facet at the National Assembly in Louisville, KY and first place achievement award for the implementation of Project Home Safe – Children in Self Care at the Southern Area Conference in 1995.
Presently, the Macon (GA) Chapter signature program is Project R.E.A.C.H. – Reading Enrichment, Arts, and Children’s Health – at Hartley Elementary School. This integrated program works with kindergarten students to improve reading scores, provide age-appropriate books, teach healthy habits, and appreciation for the arts. Project R.E.A.C.H. received an honorable mention for Integrated Programs at the 2017 Southern Area Conference in Atlanta, GA and was recognized as a Best Practices integrated program at the 2018 National Assembly in Indianapolis, IN. Additionally, the chapter programming includes providing monthly snack bags and holiday gifts for the patients receiving treatment at the Navicent Children’s Health Center, partnering with the TEARs2C program to promote HIV/AIDS awareness and testing to African American youth, holding food drives benefiting Loaves and Fishes Ministry, collaborating with the League of Women voters to hold voter registration drives, providing education surrounding breast cancer and heart health, and providing international outreach in Jamaica and The Bahamas.
Our Vision
We envision The Links, Incorporated as an organization that is:
- Empowered by its rich legacy and providing superior service through its circle of friendship that is a model of excellence and innovation.
- Recognized throughout the world as a collective voice of talented and professional women committed to improving the quality of life of its global citizens.
Our Mission
Friends transforming communities through service.
Our Values
- Friendship
- Service
- Legacy
- Respect
- Family Relationships
- Honesty/Truth
- Confidentiality
- Integrity
- Courage
- Responsibility and Accountability
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