We are the Hendersonville Area Chapter of Les Gemmes, Incorporated (French meaning “the Jewels” pronounced “lay gem”), founded in September 1955 in Norfolk, Virginia by four young women attending HBCUs in North Carolina and Virginia -Melvina Blakeley, Lena Siler, Queenie Branch and Inez Mercer Brown. As educators as well as visionaries, they established Les Gemmes, Incorporated
On September 21, 2021, after having met the national requirements of a Les Gemmes Interest Group, under the sponsorship of the Baltimore County Chapter, eleven (11) women affectionately known as Women of God, Love, Power, and Influence were scheduled for induction into Les Gemmes, Incorporated. The ceremony was led by the National President, Luvenia R. Harrison and Vice-President Shene, McGhee. Ceremony and Celebration was outstanding. However, due to illness with only 8 members present, a new date was scheduled and on October 24, 2021 for a Zoom Meeting Induction where we were able to have all eleven Women present.
We begin with an interest letter submitted by Dr. Lois Jordan Nubia to National Membership Chair May 10, 2021. Following with an interest group zoom meeting May 16, 2021 with 14 service-oriented women scheduled to attend. Subsequently, 9 of the 14 women chose to participate and two (2) other women were added at our first meeting. As a result of Dr. Jordan’s accident, May 20, 2021, our National President asked Dr. Gwendolyn Hill Brown-Felder to be the chair for the group.
We received our Interest Group acceptance letter dated June 17, 2021 and had our first meeting to organize June 24, 2021. On July 26, 2021 we begin our community service partnership with Grace Place Ministries of Hendersonville to help support homeless women and their children. Currently, we are developing plans for our mentoring program-“Girls Alliance for Learning & Achievement (GALA) Mentoring Academy,” and our scholarship fundraiser “Unsung Sheroes and Heroes Scholarship G.A.LA. (Girls Alliance for Learning & Achievement) to undergird our scholarships for each girl.
