KAZ Sorority (Kappa Alpha Zeta) – Celebrating 35 years of service to the community

KAZ (Kappa Alpha Zeta) Sorority was established in Warner Robins, Georgia on September 25, 1983 by Mary Ann Branch and four students of Warner Robins High School (Kim Branch, Shannon Byrd, Katherine Moody, and Kellie Coxsey) as a community service organization for high school students with a focus on service, sisterhood, scholarship, and standards.

This coming Tuesday the organization will celebrate it’s 35th anniversary. During the last Warner Robins Council meeting on Monday, Mayor Randy Toms presented the organization a proclamation, proclaiming September 25, 2018 as KAZ Sorority Day in Warner Robins and urging all citizens to applaud their efforts of 35 years of contributing to the community and society.

Since 1983, KAZ has provided over $1 million in in-kind contributions and thousands of dollars in cash donations to the middle Georgia community, including organizations and charities such as Christmas for Kids, the Warner Robins Fire Department, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the American Cancer Society, Jay’s Hope, Family Promise, and many others.

Mary Ann Branch Coskery is the founder of KAZ. She said she was inspired to start the sorority after returning home from her college experience in a collegiate sorority.

“My sister was still in high school and it got me thinking when I came back home from college that these young girls needed something to help guide them through their high school years,” Coskery said. “My parents had always instilled in me and my sister to give back to the community, and again I just felt like other teens should have that instilled in them as well. Now here we are, 35 years strong, and over that time have really expanded and grown.”

Initially KAZ Sorority was chartered with 13 sisters at Warner Robins High School. Two years later Northside High School was incorporated along with Houston County High School and Veterans High School after their facilities opened. Recently the organization has opened to other schools in the middle Georgia area as well, as Coskery said they have had so many requests from them to be a part of KAZ. Over time KAZ also incorporated brothers to be a part of the organization.

Jamie Floyd, current head advisor of KAZ, said they have 108 members. Tina Rasmussen also serves as an advisor; and both Floyd and Rasmussen are alumni of the organization as well.

“KAZ made a great impact on me when I was in the sorority,” Floyd said. “It gave me and gives these students today so many opportunities of experiences giving back to the community as well as scholarships to further their education and make some lifelong friendships. We are also a certified organization for the President’s Volunteer Awards, which means we are able to certify our students’ hours and others’ community service, and in turn makes them eligible for those awards.”

“I am just so proud of this organization,” Coskery said. “It warms my heart that we still have so much interest each year and the students’ hearts of wanting to give back. It’s because of them, alumni, parents, and businesses, of how successful we have been and continue to be.”