Florence, SC: On Saturday, April 13, 2024, the Executive Board of Southern District No. 4 (SD#4), United Order of Tents (UOT), J.R. Giddings and Jolliffe Union, State of South Carolina, unanimously elected R.W.G. Deputy Edith E. Bridges of the Marlboro District, Bennettsville, SC to the position of Endowment Secretary at their headquarters in Florence. Previously, this position was held by the Deputy of Charleston, the state’s largest district, for over thirty-three (33) years. The fourteen (14) member board is currently composed of two (2) Supervisors, President, Vice President, nine (9) Deputies and a Statistician, from across the State. The present Supervisors will serve two years before being robed as Superintendents by the National Biannual Grand Encampment.
The UOT is a Christian Fraternal Organization composed of women. Members promote harmony, love, friendship among its sisters and the world at large, feed the hungry, care for the sick, aged, orphans and families of their deceased. They stand for rigid education and good cultural exposure.
In 1991, Dr. Bridges was initiated into membership of Annie Brown Tent #91, under the leadership of R.W.N.G. Sarah Fennell, Leader. The Superintendent at that time was R.W.N.G. Donella B. Wilson of Columbia.
In 1993, Bridges was appointed Secretary of Marlboro District’s Circle #15 by her predecessor R.W.N.G. Deputy Pearl G. Smith. In 2008, per Superintendent Wilson’s request, Deputy Smith, the Executive Board Recording Secretary at the time, introduced Bridges to the executive board as her assistant Deputy and as the assistant Executive Board Recording Secretary.
At the 2013 Annual State Convention, which was hosted by the Marlboro District, Bridges was installed as SD#4 Grand District Assistant Recording Secretary for the annual convention. At the 2015 Convention, she was installed as Marlboro District’s Deputy, was named the Executive Board Recording Secretary and received State Honors. From her introduction to the board in 2008 to present, Bridges has served on the Executive Board for 16 years.
In her new role as Endowment Secretary, Bridges’s duties encompass reconciling records of the more than eight hundred (800) members throughout the state from the Florence headquarters. Her training begins April 25, 2024. Bridges recognizes the importance of public service and is very optimistic. She feels she was being prepared for this role for many years without knowing it and is up for the challenge ahead. “All that I am or could ever be, is because of God’s grace and mercy. I am so grateful to serve my fellow sisters in an even greater capacity.” She looks forward to attending this year’s 102nd annual state convention to be held at the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center, June 16 – June 19, 2024. This will be the first in-person state convention since the pandemic.
Dr. Bridges is Associate Pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church. She is extremely proud of her only child, attorney Hazel A. Bridges of Atlanta, GA.