by S. Rotan Hale
Roanoke branch NAACP held its 21st Annual Citizen of the Year Awards Program Friday, May 31 at Holiday Inn, Tanglewood.
Local chapter Youth Council president, Chance Staples served as MC for the affair that saluted a host of notable individuals.
This year’s honorees truly exemplified the event’s theme “You Can be the Difference.” Furthermore, judging by their individual skills, achievements and character, each unquestionably fit the bill as difference-makers.
2019 ACT-SO Gold Medalist Duy Pham sang (solo) an inspiring rendition of “Love You No Matter What.” His performance received a well-deserved standing ovation.
The main speaker was Treney (pronounced Tre´nay) Tweedy, who in July (2019) will complete her first year as her hometown of Lynchburg’s first African American female mayor.
Speaking in accordance with the banquet’s theme, Tweedy launched her oratory “The Timeline of Difference,” an address that spoke to the packed banquet crowd focusing on what she termed “connect the dots politics.”
“Each community has its share of challenges and problems” she stated. “I’m here tonight to help you solve the problems with measurable results.”
Referring to them as “negatively trending societal ills,” the mayor unleashed a battery of social and economic injustices facing urban communities. Among those mentioned were: the high achievement gap, low graduation rates, high unemployment rates, economic disparity, substandard living conditions, low response time to emergency services and others.
“Who’s minding the data (statistics) to improve these problems?” The question she posed, would serve as basis for the bulk of her half hour address.
Through her prepared notes she also mentioned “the planned community that lost it’s plan.” A reference to communities forgotten by the powers that be.
Lynchburg mayors serve two-year terms and, as one of her main goals, Tweedy announced the present formation of a task force working in unison with City Council to address those concerns stifling the total prosperity of the city at large.
After lifting several critical measures she pushed through as Lynchburg mayor, Tweedy basically urged citizens to get involved and “do the right thing, make the public investment.”
Efforts to “open up additional investment coming in to a side of town that has limited investment, is the right thing to do,” she added. “When you look back over your timeline of difference five years from now, you’re going to see a thriving city of community and households. That’s the timeline of difference,” she said in closing.
Honored as recipients were: Business; Gil Harrington, president/CEO, Help Save the Next Girl; Corporate, Bruce Phipps, president/CEO, Goodwill Industries; Education, Lori Wimbush, principal, Hidden Valley High School.
Also receiving honors in education (youth) was Danielle Davoll, a senior at Northside High School. Other recipients included: Media TV, Neesey Payne, Anchor-WDBJ7; Media Radio Broadcasting, Dr. David, Points, president, Mahon Communications, Inc.; Medicine, Dr. Herimone (Les) Chappell, Deputy Chief of Staff, Salem VAMC; Religion, Rev. Dwight O. Steele, Sr., pastor, Pilgrim Baptist Church; Lifetime Achievement; Harry “Duke” Curtis, senior partner Hamlar Curtis Funeral Home; The Rev. R. R. Wilkinson Memorial Award for Social Justice, Dr. Mike Heller, professor Roanoke College; Executive Committee member Roanoke Branch NAACP. Rev. Anthony L. Holmes, Sr., pastor Loudon Avenue Christian Church received the President’s Award as a community youth advocate.
In closing, a parade of local graduates approached the stage and gave account of their future plans. It was the crowning touch to a program that spotlights achievers of principle and provides much encouragement for those seeking to empower the leaders of tomorrow.
“The NAACP Youth Council is about building leaders, so it doesn’t matter if after high school you choose to enter the military… a trade school or whatever college to attend, it doesn’t matter,” said Brenda Hale, NAACP local chapter president.
“Whatever you do we want you to do it with confidence and humility. Go forth and be the leader that is within you.”
