Saluting Our Unsung Heroes
For Dan W. Calloway and the seven others recognized for their community service at a luncheon recently, giving back just makes sense.
As I sat and listened to their acceptance speeches, one message was constant: In serving others, you let your light shine, and you give others the license to let their lights shine.
The 37th Annual Reomia S. Bennett Scholarship Luncheon highlighted community members and leaders who worked to give back and help others. Honorees were Mr. Marvin Leonard, Mr. John E. Jenkins, Ms. Patricia Mainor Johnson, Min. Noble Jewell Lockhart-Mays, Ms. Gloria Scott, Ms. Vanessa Young and yours truly.
The honorees varied in types of community service. When you read their bios though, you will see that they are all leaders and role models. Truly, these are unsung heroes, ordinary residents who have not gotten a lot of fanfare. But most of all, people who have a heart of gold for giving.
Take for example, Mr. Calloway, who has worked tirelessly for the past 49 years to support the young people of Palm Beach County through mentoring and athletics. Many of his protégées became professional athletes. He has always impressed on them the importance of being responsible, contributing citizens who give back to their community.
And there was Ms. Scott, another crusader who – for years – has worked tirelessly for underserved children in the county. Upon meeting her, one will immediately sense her enthusiasm, passionate approach and organizational abilities. In her role at the Urban League of Palm Beach County, she leads several community programs and works specifically with schools and police agencies on initiatives to provide valuable experiences for young people across the county.
For 38 years Mr. Jenkins guided students through the maze of high school and college life as a counselor and coordinator of student activities. Now the retiree mentors second and third grade boys at a local elementary school, he drives cancer patients to treatments and he is active in his church.
Ms. Mainor Johnson, who worked 32 years in the school system, corrals children under her wings and offers them encouragement and guidance. She monitors their academic progress and urges them to pursue careers in public speaking, which she thinks builds their self-confidence to achieve.
Ms. Lockhart-Mays, an ordained minister, left teaching after 12 years to start Faith’s Place Centers for Education, Inc., which offers preschool and afterschool enrichment programs; and Ms. Young, director of Community Outreach at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, develops and builds collaborations with underrepresented segments of the community. This committed social justice warrior has exposed thousands of less-fortunate children to the arts and has made it possible for more than two million students to attend programs and performances at the Kravis Center over the last 21 years.
Mr. Leonard knows what good music does to the soul. So he uses his talent as a saxophonist to benefit his church and community. This brother works with various community organizations, groups and churches, and tries to inspire young people to always give their best to God.
The West Palm Beach Chapter of Eta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. sponsored the event at the Hilton Palm Beach Airport Hotel. According to the program, the event was to give Delta Chapter an opportunity to showcase their “Unsung Heroes of the Palm Beaches” for their exemplary community involvement and award scholarships to nine deserving high school students.
College accessibility and affordability remains a challenge for local students and their families. With the loyal support of our community organizations, such as Eta Phi Beta Sorority, our young people can continue to receive educational opportunities.
Let’s face it, tuition and fees at public four-year colleges have increased at an average annual rate of 6 percent beyond inflation in the past 10 years. And many families are forced to decide whether to keep the roof over their heads or send their child to college or university.
As the school year comes to a close and these nine deserving students head off to greener pastures, waiting for that opportunity will be nine other students – could be another inventor, a future president of the United States or an educator.
You can ensure a deserving student’s dream becomes a reality. Your tax-deductible gift to the Eta Phi Beta Scholarship Fund can make a world of difference. To reach a member of the organization, contact me at 561-665-0151 or crallen@delraybeachtribune.com.
