11^th Annual Urban League Banquet Is About Advancing the Common Good

Sojourner’s Truth Staff

The 2008 Greater Toledo Urban League dinner on March 13 at Gladieux Meadows served to highlight the common goals of the Urban League and the United Way and also turned the spotlight on the local chapter’s new leadership.
 

Rhonda Sewell, Billie Johnson, Tamara Mickler

Gloria Pace King, president of the United Way of Central Carolinas, presented the evening’s keynote address and stressed the fact that the two organizations have both focused on issues such as “advancing the common good of health, income and education.”

And collaboration was also on the mind of the Urban League’s new president, John Jones, who was introduced to the membership and guests on that very same day.

“We can do positive things in the City of Toledo,” said Jones in the evening’s last moments. “We can work together, we can cross party lines, we can cross racial divides.”

This 11^th Annual Urban League Banquet also spotlighted the achievements of Billie Johnson, director of the Area Office on Aging. Johnson was presented with the Charles H. Penn Humanitarian Award.

“She is the epitome of style and grace,” said Tamara Mickler as she introduced the winner, which is always a surprise for the actual recipient. “She is cool, calm and collected, truly a sophisticated lady.”

Johnson received her award and shared the stage with her daughter Rhonda Sewell. Sewell praised her mother as “a compassionate woman.

“She’s not only a mentor but she knows how to be a best friend,” said Sewell. “She’s my rock.”

And King, the keynote speaker, followed the Penn Award and spoke of “how the Urban League and the United Way can partner to make a difference.”

United Way, of course, is a fundraising organization and, in turn, provides various Urban Leagues around the country with a good portion of their operating expenses for their community programs.

State Rep. Edna Brown and WilliAnn Moore

“The United Way has a brand that is top 10 nationally,” said King. “The problem is … no one knows what we do. We are all about the same thing.

“My challenge to you is to join together in this community and let’s get the train out of the station,” King continued. “It’s not about going backwards, it’s about going forward. The Urban League and the United Way can get people to the table, but we can’t figure all of this out by ourselves.”

That theme of reaching out to the membership for help was echoed by Jones in his closing remarks. “My task is to organize a movement and I ask that you join us in that movement.”

This year’s event was organized by the Annual Dinner Committee under the direction of Chairman Darlene Miller and Co-Chairman Erica Parish-Baker.

Billie Johnson

Deborah Barnett and Gloria Pace King

Erica Parish-Baker and Mayor Carty Finkbeiner

Janis Foley and John Jones

John and Shaundra Jones

Larry Sykes, Councilmen Joe McNamara and Michael Ashford, Rev. John Roberts

Sam Baldwin and Walter Crockrel

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