Time: 6:00 PM
Date: Saturday, December 8, 2007
Event Description
ALLEN TEMPLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CENTER IS EMBARKING ON A NEW BEGINNING AND TAKING A NEW DIRECTION WITH A NEW NAME
Plans are underway for the Inaugural “Vision of Hope” Gala to be held on Saturday, December 8, 2007, at the Allen Temple Community Development Center located in the Historical West End District. The Gala will become an annual event with the purpose of celebrating community successes achieved by individuals and neighborhood associations.
A new direction will focus partnerships between neighborhood associations throughout the city and various organizations and supporting them in numerous projects and events throughout the year. This will help drive collaborative efforts through grants, programs, fundraisers and events that speak to the most basic, universal needs that are proven barriers to achievement such as:
- Child/Adult Care - Health Care - Housing - Youth Issues
- Crime Watch - Education - Employment - Parenting
Combining voices and leveraging resources will enable everyone to effectively address issues that can have a positive impact on each neighborhood and ultimately the Greenville community as a whole. Working together to develop and implement both short and long-term initiatives will allow constituents of our neighborhoods to be productive, contributing participants in the economic evolution that Greenville is currently undergoing. At the same time a new name for the center will be unveiled.
The community is invited to join us as the page is turned and we become the “West End Community Development Center.” Help us help our neighborhoods position themselves for the future.
Our guests for the evening will include:
Keynote Speaker: Willie Gary, Esquire
Willie Gary, Senior Partner of Gary, Williams, Finney, Lewis, Watson & Sperando, P.L., was born in Eastman, GA. He received a scholarship to Shaw University in Raleigh, NC and earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1971. He received his Juris Doctorate degree from North Carolina School of Law in 1974.
Gary opened the first black law firm in Martin County in 1975 in a storefront in Stuart, FL. Attorney Willie E. Gary is living the American Dream. Once a migrant worker, now a multi-millionaire attorney, Gary earned his reputation by representing little-known clients against major corporations. His amazing success has earned him national recognition as a leading trial attorney.
Gary's talent and dedication has garnered him dozens of awards and eleven honorary doctorate degrees. He has gained international recognition as a leading trial advocate, public speaker and philanthropist. His accomplishments have been featured in the New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe, Ebony, Jet, People, Black Enterprise, The National Law Journal and other national media, which praise his "remarkable" rise to the top of his field and his tireless work on behalf of injured persons.
His national television campaign, “Education is Power,” encourages children to stay in school and be the best that they can be. In addition to being a lawyer, a philanthropist, a media mogul and a motivational speaker, Gary continues to serve on the board of trustees of numerous universities and foundations.
Special Guest: Janice Huff – NBC Today Show
Janice Huff grew up in Columbia, South Carolina, and graduated from Eau Claire High School with honors. She graduated from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida with a major in Meteorology. In 1985, Janice received the American Meteorological Society's Seal of Approval for Television Weather casting and went on to cover the weather in many cities across the country.
In 1992, Huff introduced the nationally syndicated "Weather School" program to the Bay Area, which promotes science education with an emphasis on meteorology. Janice is the meteorologist for the Saturday edition of "The Today Show" and is host of "Wednesday's Child," a weekly adoption feature. Huff has received honors and awards for her work on "Wednesday's Child." She received the Police Athletic League's "2002 Woman of the Year Award," a 2000 YMCA "Champion For Youth" honor and the City of Hope's "Spirit of Life" award for her professional and personal example to New York City youth.
Huff is a member of the American Meteorological Society, the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and the Friar's Club.
For additional information: Call 864-233-4191
Media Contact Information:
Rev. Samuel McPherson
(864) 233-4191