Page 3 - The Fayetteville Press Newspaper March 2025 Edition

The Fayetteville Press March 2025 Edition Page 3

Celebrating Women’s History Month

U. S. Presidential Honor

Miss Eloise E. Melvin was the recipient of The delivering food to The Lodge (a transitional home for men).
President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for her lifelong com- Through her Volunteer Service to mankind, she knows it is
mitment to building a stronger nation through Volunteer Service. not always HARD Work, but always HEART Work!!!
U. S. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., recognized Miss Melvin’s
over 4,000 hours of service to our great nation. He extended his About the Honoree
heartfelt appreciation to her for her Volunteer Leadership, and Miss Melvin is a native of Fayetteville, NC and is the
encouraged her to continue to answer the call to serve. daughter of Mrs. Mary Hollingsworth Melvin and the late
Miss Melvin was presented an Official White House Let- Mr. Edward L. Melvin, Sr. Her only sibling was the late
ter of Commendation; Commemorative U.S. Lapel Pin; U.S. Mr. Edward L. Melvin, Jr., an accomplished church musi-
Coin, and Medallion; and the Presidential Lifetime Achievement cian from childhood through adulthood. She attended schools
Certificate. The Rev. Doctor Stephon A. Ferguson presented in the Fayetteville City School System and holds the Mas-
the Honor, assisted by Mr. Lawrence L. Smalls, II, Principal, ter of Arts in Education and Bachelor of Arts Degrees from
Ramsey Street High School, Fayetteville, NC. Fayetteville State University. Miss Melvin retired from NC
She fondly recalls receiving her First Community Ser- State Government with 33 years of service in 2008. She
vice Award in 1968 presented by Entre Nous Organization in continues to work in the Cumberland County School Sys-
Fayetteville. Subsequently, her Volunteer Services have included: tem. As a fourth generation member of Lewis Chapel Mis-
Leadership roles on all levels of her beloved Sorority, Zeta Phi sionary Baptist Church (her maternal great-grandparents
Beta Sorority, Inc. She has served as the Sorority’s National became members of Lewis Chapel in 1916), her lifelong
Secretary (1992 - 1996) and Eastern Regional Director (North service to God has been evidenced through her work as a
Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, choir member; Floral Ministry member/President; Sunday
(1996 - 2002). Her proudest moment in Zetadom was success- School student/ Teacher; Daughters of Zion Auxilary mem-
fully sponsoring nine young ladies, consecutively, who were each ber; Mission Group member and her work on numerous
crowned Queen of the Blue Revue Debutante Ball and were Miss Eloise E. Melvin church committees. As an avocation, her interests may be
the recipients of Scholarships to Universities/Colleges of their found in conducting Personal Development Seminars for
choice. She has coordinated the Guest Appearance of: Mrs. daughter of Dr. Booker T. Washington; Television and Motion Pic- Youth; Event Planning; Design; and International Travel.
Rosa Louise Parks, Mother of the Modern Civil Rights Move- ture Actress, Dr. Tonea Stewart and others. All persons appeared Born with a spirit of adventure, Miss Melvin realized a per-
ment in America; Mr. Simeon Wright, First Cousin to Civil Rights for Church, Schools and Community Programs/Events. sonal goal of visiting all seven continents before age 50.
Martyr, Emmitt Till; NASA Astronaut Victor Glover, Jr., whose Miss Melvin has invited and co-coordinated the guest appear- Most notably were her trips to South Africa where she vis-
next space assignment is to The Moon; NASA Astronaut Dr. ance of the African Children’s Choir of Uganda on two separate ited with The Mandela Family and Archbishop Desmond
Jeanette Epps; Mrs. Nettie Washington Douglass, Great-Great events. Her volunteer efforts include: Fundraising for charitable Tutu in 1996 and traveling to The Last Frontier on Earth
Granddaughter of Mr. Frederick Douglass and Great-Grand- causes; work with Operation Inasmuch; Habitat for Humanity; and – Antarctica in 2003.

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