Page 13 - Florida Sentinel 8-28-20

FLORIDA SENTINEL FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2020
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Top Ladies Of Distinction Record Successful Year Of Service
The Tampa Bay/West Cen- tral Florida (TB/WCF) Chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. (TLOD), was able to record a very successful 2019-2020 service year, despite having its calendar cut short by the global pandemic.
Under the leadership of first-term president, Lady Janette Spencer-Davis, the chapter inducted five new
ladies, six new teens, and per- formed 12 acts of service.
TLOD is a non-profit edu- cational, humanitarian organi- zation dedicated to enhancing and enriching the lives of youth and adults through five pro- grammatic thrusts: Support- ing Top Teens of America; Enhancing the Status of Women; Enriching the Lives of Senior Citizens;
Promoting Community Beautification; and Engag- ing in Community Part- nerships.
The Tampa Bay Chapter was organized on October 8, 1994, by Lady Christine Frazer and is the home chap- ter of the Area IV National Membership Representative, Lady Maria Singfield.
Acts of service carried out by the chapter included dona- tions of: school supplies to James Elementary School; 55 “Packages with a Purpose” (hy- giene supplies) to The Spring of Tampa Bay; and dresses, suits, shoes, and purses to Dress for Success. On two occasions, the chapter donated boxes of wash cloths, towels, laundry deter- gent, hygiene products, coffee and sugar to Gracepoint’s Cof- fee Shop, an outreach and en- gagement center for men and women struggling with home- lessness. The ladies provided and served a spaghetti lunch to
75 homeless individuals sup- ported by the Coffee Shop.
For Christmas, TB/WCF presented CD players, MP3 players, ROKU sticks, books and markers to the residents of Central Park Health and Reha- bilitation Center, a senior liv- ing facility.
In partnership with the Na- tional Coalition of 100 Black Women, 13 ladies and 9 teens volunteered for the Coalition’s “Fighting Childhood Obesity 5K Walk/Run.” They packaged and helped distribute 100 bags of fruits and vegetables.
Other partners to which the chapter made monetary dona- tions are the National Council of Negro Women, the United Negro College Fund, and Hands of Hope.
The ladies and teens did not allow being quarantined and socially distanced stop them from supporting other national partners — St. Jude and March of Dimes. They
raised money for each organi- zation and participated in their virtual walks.
Not only is TLOD commit- ted to serving the community, but it is dedicated to providing its Top Teens of America with the opportunity to receive extra-curricular support, ca- reer and character develop- ment training, and community service opportunities.
Accordingly, despite the challenges of the pandemic and an uncertain future, the Tampa Bay Chapter continues to plan for the future by hosting virtual retreats and planning meet- ings. They remain excited about performing greater com- munity service and providing scholarships for their graduat- ing seniors.
You can learn more about Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc., and Top Teens of America at www.tlodinc.org. Inquiries can be sent to tampabaytlod@ gmail.com.
Newly inducted Top Teens of America -- left to right: Dorian Brown, Kyle Wade, Bascia Proctor, My'Quasia Sawyer, Adrion Shoe- make, and Justin Shoemake.
Delivering Packages with a Purpose to The Spring -- Lady Janette Spencer-Davis with Director of the Spring.
James Elementary Donations -- left to right: Ladies Myrna Shuman, Jean Miller, Christine Frazer, Von Keese, Janette Spencer-Davis, Luvator Nelson, and Maria Singfield.
Ladies Von Keese and Janette Spencer-Davis make deliveries to Dress For Success.
Christmas at Nursing Home -- left to right: Ladies Maria Singfield, Renee Holt, Luvator Nelson, Christine Frazer, Beverly Crecy, Ollie Green, Von Keese, Trivia Cole; and in front: Janette Spencer-Davis, President.
Bagging fruits and vegetables with NC100BW: Ladies Ollie Green, Myrna Shuman, and Teen Justin Shoemake.