Page 10 - Florida Sentinel 8-16-19

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Retiree Has Green Thumb When It Comes To Mangos
Affordable Housing, Youth Empowerment On Agenda For COACH Foundation Founder
Reverend Willie G. Dixon, the Founder/CEO of the Committee Organizing Assistance Community Help Foundation, Inc. (COACH), established the non-profit or- ganization on October 5, 1981, to assist inmates and their families before, during, and after incarceration.
At age 88, Rev. Dixon has decided not to retire. In fact, he will continue to min- ister in various prisons and work diligently to provide more opportunities by creat- ing community jobs for youths and adults by rehab- bing and constructing new, affordable housing for all res- idents in East Tampa.
As the COACH Housing Director, Investor and in partnership with the City of Tampa Affordable Housing Program for over 25 years, Rev. Dixon has created over 1,000 jobs and stimulated the
REV. WILLIE DIXON
local economy by purchasing, rehabbing, and building new homes for over 200 first-time home buyers. This contribu- tion helped to stimulate the local economy by approxi- mately $24 million.
“COACH, is the oldest and longest operating non-
profit housing developer within the City of Tampa. There was a time when hous- ing specialists and elected of- ficials would come from various cities and counties to visit Tampa to learn how to duplicate the City of Tampa’s Affordable Housing Program and Challenge Fund Pro- gram,” stated Rev. Dixon.
He adds that his goal is to help restore the housing image in Tampa. He plans to discuss housing and other is- sues when he meets with Mayor Castor and City Councilman Orlando Gudes later in the month.
With God’s help he plans is to leave a legacy and a blue- print for others to follow with the COACH Affordable Hous- ing Program and Prison Min- istry in honoring the mentorship and investment of his friend and Kappa Brother, Rev. Abraham R. Brown.
Dixon boldly proclaims, “prison saved my life and Jesus saved my soul with the help of Rev. Brown. They helped me to be crime and drug free for over 40 years as written in my book, ‘A Story To Tell’.”
COACH Youth Empowerment Program After reading an article
by Hillsborough County
State Attorney Andrew Warren, that it costs $55,000 a year to incarcerate a juvenile in our penal sys- tem, Rev. Dixon said, he was inspired to create the COACH Youth Empower- ment Program (YEP) and seeks an investment of $250,000 from the state of Florida Appropriations Fund, to help prevent 100 youths from entering the penal sys- tem and help them become productive citizens.
The COACH Youth Em- powerment Program (YEP), will work in conjunction with Computer Mentors for youth to learn computer skills, and Help 4 Today Ministries to learn positive ways to change the lives of 100 youths.
For additional informa- tion or community concerns, please contact: Reverend Dixon at 3911 N. 34th St., Ste. B, Tampa, FL 33610, or wdixon2558@aol.com/ (813) 966-4844.
Robert Walker is shown displaying one of the huge mangos that his tree produces.
The mangos this tree has produced are larger than those last year.
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Everyone has a special gift that he or she possesses. Some people may even have more than one thing in which they are standouts.
Robert Walker knows what one of his special gifts are and that is he possesses a green thumb. And since he no longer has to spend the ma- jority of his day at work, he spends a lot of time in his yard.
Some of the fruit that Walker grows includes ba- nanas, tangerines, grape- fruits, and super sized mangos. He had to destroy his orange trees when they be- came infected.
Although Walker has lived in his Seminole Heights home for 41 years, he didn’t decide to plant a mango tree at the time or in any of the years that followed.
He dedicated his time to his construction job and building houses for non-prof- its and in partnership with the City of Tampa.
After retirement, his time became his own and he de-
cided to pursue his love of gardening.
Last year, the tree pro- duced more than 40 large mangos. However, the sur- prise came this year when the mangos growing on the tree were huge.
“They are bigger this year than they were last year. They just seem to get bigger and bigger,” Walker said.
When asked what was the secret to producing such large mangos and in such shorter a time period, he said, “I use fruit fertilizer,” the father of 6 children said.
He also said he planted the tree three years ago. And, he has already had to cut the top out of it twice to control its growth. But, he didn’t share any other secrets.
When not gardening, Walker enjoys spending time fishing and with his fam- ily. He is married and a mem- ber of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church.
Having been surprised by the fruit from the tree this year, Walker can hardly wait to see how big his mangos get next year.
PAGE 10-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 2019