Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 5-26-17

Features
Gospel Extravaganza Is Part Of West Tampa Juneteenth Celebration
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
The Juneteenth Planning Committee will be meeting once a week to finalize the West Tampa celebration.
A part of the celebration, which begins on Friday, June 16th, will be the Gospel Ex- travaganza, which will be held on Sunday, June 18th, 5 p. m.
The talent lineup will in- clude several popular gospel groups and individuals from throughout the area. Pastor Cortez Williams will host the program.
TPooh & the Inspira- tions will be the headliner for this event. Ebou Howard and the Min- strels, Mentors For Min- istry, Dr. Phyllis Tucker-Wicks, Chosen Voices of Unity, Shawn Jordan, Damar Harri- son, Ree Serena Green- Murray, Phyllis Wong, Jorad Holmes, Manuel Allen, Alfred Eady, and Ministry of Strength! Pastor Philetha Tucker- Johnson is coordinating the Gospel Extravaganza.
“Juneteenth is celebrated around the world! The event is to bring awareness to this celebration as it is an event commemorating the end of slavery,” stated Pastor Tucker-Johnson.
CORTEZ WILLIAMS
...Will host the Gospel Extravaganza
The Gospel Extravaganza will be held at Beulah Baptist Church, 1006 W. Cypress Street Tampa 33607. For more information, please call (813) 516-9333.
On Saturday, June 17th, the West Tampa Alliance is preparing for a street closure for the festival that will ex- tend from the corner of Fre- mont to Howard Ave. The festival is scheduled to last from noon until 7 p. m.
The feature for this event will be the 9 National Pan- Hellenic Council Organiza- tions who will take to the stage at 3 P. M. for a Greek Yard Show. There will be food, games, vendors and lots of entertainment.
A Memorial Day Tribute From The Mother Of A
Soldier Who Died In War
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
Tampa’s first casualty from Opera- tion Iraqi Freedom is remembered by his mother.
A Tampa mother of 8 had 3 sons who each spent several years in the military. Two sons spent more than 20 years each. But one of her sons was 1 day shy of 18 years in the U. S. Army when he was killed in an accident near central Iraq.
This Memorial Day Weekend, Mrs. Willie Mae Davis-Lane and her family will remem- ber the life of her son, Staff Sergeant 1st Class Wilbert Davis. The Tampa native was 40 years old when the Humvee he and a Washington Post reporter, Michael Kelly, were riding in flipped and landed in a canal near Baghdad. Both died.
S/Sgt. 1Class Davis grew up in the Col- lege Hill community and played baseball at the Belmont Heights Little League.
“Memorial Day will always hold a special place of observance in my heart. Although it has been 14 years, April 3, 2003, since the sac- rifice of the life of my son, Staff Sgt. First Class Wilbert Davis, who died serving dur- ing Operation Iraqi Freedom. That day will al- ways be remembered by me as the day I was wrapped in God’s peace and comfort and given the strength to go on,” Mrs. Davis-Lane stated.
S/Sgt. Davis was assigned to the 3rd Bat- talion, 69th Armor, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia. His remains lie in Arlington National Cemetery.
“As we celebrate Memorial Day 2017, let us
STAFF SERGEANT 1ST CLASS WILBERT DAVIS ...Service Time: April 4, 1985 – April 3, 2003
not forget on this day to pay tribute to the brave hearts, who laid down their lives for our nation and salute their valor and courage for allowing us to maintain the gift of liberty which we should not take for granted.
“God bless all our men and women who serve, whether in uniform or at home, and God bless the United States of America!,” Mrs. Davis-Lane concluded.
Her oldest son, Willie Charles Conage spent 27 years with the Coast Guard and re- tired from the Post Office. Col. Willie Ernest Davis retired last year after several years with the U. S. Army.
PAGE 2-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, MAY 26, 2017