Page 28 - 6-19-15 Friday's Edition

Polk County News
Welcome, June!
Welcome, June! The sixth month of the year is upon us marking the halfway mark of 2015. The birth flower for the month of June is the beautiful rose. The meaning of this well- known flower is beauty and passionate love. The birth- stone for June is the pearl. The month of June is also known as African-American Music Month.
Girls Incorporated Honors Women of the Community
Recently, Girls Incorpo- rated of Lakeland recognized and honored three local women for their commitment to girls and women of the Lakeland community at its an- nual She Knows Where She’s Going Awards Luncheon. The host-site of the event was The Lakeland Center. Chosen from a nomination pool of thirteen nominees, the award recipi- ents each received a beautiful, engraved crystal bowl. The 2015 awardees are: Altrichia Cook, CEO/Founder of
A.Lekay Swimwear; An- tionette Kirby, Principal of Lakeland’s Padgett Elemen- tary School; and Tonia Old- ham, Human Resource Technician for Florida South- ern College's ROTC Program and a retired U.S. Army Chief Master Sergeant.
Lakeland Branch NAACP 2015 Freedom Fund Banquet Held
Embracing Diversity for a Better Tomorrow was the cho- sen theme for the Lakeland Branch NAACP’s 2015 Free- dom Fund Banquet recently held at the Bishop Henry Ross Life Center in Lake- land. Tonia Oldham served as Mistress of Ceremony. The host-site of the event was the Bishop Henry Ross Life Center in Lakeland. Hosts/Hostesses for the evening were: Beverly Boatwright, Annette Brown, Tina Bryant, Michi Houston, Shelia Jones, Alice McMillan, Vadall Rankins, and Bernard Thomas. The pro-
gram opened with an Invoca- tion rendered by Reverend Delano Messer McIntosh, Pastor of St. Mark United Methodist Church.
Local special musical guest T.A.A.B.U.’s Patricia Ann Jones led the National Negro Anthem. Christel Graham, 2nd Vice President extended a warm welcome and intro- duced the head table guest: Presiding Elder Jimmy J. Thompson and his wife, Evangelist Bessie Thomp- son, Mr. and Mrs. Don Brown, and Reverend Eddie Lake. Doris Moore- Bailey, Public Relations Co- ordinator introduced the dignitaries and special guests.
Among those were: Sher- iff Grady Judd and Chief Joe Halman, Jr. of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office; Chief Larry Giddens of the Lake- land Police Department; City of Lakeland Commissioner Phillip Walker, Commis- sioner Don Selvage, City Manager Doug Thomas; Retired Polk County Judge Timothy Coon and The Honorable Howard Wiggs, Mayor of the City of Lakeland. Greetings from the City of Lakeland were given by Mayor Wiggs. Reverend Eddie Lake, Pastor, New Bethel A.M.E. Church intro- duced his leader, the keynote speaker Presiding Elder
Jimmy J. Thompson. Sandra Jiminez, of Solemn Ministries, rendered a beautiful solo. After the keynote address, Keith Ward, Sr., 1st Vice President recognized the sponsors and gave a membership appeal. Special Awards and closing re- marks were presented by Reginald Ardis, President. The branch gave special trib- ute to Don Brown who gave 30 years of tireless and dedi- cated service to the Lakeland Branch-NAACP; a large num- ber of those years as President. Brown still continues to serve
in the office of Treasurer.
Words of Encouragement
‘Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken- winged bird that cannot fly.’ Langston Hughes, Poet (1902 - 1967)
Shaw-Nuf Shout-Out! This week’s Shaw-Nuf Shout-Out goes to the Polk State Lakeland Collegiate High School student Kailah Ruf- fen. Recently, she was elected President of the Florida African-American Student As- sociation (FAASA). Ruffen is the first Polk State student elected to serve in as President in the 39-year history of
FAASA.
The association serves as
the official voice of 200,000
plus African-American stu- dents enrolled in Florida uni- versities and colleges; promoting academic and lead- ership skills. Ruffen’s term will begin on June 6, 2015. Congratulations, Kailah Ruf- fen.
Polk County Advertisers/ Distributors Sought The Florida Sentinel
Bulletin is in search of adver- tisers and distributors in the Polk County area. Are you in- terested in advertising your business, church, organiza- tion, community events, em- ployment opportunities, etc., in the Sentinel or having the Sentinel available for purchase at your church, agency or place of business? Yes!..then contact me (Cynthia Zorn-Shaw) at (863) 513-8437 or Darlene Thomas at (863) 513-2178.
Talk to Shaw-Nuf Shaw-Nuf Talk wants to hear from you. Share exciting news and/or photos of your celebrations, special events, graduations, birthdays, an- niversaries, weddings, family reunions, church or commu- nity events, etc., with the read- ership of the Florida Sentinel Bulletin and Shaw-Nuf Talk by sending an e-mail to: shawnuftalk@yahoo.com or
calling (863) 513-8437.
PAGE 16-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2015