Lansing, MI — On Saturday, April 21, 2007, The Greater Lansing Area Club of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club, Inc. (NANBPWC) will celebrate 25 years of service to the Lansing area community. This year’s silver anniversary theme, “Honoring our Past, Celebrating Today & Embracing the Future,” will be reflected through a visual historical presentation during the brunch. In keeping with tradition, the Club will honor several Lansing area residents who have impacted the community in a significant and positive way. Recognition will be given to individuals in four principal award categories, which includes the Sojourner Truth Award, the highest honor bestowed. Joan Jackson Johnson, Ph.D. is the esteemed recipient of this award. Mr. Calvin Jones will join the prestigious list of honorable men who have been bestowed with the Frederick Douglass Award. The Business Excellence Award will be given to Mr. Charles L. Moore of C. L. Moore & Associates, and Mr. Sterling Armstrong was selected for the Community Service Award. For its 25th Anniversary, the Greater Lansing Area Club has established five “Silver Anniversary Awards” to be presented in: The Arts – Mr. Julian Van Dyke; Religion – Reverend Robert Nicholson; Education – Mr. Amel Eiland; Political/Government (Non-Politician) – Ms. Renee Freeman; and Radio/Television – Mr. Michael McFadden. The Greater Lansing Area Youth Club will recognize two outstanding community youths – Mr. Jason Sherer and Miss Ashlei Echols by presenting them with its Youth On The Move Award. This year’s Annual Scholarship Award will be presented to Mr. Jean Lazaire of Lansing Community College.
Each year clubs of the NANBPWC host a celebration to honor its national and local founders. Effie Diton, Adelaide Fleming, Pearl Flipping, Josephine B. Keene, E. Odessa Young, Ollie Chinn Porter and Bertha Perry Rhodes founded the national organization in 1935. The Greater Lansing Area Club charter was established on July 28, 1982 under the leadership of Lela M. Eaton with active charter members Odean Bradley, Gloria Davis, Dorothy Hudson, Betty Nixon, Claudine Walker and Eugenia Williams.
The organization is composed of area business and professional women. Its mission is to promote and protect the interest of business and professional women, create good fellowship, unite for action to improve social and civic conditions, to create and develop opportunities for African American women and develop youth through educational assistance. The club accomplishes its mission through its HEED program, which focuses on Health, Employment, Education and Economic Development.
The 25th “Silver” Anniversary Annual Founders’ Day Awards Brunch, chaired by Renee Freeman and co-chaired by Elizabeth Chaney will commence at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 21th at the Holiday Inn-West, 7501 W. Saginaw Highway in Lansing, Michigan. Tickets can be purchased for $25 from any club member or by contacting Gloria Davis at (517) 487-1913 or Doristene Haynes at (517) 323-7823.
