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Southern
Area
Links
Raise
Major
Funds
for
Black
Colleges and Universities
Nancy Wilson “IN CONCERT WITH
EDUCATION”
A Big Hit in Charlotte
(September 29, 2006). The legendary Miss Nancy Wilson sang from
her heart to an audience of 1,500 plus fans, in September, 2006,
at the North
Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
in
Charlotte,
North Carolina.
Miss Wilson performed – In Concert With Education – to assist
The Southern Area of The Links, Incorporated endow fifty-one (51)
Historically Black Colleges and Universities located in North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida,
Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas and the
Republic of South Africa. “I believe in a level playing field for our children,” said Miss Wilson. And
leveling the playing field for
students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities is
certainly what the Scholarship Endowment Initiative of The Southern Area
Links is all about.
Raising more than $250,000, with the assistance of the benefit concert,
all profits from the event will be used to underwrite scholarship
endowments at each of the historically black colleges and universities
in the Southern Area (see the list of Historically Black Colleges &
Universities attached). Dr. Gwendolyn B. Lee, National President
of The Links, Incorporated,
presented a check for $30,000 from The Links Foundation. The Triangle
Park Chapter of The Links (Durham, NC) contributed $15,500; and many of
the remaining 74 chapters donated gifts ranging for $10,000 to $1,000
each. Our sponsors were Allstate Insurance Company (contributing
$25,000), Wachovia Corporation, Bank of America, Mrs. Joyce M. Dixon (14th
Southern Area Director), Mr. and Mrs. Barry L. Johnson, Key Bank,
Phillip Morris,
Beya Jewelers, and Weaver Family Foundation.
The Southern Area of The Links, Incorporated,
under the leadership of Margaret Thompson Johnson, Area Director, launched a scholarship endowment
initiative firmly committed to serving youth. It has set an aggressive
agenda designed to promote and advocate academic achievement, economic
independence, political empowerment and social responsibility for
future leaders. “These leaders will be the designers of the societies
and environments that will impact our sunset and they will lead and
inspire our heirs for
generations to come,” said Ms. Johnson. The program has already endowed
Bennett
College, Spelman College, Bethune-Cookman College, Florida Memorial
University, Edward Waters College and Florida A &M University. “We are
just getting started,” Mrs. Johnson added, “We are committed to doing
our part to break the cycle of despair through educational opportunities
for our young people; and we owe Carlenia Ivory, Southern Area
Chair of Education, and Dorothy Williams, Southern Area Chair of
Public Affairs and Chair of the Endowment Initiative, a debt of
gratitude for their efforts in making this initiative a resounding
success.”
Dr. Dorothy
Yancey,
President of Johnson C. Smith University, served as the Honorary Chair
of “In Concert with Education.” Other college presidents
attending the event included Dr. Lee Monroe, President of
Voorhees College; Dr. Andrew Hugine, President of South Carolina
State University; Dr. Beverly Wade
Hogan,
President of Tougaloo College; Dr. Shirley A. R. Lewis, President
of Paine College; Dr. Jimmy Jenkins, President of Livingston
College, Dr. Carl Flamer, President of Barber Scotia College and
Dr.
Clarence G. Newsome,
President of Shaw University.
The Charlotte (NC) Links Cluster Chapters of The Links, Incorporated
– including the Charlotte Chapter (Daisy Walker,
President), Crown Jewels Chapter (Mary Clark, President) and the
Piedmont
Chapter (Trish Johnson, President) – hosted the week-end of
entertainment for those who came to the Tar Heel State, enjoyed the
music and the friendship offered by The Links, and supported
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with their gifts
and pledges. The Charlotte Chapter received complimentary tickets for
the parents and children participating in their Children Achieving
Success program to attend the concert.
About The Links, Inc.
Established in 1946, The Links, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and
largest volunteer service organizations of women who are committed to
enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of
African- Americans and other persons of African decent. The Links, Inc.
is an international not-for-profit corporation of accomplished,
dedicated women who contribute more than 500,000 documented hours of
community service annually and has a membership of over 11,000
professional women of color in 273 chapters located in 42 states, the
District of Columbia and three countries: Germany, South Africa and
Bahamas. The Southern Area is one of four areas of The Links,
Incorporated.
Click here for a copy of the press release.
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