In the Community

Cincinnati Chapter of the Links Celebrate 60th Anniversary At ‘A Night to Remember’ Soiree

(2011, May 7/ Section B) Cincinnati Chapter of the Links Celebrate 60th Anniversary At ‘A Night to Remember’ Soiree. Cincinnati Herald.
Retrieved from http://www.thecincinnatiherald.com

The Cincinnati Chapter of The Links, Incorporated welcomed more than 375 guests to celebrate their 60 years of service during “A Night To Remember,” an elegant cocktail attire soiree at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Guests walked the “green carpet” followed with dinner and dancing to Soul Pocket.

Hide

 

Show

• First
• Previous
• Pause or Play
• Next
• Last

• 14p2
  Dave and Marcia Anderson, Miriam West, Shelley Jefferson Hamler and Judge John West.
• 14p3
  Clyde Gray with Marian Spencer, Cincinnati Chapter Platinum Member.
• 14p4
  Cincinnati Links were joined by area and national leaders, including: Alice Strong Simmons, Central Area Vice Director; Margot James Copeland, National President and Teree Caldwell Johnson, Central Area Director of The Links, Incorporated.
• 14p5
  Megan McNeil Wallace, Winona McNeil and Blondean Nelson. Proceeds from the Soiree benefit the programs and services of the Cincinnati Chapter, including the annual Girls Conference, national award winning Youth Docent Program at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and Step to Health and Wellness Walk.
• 14p6
  Soiree Chair Stephanie Byrd, Kristi Clement Williams, Chapter President, Grace daniels, Co-Chair and dayna Eubanks, Mistress of Ceremonies For more information, please visit the organization’s website at www.cincinnatichapterlinks.org.
• 14p7
  Stan and Kristi Clement Williams, Cincinnati Chapter President, greet guests.
• 14p1
  Cynthia Booth, Miriam Kinard, Margot James Copeland, National President, and Lucille Conliffe Lanzeby.

Stephanie Wright Byrd and Grace McCaster Daniels were the event chair and co-chair, respectively.

Margot James Copeland, of Cleveland and the 15th National President, and Teree Caldwell-Johnson, Central Area Director of The Links Incorporated, attended the evening’s festivities and spoke during the program. National President Copeland presented a Resolution in recognition of the formidable work and legacy from the Cincinnati Chapter. Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls declared March 26, 2011, Cincinnati Chapter of The Links, Incorporated Day in a proclamation from Mayor Mark Mallory.

The Cincinnati Chapter was chartered on March 30, 1950, making it the 17th chapter to be established. Over the past 60 years, the Cincinnati Chapter has produced one National President and Central Area Director, both held by Vivian Beamon; two National Arts Chairs Margaret Hough and Yvonne Robertson and several national and area appointees.

Cincinnati Chapter programs, as with all Links chapters, fall within five facets: National Trends and Services, The Arts, Services to Youth, International Trends and Services, and most recently, Health and Human Services. Through their programs, the Cincinnati Chapter of the Links, Inc. has positively impacted thousands of people in the region and contributed over $1.2 million back into the community.

The Links started 65 years ago in Philadelphia as an African American version of the Junior League, with the focus on service and friendship, Copeland said. “The first The Links members were women who were married to men of considerable means and office, but now the members are women who are professionals and office holders in their own right,’’ she said.

“The profile of the Cincinnati The Links Chapter represents the highest standards of service and has set the standard of excellence for the 12,000 members in 274 chapters in the United States and Bahamas,’’ she said. “This chapter has incredible programs, and it has provided national and regional officers.’’ Members of the local chapter also volunteered 2,600 service hours in 2010, she said.

Copeland said a new The Links focus in the future will be to expand scholarship support for student at Historic Black Colleges and Universities, and promote enrollments and increased graduation rates at those institutions, a focus also addressed in President Obama’s 2020 Initiative.

In addition to an education and youth focus, The Links also promotes the health and well being of community members, voter registration, programs to reduce childhood obesity,renovations of schools in Africa, and promoting African American arts on a community level, she said.

The Cincinnati Chapter presented their Gift to The Community, the “Linked To Life” program in recognition of two members who founded the Sickle Cell Awareness Program, Cathryn Buford and Dr. Marilyn Gaston, the first African American woman to direct a public health service bureau, the Bureau of Primary Health Care in the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The Cincinnati Chapter of The Links’ “Linked To Life” pilot project will be a series of retreats designed to empower young people who are living with Sickle Cell Disease.

This inaugural project, under the Links’ newly established Health and Human Services facet, will partner with the Greater Cincinnati Urban League, Sickle Cell Awareness Program, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and University Hospital.