19 people who gave back to Craven County during the time of our great need

Todd Wetherington, Sun Journal
·3 min read
Those who came to the aid of Craven County residents following Hurricane Florence and the COVID-19 pandemic will be honored Dec. 12 during the “Time of Giving Thanks Banquet” in New Bern.
Those who came to the aid of Craven County residents following Hurricane Florence and the COVID-19 pandemic will be honored Dec. 12 during the “Time of Giving Thanks Banquet” in New Bern.

Those who came to the aid of Craven County residents through hurricanes and the COVID-19 pandemic will be honored on Dec. 12 during the “Time of Giving Thanks Banquet” in New Bern.

The event will be held at the YLR Premier Event Center, 2107 S Glenburnie Rdo. beginning at 4 p.m.

According to organizer Victory Taylor, 19 individuals from Craven County will be presented with awards for their service stretching back to Hurricane Florence in 2018.

“It will be individuals who have given above and beyond the call of duty for their fellow man since 2018 and Florence right into the 2020 pandemic and are still giving,” Taylor said.

According to Taylor, the idea behind the inaugural “Time of Giving Thanks Banquet” is to recognize “those who didn’t have to give but have.”

“We want to give the people who actually of their own free will decided to help their fellow man,” Taylor said. “They don’t do it to get recognition, they do it because they love giving back to the people. A lot of people could not have survived without the help of others.”

Taylor said the individuals were chosen by himself and other committee members from New Bern’s Vision Forward charitable organization. While not all of those being honored still live in Craven County, over the last three years they each lent their time and resources to help local residents, Taylor explained.

“People from as far as Raleigh, Washington, DC and Georgia have come back over the last three years,” Taylor said. “Whether they gave monetarily or they came in with boots on the ground or they made in-kind donations, they were willing to give of their own free will with clothes, food, shelter, all these things” he noted.

In addition to a banquet dinner, the event will feature guest speaker Greg Singleton, director of Community Workforce Readiness at Craven Community College. Elona Fowler, the sole female firefighter with City of New Bern Fire-Rescue, and Bonita Simmons, founder of “My Sister’s House,” will give musical presentations as well.

Special guests will include New Bern Mayor Dana Outlaw, Craven County Commissioner Beatrice Smith, Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes, and New Bern Alderman Johnnie Ray Kinsey

Taylor said he hopes to make the “Time of Giving Thanks Banquet” an annual or semi-annual event.

“I would like this to continue because people need to be recognized for what they do, because they don’t have to do it,” he commented.

Those being honored at the “Time of Giving Thanks Banquet” are:

  • Pastor Gregory Holmes- First M.B. Church

  • Irilie Brazzle

  • Mike Shachter

  • Tracy Shope

  • Natalie Standifer- Delta Sorority

  • Jamal Williams- President, City Motorcycle Club

  • Minister Ethel B. Sampson

  • Jeff Simmons

  • Mike Simmons

  • Pastor Hazel Royal- Abundant Life Miracle Center

  • Milton Evans

  • Pastor Paulette Bryant- Biblical House of God

  • Pastor Judy Moore United Faith Christian Center

  • Pastor Gwen Parmley McCloud- Trinity Chapel AME Zion Church

  • Pastor Wheeler Blount- Mount Calvary M.B. Church

  • Mark Best

  • Bishop Holly Raby- WOGCC

  • Minister Lorean Gatling-Wilson

  • Pastor M. Luther Hill- Clinton Chapel AME Zion Church

This article originally appeared on Sun Journal: Banquet will recognize those who gave as Craven County faced disaster