A Thank You Note

What began as a revelation to assist those in need
with food and clothing, from a Budget Travelers' Magazine,
to one of the poorest counties in the U.S. (Owsley County, Kentucky)
led to a divine circle of giving and receiving of God's blessings.

It all started when long time friend, M. Kimbro, was touched with
compassion on seeing two Black children without shoes on the pages
of the Budget Traveler's Magazine. She called and said " We have to do something."
I  readily agreed we ought to do something but needed to first make contact
with a church or organization who would welcome our help. That was not an
obstacle and after a telephone call we were in touch with the
Emma Quire Mission Center, an Owsley County Food Ministry of the
Booneville First Baptist Church.

Beside me, Kimbro was only able to recruit one other person, W. Tucker,
among her wide array of friends. When I talked to my friends they looked
puzzled and behind the look they were obviously thinking "are you crazy."

Our plan was simple, to collect food, clothing, and money donations and deliver it.
I concentrated on collecting money from College Hill Community Church
members, and the Peace & Social Justice Ministry. M. Kimbro involved her
Hunters' Glenn Community and friends. No one I asked declined to contribute.

The day finally arrived, September 30, 2008, I accompanied M. Kimbro to pick
up a leased van. But before I departed, it occurred to me to look up the
Sheriff's name and telephone number in Owsley County and give to my neighbor.
The irony of three Black women going on this mission trip became apparent.
It was my first time meeting Tucker. She had considerable experience with
Red Cross Disaster Relief. After packing the van we were on our way.
It was a beautiful day, beautiful drive. M. Kimbro drove all the way.

Before entering the mountains, and losing cell phone connection, I quipped.
We better stop and call our host to mark our location where we were last seen
and heard. The ladies at the church assured us that they were awaiting our arrival.
And indeed on arrival, they had prepared a wonderful meal and were quite
congenial.

Housing had been arranged at a motel owned by the church. Our big surprise
was there were no Blacks in the County. Everyone we encountered that evening
when we went to a local restaurant for dinner, walking distance from the motel,
said they knew who were and why we we were there.

The second day, thanks to the generosity of the donors, we were blessed with
the opportunity to share the gifts we brought with the people, before our
departure, some had come down from the hills.

Special Thanks To:
Brother Jerry Lacefield, pastor, First Baptist Church, his wife Susan, the dedicated
volunteers. God is at work among the people of Owsley County.

"You are the light of the world... let your light shine.
   Mat 5:14

An Ohio Memory: Town Hall Meeting with the 39th President of the United States

Winning a lottery is an exciting event, especially if it is
a lottery to see and hear the President of the United States

In the fall of 1980, I was among the lucky winners
selected in a lottery to attend President Carter's Town Hall Meeting
on Thursday, October 2, 1980 at the Dayton Convention Center.

The night before the meeting, I was filled with a sense of
anticipation. So much so, I dreamed I missed seeing the
President altogether.

In preparation for this, perhaps once in a life time
experience, my husband graciously recommended that I carry a
small handbag to hasten the inspection that would be required to
enter the Convention Center. This advice would indeed prove
helpful.

So with ticket in hand, I went to see the 39th
President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, former Georgia
Governor and naval officer, and peanut farmer.

All ticket holders were expected to be seated between 10:00
and 11:00 A.M. as the President was expected to arrive between
11:30 and noon. Re-entry would not be permitted, for security
purposes, for anyone who left the assembly room.

Once inside and seated, the mood of the audience was also
one of excitement and high anticipation. We had come to see our
President as Americans.

The President's Advance People were busily passing out
cards for questions to be asked by the audience, and taking care
of other duties.

The Presidential Seal majestically adorned the dais, flanked
by Secret Service Agents. Eventually the time came for the
President's appearance, accompanied by "Hail to the Chief."

It is a day I shall long remember. I felt a sense of awe
and pride to be an American as I reflected on the Office of the
Presidency being the most important in the free world.

The Town Hall Meeting had symbolized the best of the
American tradition, an opportunity to see and hear the
President.

Postscript:
Jimmy Carter served as President from 1977 to 1981. This was his
first visit to the Gem City as president. It was a re-election campaign
stop. Dayton Mayor James H. McGee greeted the president at
Wright-Patterson AFB. President Carter lost the presidential election
to Ronald Reagan.

Tribute to Charles R. Kilby

I called him Kilby.
He was born during the Jim Crow Era.
It was de-facto segregation in the North and de-jure segregation in the South.

Yet, Kilby took advantage of every opportunity to graduate from the Ohio State University
and to earn a MSW at Wayne State University.

I first met Kilby when he was a social worker at Dayton State Psychiatric Hospital.  He joined the Miami Valley Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Few African Americans in Dayton held a MSW degree at that time. He was a parent of four small children.

I came to know him better as I encountered him at professional conferences.
Case in Point. Kilby was at the 1968 Social Work Conference in San Francisco when the Black Social workers challenged the relevance of the professional organization and its racist practice. Black social workers walked out of the Convention Center, reassembled at Glide Memorial Church where the National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) and the Welfare Rights Movement of America were founded. The following year, I encountered Kilby on an airplane from Dayton to New York City to the 1969 Social Work Conference. Following the 1968 Conference Kilby and I attempted to start a Dayton NABSW Chapter.

A life dedicated to NASW, Kilby served on local and state committees. He worked tirelessly for the passage of professional  licensing for social workers in Ohio. I credit him for changing the mind of local State Representative, C. J. M Lin to support the Social Work licensing bill. He was an early Adjunct Professor of Social Work at Wright State University. He was a pioneer in mental health in Miami and Montgomery County.

Kilby was the 1976 recipient of  Ohio Region VII Social Worker of the Year Award and its Life- time Achievement Award, 2005.

Kilby hired me as part of his Administrative Staff at Day-Mont West Community Mental Health Center in 1975. My greatest professional remembrance is writing with him and others a eight million dollar federal mental health grant.





Kilby's legacy is a life of service and dedication to the profession of Social Work. He leaves behind a  a lovely family, Cynthia, sons, Karlton and Kevin and daughters Melanie and Rosalind.

My friend, rest from your labors in the presence of God.






Kilby NYC 1969

Kilby receiving 2005 NASW Lifetime Achievement Award
Presenter Gladys Turner Finney