Giants Award 2012

>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE...
AND HAPPY 2012!
AS ALWAYS, IT IS OUR PLEASURE TO STAND BEFORE YOU, ONCE AGAIN-- THIS--
AS WE CELEBRATE THE 30th-- THE 30th!-- ANNIVERSARY OF THE GIANTS BANQUET.
I'M JENNIFER MOSS.
>> AND I'M EDDIE RUCKER, OF W.C.C.M. 13.
>> WE HOPE THAT YOU ARE READY FOR AN EXCITING EVENING,
AS WE CELEBRATE THE 30 YEARS AND WE CELEBRATE
OUR ANNUAL 13 EXCEPTIONAL INDIVIDUALS AND-OR ORGANIZATIONS
FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY.
>> WE BEGIN THE NIGHT
WITH THE GRAND RAPIDS AFRICAN-AMERICAN YOUTH CHORUS,
ALSO KNOWN AS "GRAAY-C."
IT WAS-- IT'S A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION CREATED IN OCTOBER OF 2011
FOR YOUTH IN GRAND RAPIDS, GRADES THREE THROUGH NINE.
>> GRAAY-C WAS FOUNDED WITH THE PURPOSE
OF PROVIDING THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN YOUTH OF OUR COMMUNITY
AN OPPORTUNITY TO EMBRACE THE HISTORICALLY RICH MUSICAL HERITAGE
OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
>> KAY DAVIS IS THE DIRECTOR AND HER HUSBAND, DUANE DAVIS,
SERVES AS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
BETTY BURTON GROCE IS THE YOUTH COORDINATOR.
LET US WELCOME GRAAY-C AS THEY SING THREE SONGS...
"LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING,"
"RIDE ON KING JESUS," A SPIRITUAL ARRANGED BY KAYE DAVIS,
AND "KEEP YOUR LAMPS," BY ANDRE THOMAS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, GRAAY-C.
(applause)
(music)
>> (singing) LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING
LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING
LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING
TILL EARTH AND HEAVEN RING
RING WITH THE HARMONIES
OF LIBERTY
LET OUR REJOICING RISE
HIGH AS THE LISTENING SKIES
LET IT RESOUND
LOUD AS THE ROLLING SEA
SING A SONG
FULL OF THE FAITH
THAT THE DARK PAST HAS TAUGHT US
SING A SONG
FULL OF THE HOPE
THAT THE PRESENT
HAS BROUGHT US
FACING THE RISING SUN
OF OUR NEW DAY BEGUN
LET US MARCH ON
MARCH ON
MARCH ON
TILL VICTORY
IS WON
(applause)
(music)
(singing) RIDE ON KING JESUS
NO MAN CAN A-HINDER ME
RIDE ON KING JESUS RIDE ON
NO MAN'S GONNA HINDER ME
NO MAN
CAN A-HINDER ME
RIDE ON KING JESUS
NO MAN CAN A-HINDER ME
RIDE ON KING JESUS RIDE ON
NO MAN CAN A-HINDER ME
NO MAN CAN A-HINDER ME
IN THAT GREAT GETTING UP MORNING FARE THEE WELL
FARE THEE WELL
IN THAT GREAT GETTING UP MORNING FARE THEE WELL
FARE THEE WELL
IN THAT GREAT GETTING UP MORNING FARE THEE WELL
FARE THEE WELL
IN THAT GREAT GETTING UP MORNING FARE THEE WELL
FARE THEE WELL
WHEN I GET TO HEAVEN GONNA WEAR A ROBE
NO MAN CAN A-HINDER ME
WHEN I GET TO HEAVEN GONNA SING AND SHOUT
NO MAN CAN A-HINDER ME
WHEN I SEE KING JESUS SITTIN' ON HIS THRONE
NO MAN CAN A-HINDER ME
GOING TO A PLACE WHERE I NEVER GROW OLD
NO MAN CAN A-HINDER ME
IN THAT GREAT GETTING UP MORNING FARE THEE WELL
FARE THEE WELL
IN THAT GREAT GETTING UP MORNING FARE THEE WELL
FARE THEE WELL
IN THAT GREAT GETTING UP MORNING FARE THEE WELL
FARE THEE WELL
IN THAT GREAT GETTING UP MORNING FARE THEE WELL
FARE THEE WELL
NO MAN CAN A-HINDER
NO MAN CAN A-HINDER
NO MAN CAN A-HINDER
HINDER ME
RIDE ON KING JESUS
(applause)
(drums beating)
(music)
(singing) KEEP YOUR LAMPS TRIMMED AND BURNING
KEEP YOUR LAMPS TRIMMED AND BURNING
KEEP YOUR LAMPS TRIMMED AND BURNING
THE TIME IS DRAWING NIGH
KEEP YOUR LAMPS TRIMMED AND BURNING
KEEP YOUR LAMPS TRIMMED AND BURNING
KEEP YOUR LAMPS TRIMMED AND BURNING
THE TIME IS DRAWING NIGH
CHILDREN DON'T GET WEARY
CHILDREN DON'T GET WEARY
CHILDREN DON'T GET WEARY
TILL YOUR WORK IS DONE
CHILDREN DON'T GET WEARY
CHILDREN DON'T GET WEARY
CHILDREN DON'T GET WEARY
TILL YOUR WORK IS DONE
CHRISTIAN JOURNEY SOON BE OVER
CHRISTIAN JOURNEY SOON BE OVER
CHRISTIAN JOURNEY SOON BE OVER
THE TIME IS DRAWING NIGH
CHRISTIAN JOURNEY SOON BE OVER
CHRISTIAN JOURNEY SOON BE OVER
CHRISTIAN JOURNEY SOON BE OVER
THE TIME IS DRAWING NIGH
THE TIME IS DRAWING NIGH
THE TIME IS DRAWING
NIGH
(applause)
>> (all) AWWW...
(applause)
>> WHAT A WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE BY GRAAY-C.
LET'S GIVE THEM ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
(applause) INSPIRING YOUTH!
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE THE FORMAL WELCOME BY ERIC WILLIAMS,
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR EQUITY, COMMUNITY, AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
AT GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
IF YOU WOULD COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME...
(applause)
>> GOOD EVENING. >> (all) GOOD EVENING.
>> AND WELCOME TO THE 30th ANNUAL GIANTS AWARDS BANQUET AND CELEBRATION.
MY NAME IS ERIC WILLIAMS AND, AS JENNIFER SAID,
I'M AT GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
I BRING GREETINGS FROM OUR PRESIDENT, DR. STEVEN ENDER,
AND HE COULD NOT BE HERE TONIGHT, AND HE SINCERELY REGRETS THAT.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO BEGIN BY ASKING OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEE MEMBERS TO STAND--
THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT.
(applause) DR. BERT BLEKE AND MARGO ANDERSON...
UH, RICK VERBURG AND ELLEN IS-- ELLEN JAMES IS ALSO HERE.
AND SO, WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR HARD WORK,
AND THEY DO A LOT OF HARD WORK,
SO WE DO APPRECIATE YOU.
OUR PURPOSE TONIGHT IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND HONOR
AFRICAN-AMERICAN INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS
THAT HAVE MADE EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS
IN SHAPING THE HISTORY AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE
FOR ALL WHO LIVE IN GREATER KENT COUNTY.
GRCC IS PROUD TO HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED
WITH THIS GREAT PROGRAM FROM ITS INCEPTION.
THE ESSENCE OF A GIANT IS BEST PORTRAYED BY THE DEMONSTRATION OF THESE QUALITIES--
INTEGRITY, HONESTY, CREDIBILITY, PERSEVERANCE, EXCELLENCE,
LEADERSHIP, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT,
ADVOCACY, OPTIMISM, AND INNOVATIVENESS.
THIRTY YEARS...
THIRTY YEARS-- THAT'S ALMOST A FULL GENERATION
THAT WE HAVE BEEN ACKNOWLEDGING THE GREATNESS THAT LIVE AMONG US.
WOMEN AND MEN WHO HAVE SACRIFICED, WHO HAVE PIONEERED,
WHO HAVE SUFFERED, WHO HAVE PERSEVERED,
WHO HAVE BLESSED ALL OF US WITH THEIR DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT
TO MAKING THIS CITY A PLACE WHERE EACH PERSON WHO RESIDES HERE,
REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE OR ROLE, GENDER OR GENERATION,
PROFESSION OR PROFICIENCY, FAITH OR FAMILY,
ECONOMICS OR EDUCATION--
YES, WE ALL CAN LIVE A LIFE OF DIGNITY AND PRIDE
BECAUSE OF THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US.
SOME OF US HAVE BEEN COMING FOR MANY YEARS.
OTHERS OF US ARE NEW-COMERS.
BUT WHETHER YOU ARE A SEASONED ATTENDEE OR THIS IS YOUR FIRST YEAR,
JUST KNOW THAT YOU ARE IN THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO ENJOY THE FELLOWSHIP, ENJOY THE FEAST,
AND ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES OF THIS EVENING.
MEET SOMEONE NEW OR RE-ACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH AN OLD FRIEND.
WHATEVER YOU DO, WE TRUST THAT THIS EVENING
WILL BE ONE THAT YOU WILL REMEMBER FOR A WHILE.
BEFORE I LEAVE THE STAGE, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
ALL OF OUR CURRENT AND PREVIOUS ELECTED OFFICIALS BY HAVING YOU STAND.
WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND?
ALL OF OUR CURRENT AND PREVIOUS ELECTED OFFICIALS.
(applause)
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIRELESS WORK ON OUR BEHALF,
AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SELFLESS GIVING.
I AM MOST HONORED, AT THIS TIME,
TO RECOGNIZE OUR SENIOR ELECTED OFFICIAL, MISS DEBBIE STABENOW, OUR STATE SENATOR.
(applause) AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE HER
COME TO THE STAGE AT THIS TIME,
AND HAVE HER PROVIDE A WELCOME
ON BEHALF OF ALL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
(applause)
YOU KNOW, I, UM--
ACTUALLY, I HAD A LITTLE BIO I WAS GONNA READ, SENATOR,
AND I'M GONNA SKIP THAT BIO.
I JUST NEEDED TO MAKE SOME PERSONAL COMMENTS.
UM...
I WANT TO THANK THE SENATOR FOR ALL THE WORK
THAT SHE DOES FOR EACH OF US IN D.C., REPRESENTING--
DILIGENTLY REPRESENTING ALL OF HER CONSTITUENTS, STATE-WIDE,
BUT ESPECIALLY IN OUR REGION.
SHE IS THE TYPE OF SENATOR THAT GETS OUT TO THESE TYPE OF EVENTS AND MEETS US...
AND SHE LISTENS TO OUR CONCERNS.
AND I CAN SAY THIS DEFINITIVELY
BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN TO GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE--
SHE CAME TO MY OFFICE ONE DAY.
AND SHE'S BEEN ON CAMPUS A FEW TIMES,
AND WHEN MARY CALLED AND SAID SHE'S GONNA--
WANTS TO COME VISIT ME, I'M THINKING, "WHOA, WHAT DID I MESS UP THIS TIME?"
YOU KNOW, AND-- BUT THAT'S THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT SHE IS.
AND WE-- SO, SHE'S IN D.C. WORKING ON OUR BEHALF,
BUT SHE ALSO IS AVAILABLE TO US.
AND PART OF MY ROLE AT GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
IS LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS,
AND THAT MEANS WORKING WITH OUR STATE AND LOCAL,
AS WELL AS OUR FEDERAL, REPRESENTATIVES.
AND IT'S HARD TO GET IN D.C. AND SEE SOME OF THE LEGISLATORS.
UH, SENATOR STABENOW HAS BEEN AVAILABLE EVERY TIME I'VE BEEN THERE,
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND SO, THAT'S THE KIND OF REPRESENTATIVE WE HAVE.
(applause)
I ALSO JUST WANT TO TAKE A BRIEF MINUTE AND ACKNOWLEDGE MARY JUDNICH.
MARY, JUST STAND UP FOR US, PLEASE...
AND MARY IS HUMBLE AND SHE IS GRACIOUS.
MARY IS AN ASSISTANT-- IS THE ASSISTANT TO THE SENATOR,
AND IF I NEED SOMETHING OUT OF D.C., I CAN CALL MARY.
AND IF SHE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN WITH THE SENATOR'S SUPPORT, IT GETS DONE.
AND IF THIS IS THE KIND OF PERSON THAT A SENATOR HAS WORKING WITH HER--
SO, MARY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AS WELL.
SENATOR? (applause)
>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
THANKS VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, ERIC, AND GOOD EVENING!
WHAT A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL EVENING,
AND I HAVE TO SAY, AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN MUSIC
AND USED TO DIRECT A YOUTH CHOIR AT MY CHURCH,
GRAAY-C IS AMAZING.
AREN'T THEY-- THE CHILDREN ARE JUST AMAZING.
(applause) THE ENTHUSIASM!
AND, UH, THE WAY THAT THEY CAME TOGETHER--
IT REALLY WAS FUN TO LISTEN TO THIS EVENING,
AND I WANNA THANK EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS EVENING--
FAYE DAVIS AND CHRIS ARNOLD, AS CO-CHAIRS,
AND EVERYONE INVOLVED IN PUTTING TOGETHER THE EVENT.
IT TAKES A LOT OF HARD WORK, SO TO ALL OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS,
THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS AGAIN AND FOR THE 3Oth ANNIVERSARY,
AND TO EVERYONE AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE,
AND TO DR. STEVE ENDER AND ALL OF THE TEAM--
THIS IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT
THAT WE HAVE SUCH A HIGH QUALITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
RIGHT HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS.
AND WE THANK YOU AND EVERYONE THAT'S INVOLVED IN EDUCATION, ACROSS THE BOARD.
EVERYONE THAT IS INVOLVED IN ALL OF OUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
THAT DO SUCH A GREAT JOB.
CONGRATULATIONS, ALSO, TO THOSE WINNING AWARDS THIS EVENING!
YOU'RE PIONEERS IN PUBLIC SERVICE AND BUSINESS AND RELIGIOUS LIFE
AND EDUCATION AND BEYOND.
REALLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT GRAND RAPIDS
AND ABOUT KENT COUNTY IS THE WAY THAT PEOPLE COME TOGETHER
AND GIVE OF THEMSELVES, THEIR TIME, AND THEIR RESOURCES.
AND TONIGHT IS AN OPPORTUNITY, AGAIN,
TO CELEBRATE REAL LEADERS AND PIONEERS AND TO SAY "THANK YOU."
YOU KNOW, OUR COUNTRY HAS BEEN KNOWN AS THE "LAND OF OPPORTUNITY,"
WHERE EVERYBODY CAN MAKE IT.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DOUBLE OUR EFFORTS
TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS TRUE TODAY FOR OUR CHILDREN, AS IT HAS BEEN FOR US.
WHEN I THINK OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING AND THINK OF THE MESSAGE
THAT HE MIGHT GIVE US IF HE WERE WITH US THIS EVENING,
PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE HE WOULD BE FOCUSED ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY.
SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED--
SO MANY GREAT THINGS IN OUR COUNTRY, GREAT OPPORTUNITIES--
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THIS-- AND I THINK DR. KING WOULD CHALLENGE US THIS EVENING.
WHEN WE SEE A STATISTIC LIKE WE HAVE IN OUR COUNTRY TODAY
THAT SAYS THE TOP 400 PEOPLE IN AMERICA OWN AS MUCH WEALTH
AS THE BOTTOM 150 MILLION PEOPLE...
WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT.
EDUCATION IS A KEY
TO BEING ABLE TO CREATE THAT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
EVERYONE, TONIGHT, INVOLVED IN EDUCATION--
WE THANK YOU AND LIFT YOU UP,
AND I BELIEVE IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE RE-DOUBLE OUR EFFORTS
TO MAKE SURE THAT OPPORTUNITY IS AVAILABLE
IN THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD,
FOR EVERYBODY TO HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE IT.
(applause)
LET ME JUST CLOSE.
THE NIGHT BEFORE DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING DIED,
HE WAS SPEAKING UP FOR WORKING PEOPLE
AND CHALLENGING US TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY,
AND HE SAID, "LET US RISE UP TONIGHT WITH A GREATER READINESS...
"LET US STAND WITH A GREATER DETERMINATION...
"AND LET MOVE ON IN THESE POWERFUL DAYS, THESE CHALLENGING DAYS,
"TO MAKE AMERICA THE BEST IT CAN BE."
THERE IS NO REASON THAT WE CANNOT FULFILL THAT CHALLENGE TODAY,
AND IT'S A MOMENT TO CELEBRATE THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY
THAT ARE LEADING THE WAY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO EVERYONE RECEIVING AWARDS,
EVERYONE INVOLVED THIS EVENING.
LET'S RECOMMIT OURSELVES, FOR EVERY CHILD HERE
AND THOSE THAT AREN'T HERE--
THOSE WE KNOW, THOSE WE DON'T KNOW--
TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, IN THIS GREAT COUNTRY,
TO BE ALL THAT THEY CAN BE.
THANK YOU.
(applause)
>> AGAIN, WE WANT TO THANK SENATOR STABENOW.
WHAT A PLEASURE IT IS TO HAVE YOU HERE WITH US ON THIS VERY SPECIAL EVENING.
NOW, LET US WELCOME REVEREND KENNETH HOSKINS,
OF DIVINE GRACE MINISTRIES, FOR THE INVOCATION.
REVEREND HOSKINS?
>> SHALL WE PRAY?
FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR LIFE, HEALTH, AND STRENGTH.
MOST OF ALL, WE THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE PRESENT HERE
ON THIS 30th YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THIS GIANTS BANQUET.
WE PRAY, GOD, THAT YOUR GRACE WILL BE WITH US,
YOUR MERCY WILL CONTINUE TO EXTOL IN OUR LIVES.
WE THANK YOU FOR EACH AND EVERY HOME THAT'S REPRESENTED HERE.
WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH, OH GOD, WE EXTOL YOU.
WE LIFT YOU UP.
WE SAY "YES" TO YOUR WILL AND "YES" TO YOUR WAY ON THIS NIGHT.
WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THE HONOREES HERE ON TONIGHT, GOD.
WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO BLESS THEM,
CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN THEM,
CONTINUE TO LET YOUR LOVING ARMS BE ALL AROUND THEM.
NOW, GOD, AS WE PREPARE TO DINE TOGETHER,
BLESS OUR TIME TOGETHER AND BLESS THE FOOD
THAT HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR THE NOURISHMENT OF OUR BODY.
IT'S IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS THAT WE PRAY, AMEN.
AMEN.
>> THANK YOU, REVEREND.
IT IS TIME NOW TO ENJOY THIS WONDERFUL DINNER
THAT'S BEEN PREPARED FOR YOU AT DEVOS PLACE,
AND WHILE YOU'RE DOING SO,
WE WANT YOU TO ALSO ENJOY, AS ALWAYS, THE WONDERFUL MUSIC
THAT YOU'RE HEARING AND HAVE BEEN HEARING BY NINO AND THE JAZZ PEOPLE.
LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
THEY ALWAYS DO SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB.
(applause)
>> ...IN THIS CITY, FIRST AT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, AS AN ENGLISH TEACHER.
AND THEN, RETIRED NEARLY 40 YEARS LATER IN 1999,
AFTER HAVING SERVED IN SEVERAL POSITIONS IN 30 OF THOSE YEARS
AT GRAND RAPIDS JUNIOR COLLEGE AND GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
I WENT TO THE COLLEGE AS AN ENGLISH INSTRUCTOR,
SERVED AS COORDINATOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES AND CONTINUING EDUCATION,
AS AN ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT, AS DEAN OF INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES,
AND WHEN THE COLLEGE WAS REDISTRICTED TO GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE,
I HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING AS VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTRUCTION,
VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTRUCTION AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES,
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT...
AND WHEN PRESIDENT CALKINS RETIRED, FOR A MOMENT, I WAS INTERIM PRESIDENT.
AND THAT WAS JUST LONG ENOUGH TO SEE HOW THE COLLEGE
AND THE COMMUNITY BOTH BENEFITTED FROM THE GIANTS BANQUET
AND FROM THE PARTNERSHIP THAT THE BANQUET LED US TO FORM WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND NOW, I SEE IT FROM ANOTHER PART OF THE COMMUNITY,
AS THE PUBLISHER OF THE GRAND RAPIDS TIMES.
THERE WAS A REASON FOR THE BANQUET.
WHEN WE STARTED IT, PRESIDENT CALKINS HAD WANTED THE COLLEGE
TO REACH OUT TO ESTABLISH
A MORE FAVORABLE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY,
AND ALSO, TO INCREASE THE PRESENCE OF UNDER-SERVED POPULATIONS ON THE CAMPUS.
AND IN GRAND RAPIDS AT THAT TIME,
THE POPULATIONS WERE LARGELY WOMEN AND AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
AND THERE WAS ANOTHER NEED, TOO.
WHEN CEDRIC AND I TOOK ON THE CHALLENGE TO FIND SOME WAY
TO GET MORE PEOPLE ENGAGED WITH THE COLLEGE,
AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE GIANTS BANQUET,
WE TALKED ABOUT IT BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY,
LIKE BESSIE WARD AND LIKE ARTIST PAUL COLLINS,
WHO ALWAYS WERE TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT SOME J.C.s
AND OTHER PEOPLE WERE ALWAYS GETTING AWARDS
AND WERE RECOGNIZED IN THE PRESS AND IN THE MEDIA,
AND THAT NO ONE FROM OUR COMMUNITY WAS GETTING THAT.
SO, WE STARTED TO TALK AROUND AND TO LISTEN TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY,
AND THEN, JUST FINALLY CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA OF FINDING SOME WAY
TO RECOGNIZE PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN IGNORED.
YOU SEE, NO ONE WAS REALLY VALUING THE CONTRIBUTIONS
OF CERTAIN GROUPS OF PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, AT THAT TIME.
THE MEDIA DIDN'T REPORT OUT ON THEM,
AND SOMETIMES, WE WERE NOT LOOKING UP HIGH ENOUGH--
WE DIDN'T HAVE OUR HEADS UP,
LOOKING UP HIGH ENOUGH TO SEE THEM OURSELVES.
SO, THE GIANTS WERE THERE...
AND CALLING THEM OUT WAS NOT VERY DIFFICULT.
YOU SEE, GIANTS STAND TALL ABOVE ALL OF US, DON'T THEY?
AND IF THEY LIFT US UP TO THEIR SHOULDERS,
WE CAN SEE BROADER HORIZONS, WE CAN SEE POSSIBILITIES,
WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE NEW HEIGHTS.
AND THEY LIVE ON.
AND THE REASON THEY DO IS BECAUSE IT'S SO DIFFICULT TO BURY THEM.
TRY IT-- THINK ABOUT IT.
BURYING A GIANT.
GET THE IMAGE IN YOUR MIND.
THE MORE YOU DIG, THE FURTHER DOWN YOU GO.
SO, TONIGHT, WHAT I WANT TO DO-- AND I WISH CEDRIC WERE HERE.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT CEDRIC WOULD SAY.
AND THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW CEDRIC
WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WOULD SAY EITHER, RIGHT?
(audience laughing)
BUT I WANT TO JUST MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS,
BECAUSE WHEN YOU ARE REALLY TALKING ABOUT STARTING SOMETHING,
THAT'S NOT WHERE THE VALUE LIES.
THE VALUE REALLY LIES IN THE FACT THAT IT KEEPS GOING.
SO, ON TONIGHT, WHILE I APPRECIATE THE HONOR TO BE ABLE TO SAY TO YOU
THAT CEDRIC AND I WERE CO-FOUNDERS OF THE GIANTS BANQUET,
I HAVE TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE
WHO HAVE ACTUALLY MADE THIS CONTINUE FOR 30 YEARS,
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO, INSTEAD OF SAYING "THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION,"
IS TO ASK YOU TO JUST BEAR WITH ME FOR A MOMENT
IN GIVING CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE.
LET'S FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE PRESIDENT CALKINS,
AND NOW, PRESIDENT ENDER,
BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT GOTTEN RID OF THE GIANTS BANQUET
THROUGH DOWNSIZING, RIGHTSIZING, OR BUDGET CUTS, OR ADJUSTMENTS.
THE GIANTS BANQUET IS STILL HERE.
AND I RECALL CEDRIC AND MY TALKING ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THIS RECOGNITION,
"WHAT WOULD THIS ALL MEAN?"
IT WAS NOT GOING TO BE A POPULARITY CONTEST, WE HAD DECIDED THAT.
AND WE IMAGINED SOMETHING.
WE IMAGINED THAT NO ONE SHOULD HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY AN AWARD.
AND WE SAID THAT NO ONE WOULD HAVE ENOUGH INFLUENCE TO LOBBY FOR AN AWARD.
AND NO ONE WOULD HAVE ENOUGH SAVVY TO POLITICIZE TO GET A GIANTS AWARD.
YOU SEE, NONE OF THEM--
NONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WOULD BE BIG ENOUGH IN STATURE
TO BE A GIANT ANYWAY.
SO, WE HAD SOME STANDARDS SET THERE.
NOW, LET'S DO SOMETHING ELSE.
LET'S GIVE CREDIT, THEN, TO THE MANY PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY
WHO HAVE HELPED TO MAINTAIN THAT INTEGRITY
FOR THE GIANTS BANQUET.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECOGNIZED
AND NOMINATED THE GIANTS AMONG US.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERVED TIRELESSLY EACH YEAR
AS MEMBERS OF A COMMITTEE TO SELECT THE GIANTS
AND ALSO TO PLAN THE EVENT.
LET'S ACKNOWLEDGE, ALSO, THE LATE NINA LEWIS-SLEET.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE MERIT OF THE GIANTS BANQUET,
WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT NINA, FOR YEARS, KEPT IT GOING.
AND NOW, IT'S CHRIS ARNOLD AND FAYE DAVIS
WHO HAVE TAKEN ON THE MANTEL OF PROVIDING LEADERSHIP
FOR THE COMMITTEE THAT SELECTS THE GIANTS AND PLANS.
LET'S ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SUPPORT FROM THE BUSINESSES AND CORPORATIONS,
CHURCHES, ORGANIZATIONS, THAT HAVE HELPED TO SUSTAIN THIS GIANTS BANQUET
THROUGH THREE GENERATIONS--
IF YOU THINK OF A GENERATION AS LASTING OVER TEN YEARS,
THE GIANTS BANQUET HAS LASTED THREE GENERATIONS.
AND EVIDENCE OF THAT IS LOOKING AT THE AWARDEES TONIGHT.
IT SEEMS THAT, AS I GET OLDER EVERY YEAR,
THE AWARDEES SEEM YOUNGER AND YOUNGER AND YOUNGER.
I TOLD YOU THAT THE MEDIA WAS IGNORING THE GIANTS.
WELL, THAT'S NOT SO ANYMORE, IS IT?
YOU SEE, BY THE THIRD YEAR, CEDRIC AND I SAID,
"THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE THE 'CEDRIC AND PAT SHOW,'"
BECAUSE WE WOULD BE UP HERE AND WE WOULD BE INTRODUCING THE GIANTS...
SO, WE CALLED ON THE MEDIA.
AND IT WAS, FIRST, THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS,
AND YOU MIGHT REMEMBER BILL MACKLIN AND SOME OTHERS WHO WERE ON STAGE.
AND NOW, IT'S JENNIFER AND IT'S EDDIE,
AND THEY HAVE BEEN HERE FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW,
HELPING US TO PUT SPOTLIGHT ON GIANTS.
YOU REMEMBER CEDRIC AND, UM, MY TELLING YOU SOMETIMES
ABOUT THE EVE OF THE GIANTS BANQUET?
WHEN...
WE HAD RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DISCRETIONARY FUND?
AND WE HAD PROMISED HIM
THAT WE'D HAVE ENOUGH RESERVATIONS TO REPLACE THE MONEY?
WELL, WE SAT THERE IN ROOM 153 IN THE MAIN BUILDING ON CAMPUS,
AND WE LOOKED AT THE 69 RESERVATIONS WE HAD ON THE NIGHT BEFORE.
BUT I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING--
I WANT TO ASK EVERYONE WHO'S STANDING IN THIS FIRST ROW TO STAND,
AND THE FIRST THREE TABLES ON THE SECOND ROW,
WOULD YOU JUST STAND, PLEASE?
DO ME A FAVOR-- JUST STAND.
OKAY, THIS WAS THE ATTENDANCE AT THE FIRST GIANTS BANQUET.
TONIGHT, THERE ARE MORE THAN 800 PEOPLE.
(applause) THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
AND SO, NOW, WHAT I ASK YOU TO DO, IN GIVING CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE,
IS TO ALSO GIVE CREDIT TO YOURSELVES AND TO THE OTHERS
WHO HAVE ATTENDED EACH YEAR BEFORE YOU,
BECAUSE IT'S ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE MADE THIS GIANTS BANQUET
NOT ONLY THE EVENT OF THE YEAR AND ONE OF THE LARGEST EVENTS OF THE YEAR,
BUT ALSO THE EVENT THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO HAVE ON HIS OR HER CALENDAR.
EVERYONE WANTS TO BE SURE TO COME TO THE GIANTS BANQUET.
SO, I APPLAUD EACH OF YOU AND SAY "THANK YOU" FOR THE SUPPORT
THROUGH ALL OF THE YEARS.
AND WON'T YOU JOIN ME IN APPLAUDING THOSE WHO HAVE HELPED TO MAINTAIN IT.
THANK YOU. (applause)
>> THANK YOU, DR. PULLIAM.
AT THIS TIME, WE'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS.
YOU'LL SEE THEM LISTED ON THE SCREEN BEHIND US.
OUR CHAMPION SPONSORS INCLUDE--
BELIEVE 2 BECOME,
BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF MICHIGAN,
DAVENPORT UNIVERSITY, EASTERN FLORAL AND GIFTS,
GRAND RAPID KENT COUNTY CONVENTION ARENA AUTHORITY,
SPECTRUM HEALTH.
>> WE ALSO HAVE OUR PATRON SPONSORS--
AQUINAS COLLEGE,
DAVIDSON, BREEN & DOWD, P.C.,
FIFTH THIRD BANK, GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY,
HEART OF WEST MICHIGAN UNITED WAY,
MEIJER, AND MERRILL LYNCH.
>> WE'D LIKE TO ALSO OFFER A SPECIAL "THANK YOU" TO DR.--
TO MR. BING GOEI FROM EASTERN FLORAL
FOR ALL OF THE BEAUTIFUL FLORAL ARRANGEMENT--
I ALMOST CALLED HIM DR. BING!
THAT MUST MEAN SOMETHING. (audience laughing)
THANKS, ALSO, TO "THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS"
AND GRCC MEDIA DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT.
>> LET'S GIVE THEM ALL A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
(applause) ALL OF OUR SPONSORS
AND THOSE WHO HAVE HELPED OUT.
AND NOW, TO ONE OF OUR FAVORITE PARTS OF THE PROGRAM--
HONORING AND RECOGNIZING OUR YOUTH TONIGHT.
WE HAVE THE MILO BROWN SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATION,
SO WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO PLEASE WELCOME MISS LAURA MOODY
WITH THE GRCC NURSING FACULTY,
MISS ELLEN JAMES, WHO'S ON THE MILO BROWN SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE
AND, OF COURSE, THE GRAND RAPIDS BOARD OF TRUSTEES,
AND MISS FAYE WEATHERALL-DAVIS, CO-CHAIR OF THE GIANTS COMMITTEE.
PLEASE, WELCOME THEM FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATION.
(applause)
>> GOOD EVENING. >> (all) GOOD EVENING.
>> IT IS WITH GREAT HONOR I STAND HERE TONIGHT
ON BEHALF OF THE MILO M. BROWN SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS.
I WILL BE CALLING THEM UP, AND IF MICHAEL JOHNSON--
IF YOU'RE IN THE AUDIENCE, IF YOU WOULD STAND A MINUTE.
LET'S GIVE HIM AN APPLAUSE
FOR CONTINUING ON THIS GREAT HONOR, FOR MILO M. BROWN.
(applause) THANK YOU.
OUR FIRST RECIPIENT, MR. RODNEY COBBINS.
HE RECEIVES HIS INSPIRATION FROM HIS MOTHER, TWO SONS, SHAQUITA,
AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MAIN SUPPORTER.
HIS PASSIONATE IS TEACHING YOUNG CHILDREN.
ONE OF HIS LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION STATED, "MR. COBBINS IS AN ADVOCATE
"FOR OUR YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY,
"AND UNSELFISHLY VOLUNTEERS HIS TIME AND TALENTS,
"MENTORING YOUNG MEN."
EARNING AN OVERALL G.P.A. OF 3.718,
RODNEY IS ON HIS WAY TO OBTAINING AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE
IN TEACHER PREPARATION AND CONTINUE HIS EDUCATION TO TEACH AT-RISK YOUTH,
AND THEN, GO ON TO GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY FOR HIS TEACHING DEGREE.
RODNEY IS COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE LIVES OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN CRISIS.
HE WANTS STUDENTS NOT ONLY TO LEARN
BUT ALSO TO BECOME CONFIDENT, CONTRIBUTING CITIZENS TO OUR SOCIETY.
HIS GOAL IS TO HELP YOUTH REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
PLEASE, JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING RODNEY.
(applause)
OUR NEXT RECIPIENT, MR. STEVEN COUCH...
WHO HAS BEEN--
HIS MOST INSPIRATION IS HIS PARENTS.
STEVEN HAS A DESPERATE AND UNFLINCHING NEED TO SERVE OTHERS.
HIS ENCOURAGEMENT TO ASSIST OTHERS TO VIEW FOOD
WITH GREAT CARE AND ATTENTION,
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE OUTCOMES OF OUR HEALTH
CAN BE LARGELY DETERMINED BY THE CHOICES WE MAKE EVERY DAY.
AFTER HE OBTAINS HIS ASSOCIATE'S IN CULINARY ARTS,
HIS GOAL INCLUDES EMPOWERING OTHERS THROUGH EDUCATION
ON THE PREVENTION OF CHRONIC DISEASE THROUGH NUTRITION
AND HEALTHY EATING HABITS.
IT HAS BEEN SAID, "BECAUSE OF STEVEN, OUT NEIGHBORHOOD IS ENLIGHTENED
"AND EXCITED ABOUT OUR FOODS.
"CHILDREN CAN TELL YOU WHAT PLANTS ARE GROWING IN THEIR GARDENS
"AND WHY WE NEED VITAMIN K."
WITH HIS ASPIRATIONS ON OBTAINING A MASTER'S DEGREE
AND A CURRENT G.P.A. OF 3.908,
STEVEN IS ON HIS WAY TO BE THE GRADUATE THAT LEADS AN INDELIBLE MARK
ON THE FOOD INDUSTRY.
PLEASE, JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING STEVEN.
(applause)
MISS LONDIN JOHNSON.
SHE'S THE YOUNGEST OF THREE.
HER MOTTO IS, "LEARN FROM YESTERDAY,
"LIVE FOR TODAY, AND HOPE FOR TOMORROW,"
WHICH WAS INSTILLED IN HER BY HER PARENTS,
WHO ALWAYS PROMOTED EDUCATION.
SHE MADE SURE ACADEMICS WAS HER FIRST PRIORITY,
AND WITH A CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT AVERAGE OF 3.176,
SHE IS WELL ON HER WAY TO COMPLETE HER ASSOCIATE'S
IN OFFICE ADMINISTRATION AT GRCC.
AND THEN, THE 3+1 OFFICE ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM
AT DAVENPORT UNIVERSITY.
A CO-WORKER STATED, "ALONG WITH DEDICATION AND SKILL,
"LONDIN IS PROFESSIONAL AND WELCOMING TO STAFF, STUDENTS, AND FACULTY.
"SHE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR STUDENT WORKERS ON THE CAMPUS OF GRCC.
"LONDIN SHOWS GREAT INITIATIVE AND DILIGENCE
"AND IS ALWAYS TRYING TO MAKE OTHERS HAPPY."
PLEASE, JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING LONDIN.
(applause)
MR. RONALD KAMGANG.
HE IS ENROLLED IN GRCC AND PLANS TO DO DUAL ENROLLMENT AT G.V.S.U.,
PURSUING A DEGREE IN PHARMACEUTICAL FIELD,
WHICH WILL ALLOW HIM TO BETTER SERVE HIS COMMUNITY.
AS A TEENAGER, HE WAS MOTIVATED WITH PERSONAL GOALS IN HEALTH PROFESSION.
HIS DEDICATION, EFFORT, WILLINGNESS,
TO SHARE WITH OTHERS THROUGH HIS TUTORING SKILLS, CURIOSITY,
AND DESIRE TO LEARN MAKES HIM THE KIND OF STUDENT
HIS INSTRUCTORS WISH SHE HAD IN EVERY CLASS.
ORIGINALLY FROM CAMEROON, WHICH IS LOCATED IN CENTRAL AFRICA,
RONALD CAME TO THE U.S. 42 MONTHS AGO, LACKING ANY ENGLISH.
THROUGH HIS COMMITMENT AND HARD WORK,
HE EARNED A G.P.A. OF 3.67.
HELP ME CONGRATULATE RONALD.
(applause)
AND OUR LAST RECIPIENT IS MISS ERIKA WYNNE.
SHE IS THE SECOND OLDEST OF FOUR GIRLS.
SHE IS PROUD TO SAY THAT HER PARENTS ARE HER BIGGEST SUPPORTERS.
SHE IS PURSUING FOUR DEGREES...
THREE DEGREES IN MUSIC--
PIANO PERFORMANCE, VOICE PERFORMANCE, AND MUSIC EDUCATION--
AND ONE IN FINE ARTS.
SHE FINDS IT REWARDING TO PASS HER LOVE OF THE ARTS
ON TO OTHER STUDENTS BY TEACHING PIANO AND VOICE.
AN INSTRUCTOR STATED, "ERIKA'S NOT ONLY A FINE STUDENT,
"BUT ALSO A LEADER AMONG STUDENTS.
"SHE WORKS AS A KEYBOARD LAB TUTOR AND IS SOUGHT OUT BY OTHER STUDENTS.
"SHE IS NOT HAUGHTY OR BOASTFUL ABOUT HER GREAT MUSICAL GIFTS."
OTHER ACTIVITIES INCLUDIN'--
HAVING A BROWN BELT IN MATSUMURA SEITO KARATE
AND PLAYING DINNER MUSIC AT ARNIES.
WITH A G.P.A. OF 3.573,
ERIKA PLANS TO GAIN A DEEPER KNOWLEDGE
OF CLASSICAL AND THEOLOGICAL--
HOPES TO TEACH THOSE SUBJECTS IN SOME CAPACITY
AND PURSUE A CAREER IN MUSIC MINISTRY.
PLEASE, JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING ERIKA.
(applause)
THESE ARE YOUR 2012 RECIPIENTS OF THE MILO M. BROWN--
SHALL WE GIVE THEM ALL AN APPLAUSE?
(applause)
THANK YOU.
>> AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS.
PLEASE, GIVE THEM ANOTHER HAND OF APP-- APPLAUSE.
(applause)
>> AND IT WAS POINTED OUT TO ME, AS I WAS COMING BACK ONSTAGE,
THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO FIVE SCHOLARSHIPS THIS YEAR.
THIS IS A BLESSING AND A WONDERFUL THING,
SO CONGRATULATIONS, AGAIN, TO ALL OF THEM.
(applause)
>> AND TONIGHT, WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT THIS YEAR,
IN RECOGNITION OF THE 30th ANNIVERSARY.
WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW YOUTH AWARD
WHICH WILL BE AWARDED IN 2013.
ANNOUNCING THE JUNIOR GIANTS STUDENT AWARD,
WHICH WILL BE AWARDED TO A STUDENT IN MIDDLE-HIGH SCHOOL
WHO DEMONSTRATE A COMMITMENT TO LEADERSHIP, MENTORSHIP,
AND SERVICE IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> THAT'S A WONDERFUL NEW ADDITION. (applause)
IT IS NOW TIME-- IT IS. (applause)
FOR OUR ANNUAL GIANTS AWARDS PRESENTATION.
THE MOMENT WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR.
SO, LET US BEGIN.
OUR FIRST GIANT AWARD WINNER TONIGHT IS ALWAYS ASKING THE QUESTION,
"WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE?"
WHILE HE HAS BEEN INTEGRAL TO MANY INITIATIVES
CONCERNED WITH PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISENFRANCHISED GROUPS
AT HIS WORK AND IN THE COMMUNITY,
HE IS NOT CONTENT TO SIMPLY RECOGNIZE POSITIVE OUTCOMES.
HE LOOKS FOR ADDITIONAL ACTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN
TOWARD GREATER INCLUSION FOR ALL PEOPLE
AND TOWARDS THE REMOVAL OF BARRIERS TO PROSPERITY AND SUCCESS.
MR. KENYATTA LUMUMBA LONDON BRAME IS THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
AND GROUPS SERVICES SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF CASCADE ENGINEERING,
A UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL GRADUATE,
HE ALSO HOLDS A MASTER'S OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
FROM MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.
HE IS A MAN OF COMMITMENT, EVIDENT WITH HIS LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP
WITH AN ORPHANAGE IN HONDURAS,
RETURNING ANNUALLY FOR PAST 17 YEARS
TO VISIT AND ASSIST WITH PROJECTS.
HE SERVES ON MANY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS,
INCLUDING FREDERIK MEIJER GARDENS,
THE STATE BAR OF MICHIGAN CHARACTER AND FITNESS COMMITTEE,
AND THE FLOYD SKINNER BAR ASSOCIATION.
A NOMINATOR WROTE, "KENYATTA BRAME IS A TRUE SERVANT LEADER,
"HIGHLY RESPECTED BY THE STAFF OF CASCADE ENGINEERING,
"AND A TRUE ADVOCATE FOR DIVERSITY
"AND ANTI-RACISM IN THE GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY."
LET US HERE MORE, NOW, FROM KENYATTA BRAME.
(applause) >> THANK YOU.
IT'S A GREAT PRIVILEGE AND HONOR
TO RECEIVE THE FLOYD SKINNER JUSTICE AWARD.
ALTHOUGH I AM BEING RECOGNIZED TONIGHT,
ENSURING JUSTICE IS THE RESPONSIBILITY
OF EACH AND EVERY CITIZEN IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THOSE OF US WHO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF ENJOYING JUSTICE
MUST SPEAK UP FOR THOSE
FOR WHOM JUSTICE IS MORE OF A DREAM THAN A REALITY.
JAMES BALDWIN ONCE WROTE THAT, "ONE REALLY WANTS TO WISH TO KNOW
"HOW JUSTICE IS ADMINISTERED, ONE DOES NOT QUESTION THE POLICEMEN,
"THE LAWYERS, THE JUDGES-- ONE GOES TO THE UNPROTECTED
"AND LISTENS TO THEIR TESTIMONY."
I OFTEN ASK MYSELF, "HOW AM I LISTENING TO THESE TESTIMONIES?
"WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS THAT KEEP JUSTICE FROM BEING A REALITY?
"IS IT RACE, NATION ORIGIN, CRIMINAL RECORD?"
FOR DR. KING TOLD US THAT "INJUSTICE ANYWHERE
"IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE."
SOME INJUSTICES ARE NOT ALWAYS OBVIOUS AT FIRST GLANCE.
MICHELLE ALEXANDER'S BOOK, "THE NEW JIM CROW,"
TEACHES US THAT LAWS NEUTRAL ON THEIR FACE CAN BE UNJUSTLY ENFORCED.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE DATA TELLS US THAT BLACK MEN
ARE NO MORE LIKELY TO USE OR SELL DRUGS THAN THEIR NON-BLACK COUNTERPARTS.
BUT IN THE WAR ON DRUGS, WE ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY TARGETED,
LABELED AS FELONS, AND SENTENCED TO PRISON.
IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT JUSTICE ADMINISTERED UNEQUALLY
LEADS TO INJUSTICE.
IT IS WITH THIS THOUGHT IN MIND THAT CASCADE ENGINEERING
IS MOVING THE "ARE YOU A FELON" QUESTION OFF OF OUR INITIAL EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION,
TO ENSURE THAT ALL APPLICANTS ARE GIVEN A FAIR CHANCE TO GAIN EMPLOYMENT.
IT'S WORK LIKE THIS THAT MAKES ME PROUD TO WORK FOR FRED KELLER
AND TO BE PART OF THE GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY.
IN CLOSING, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE BROTHERS OF OMEGA PSI PHI
FOR NOMINATING ME FOR THIS AWARD AND SURROUNDING ME WITH FRIENDSHIP.
I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OMEGA MAN, FLOYD SKINNER,
WHO GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL IN 1923,
PAVING THE WAY FOR ME TO ENTER THE U. OF M.,
AND LATER, PRACTICE LAW IN GRAND RAPIDS.
I'D LIKE TO THANK MY PARENTS, BROTHERS, SISTERS, NIECES, AND NEPHEWS,
EXTENDED FAMILY AND FRIENDS...
THEIR LOVE AND SUPPORT HAVE ALLOWED ME TO BE THE MAN I AM TODAY.
FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO GIVE SPECIAL THANKS TO MY CHILDREN-- KAMAU, KIMANI--
AND MY WIFE, TRACEY.
I COULD HAVE NOT FOUND A MORE INSPIRING, INTELLIGENT, AND BEAUTIFUL WOMAN.
TRACEY IS MY GIANT, AND I'M A LITTLE GIANT COMPARED TO HER.
I WISH EVERY PERSON COULD HAVE A PARTNER LIKE TRACEY IN THEIR LIVES.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS TONIGHT.
THANK YOU, AND GOOD NIGHT.
(applause) >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THIS YEAR'S FLOYD SKINNER JUSTICE AWARD WINNER, MR. KENYATTA BRAME!
(jazz music playing) (applause, cheering)
>> CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO KENYATTA BRAME.
(applause)
OUR NEXT AWARD IS THE WALTER COE PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD.
OUR RECIPIENT IS MRS. ANITA CHRISTOPHER.
MRS. CHRISTOPHER HAS MATED HER WORK TO--
LIFE'S WORK TO SPEAK FOR THOSE WHO OFTEN CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES,
WHETHER ADULTS OR CHILDREN.
SHE ADVOCATES FOR CONSIDERATION, RESPECT, AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL.
CURRENTLY, MRS. CHRISTOPHER IS A SENIOR PROGRAM DIRECTOR
OF UNITED METHODIST COMMUNITY HOUSE.
HAVING MOVED THROUGH POSITIONS AT UNITED METHODIST COMMUNITY HOUSE,
FROM ASSISTANT TEACHER TO LEAD TEACHER,
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR TO DIRECTOR OF CHILDCARE,
AND NOW, TO SENIOR PROGRAMS DIRECTOR.
SHE ALSO SERVED AS INTERIM DIRECTOR OF UNITED METHODIST COMMUNITY HOUSE
DURING A TRANSITIONAL PERIOD.
IN EACH POSITION, SHE DEMONSTRATED THROUGH EXAMPLE AND LEADERSHIP.
HER EXCEPTIONAL ETHICS AND DEDICATION
TO THE WORK OF THE COMMUNITY HOUSE IS EVIDENT.
IF YOU'VE EVER HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING
OR WORKING WITH MRS. CHRISTOPHER,
YOU IMMEDIATELY SENSE THE POSITIVE SPIRIT
AND HEART-FELT CARE AND COMMITMENT
SHE HAS FOR CHILDREN AND EVERYONE.
MRS. CHRISTOPHER USES HER UNIQUE TALENTS
TO ENSURE THE SENIORS SERVED BY UNITED METHODIST COMMUNITY HOUSE
KNOW THAT THEY ARE CARED FOR
AND THAT SOMEONE IS SPEAKING ON THEIR BEHALF.
SHE ORGANIZES SPECIAL EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE SENIORS,
WHILE ALSO DEVELOPING STRATEGIES FOR MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
TO HELP ATTRACT DONORS.
IN ADDITION, MRS. CHRISTOPHER TEACHES PERSONAL ACTIONS TOWARD HEALTH--
THOSE ARE CLASSES THAT UNITED METHODIST COMMUNITY HOUSE
AND ALSO AT FIRST COMMUNITY A.M.E. CHURCH'S SENIOR HOUSING UNIT, ALLEN MANOR.
AS HER NOMINATION READS, "FOR ALL HER LIFE,
"ANITA HAS SHOWN COMPASSION FOR CHILDREN, AS WELL AS SENIOR CITIZENS,
"OFFERING CARE, ATTENTION, AND LOVE."
HERE NOW IS MORE FROM MRS. CHRISTOPHER.
>> I WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR PRESENTING ME WITH THIS GREAT HONOR.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY FAMILY,
ESPECIALLY MY PARENTS, WILLIAM AND KATHERINE WELCH,
FOR BEING OUTSTANDING ROLE-MODELS.
I WAS BLESSED TO BE BORN TO CHRISTIAN PARENTS
THAT WALKED IT LIKE THEY TALKED IT.
I WAS TAUGHT BY THEM THE TRUE MEANING OF "LOVE THY NEIGHBOR."
I FEEL THAT GOD'S PURPOSE FOR MY LIFE IS TO BE A SERVANT.
I'M BLESSED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE
AND TO WALK WITHIN MY PURPOSE ON A DAILY BASIS.
I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW COMPASSION
AND LOVE TO THOSE I SERVE.
THERE'S NOTHING WORLD-SHATTERING ABOUT WHAT I DO,
BUT I DO CAN MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE TO AN INDIVIDUAL IN NEED.
THIS COMMUNITY HAS AN ABUNDANCE OF RESOURCES.
I SIMPLY FORM COLLABORATIONS, PARTNERSHIPS,
AND MAKE CONNECTIONS SO THAT THOSE IN NEED RECEIVE THE SERVICES
AND INFORMATION THEY NEED.
THE CHALLENGE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SERVICES ARE DELIVERED WITH LOVE
AND IN A WAY THAT HELPS INDIVIDUALS MAINTAIN THEIR DIGNITY AND SELF-RESPECT.
MOTHER TERESA SAID, "NOT ALL OF US CAN DO GREAT THINGS,
"BUT WE CAN ALL DO SMALL THINGS WITH GREAT LOVE."
THANK YOU.
(applause)
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT'S MY HONOR
TO PRESENT THE WALTER COE PUBLIC SERVICE GIANT AWARD
TO MRS. ANITA CHRISTOPHER!
(jazz music playing) (applause)
OUR NEXT GIANT IS MR. CLE JACKSON,
AND HE'S RECEIVING THE EUGENE BROWNING MEDICAL SERVICE AWARD.
THE NOMINATION OF MR. CLE JACKSON
CONTAINS SUCH AN EXTENSIVE LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS,
NOT ALL CAN BE LISTED HERE THIS EVENING.
MR. JACKSON CURRENTLY SERVES AS SENIOR COMMUNITY LIAISON
WITH BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF MICHIGAN.
HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMUNITY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
IN THE WEST MICHIGAN REGION.
HIS PASSION FOR, AND DEDICATION TO, THE COMMUNITY IS OVERWHELMING.
HE PROMOTES COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
AND IS EVIDENT IN MANY INITIATIVES HE HAS INTRODUCED.
HIS ADVOCACY IS FOCUSED ON THOSE WHO MAY NOT HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS
TO ACCESS PREMIUM HEALTH SERVICES, WHETHER YOUTH OR SENIORS.
WITH THIS IN MIND, HE NEGOTIATED A PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CALLED "BODY & SOUL BLUE,"
PROMOTING HEALTHY EATING, WELL-BEING, AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY,
LAUNCHED AS A CHURCH-TO-CHURCH CHALLENGE WITHIN AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHURCHES.
WITHIN FIVE GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS,
F.I.T. WAS INITIATED,
EMPHASIZING NUTRITIOUS AND AFFORDABLE FOOD.
ACCESS TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
AND INCREASING KNOWLEDGE OF FITNESS, DIET, AND HEALTH.
MR. JACKSON ALSO SERVES IN MANY COMMUNITY ENDEAVORS
AS A VOLUNTEER WITH CATHERINE'S HEALTH CENTER
AND AS PRESIDENT OF BAXTER COMMUNITY CENTER.
AS ONE NOMINATOR NOTED, "GRAND RAPIDS IS FORTUNATE
"TO BE THE BENEFICIARY OF CLE'S TIME, HIS TALENTS, AND HIS PASSION."
HERE, NOW, IS MR. CLE JACKSON.
>> FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK GOD.
I AM HUMBLED TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD.
I SINCERELY THANK SENITA LENEAR,
THE GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS PRESIDENT, FOR HER NOMINATION.
IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE WITH HER IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I THANK THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR SELECTING ME.
I FULLY UNDERSTAND THIS AWARD IS GRANTED BASED ON MY PERSONAL
AND PROFESSIONAL EFFORTS TO HELP REDUCE HEALTH DISPARITIES,
AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO CARE.
I DEDICATE THIS AWARD TO MY PARENTS, MR. AND MRS. CLE AND EUNICE JACKSON,
FOR ALWAYS TEACHING ME AND MY 14 SIBLINGS TO GIVE BACK, IN SERVICE,
AND THANK YOU TO MY EMPLOYER, BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF MICHIGAN,
MR. DANIEL LOEPP, OUR C.E.O.,
MR. JEFFREY CONNOLLY, OUR REGIONAL PRESIDENT,
AND MISS BRIDGET HURD, DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY,
FOR THEIR COMMITMENT AND INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE, AND THROUGH COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS
WITH COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS PARTNERS,
WE WORK TO PROMOTE HEALTH AND WELLNESS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
THIS VIDEO WILL DEMONSTRATE THE IMPACT OF OUR COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU.
>> WE HAVE WORKED WITH BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD ON SEVERAL INITIATIVES,
FIRST AND FOREMOST BEING OUR ANNUAL RHYTHM RUN,
AND THIS RUN IS REALLY UNIQUE IN THAT IT ALLOWS US
TO GET INTO THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY
AND REALLY PROMOTE THE IMPORTANCE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
>> WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH AN ORGANIZATION
CALLED "SEEDS OF PROMISE" TO REALLY EXPLORE STRATEGIES
AND OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE HEALTHCARE DISPARITIES.
(music)
WE'VE ALSO EMBARKED ON A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY,
CALLED "BODY & SOUL" AND "THE BLUES' COMMUNITY CHALLENGE."
>> WE HAVE A COMPETITION, UH, BETWEEN CHURCHES TO HELP THEM KEEP MORE ACTIVE,
AND THEN, ALSO, TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE HEALTH INFORMATION
THAT'S OUT THERE AND ACTUALLY APPLY IT TO THEIR LIVES
AND BE ABLE TO REDUCE THE HEALTH DISPARITIES
THAT THEY'RE SEEING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
>> WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY
WHO ARE NOT EATING RIGHT.
WITH THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE,
WE'RE BEGINNING TO FIND OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO THE MARKETS,
BUYING THE TYPE OF FOODS THAT YOU HAVE,
THEY'RE EATING MORE VEGETABLES, EATING MORE FRUITS.
(music)
>> ANOTHER PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH IS "PROJECT F.I.T."
AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS IDENTIFIED FOUR SCHOOLS
IN THE GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT TO REALLY EDUCATE
AND BRING AWARENESS ON OBESITY AND OBESITY PREVENTION.
(music)
>> NEIGHBORHOOD VENTURES IS A STRONG PARTNER
IN THE PROJECT F.I.T. COLLABORATIVE, AS WELL.
>> THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD
ON THE F.I.T. STORES PROGRAM ACTUALLY HELPS US TO INCREASE THE ACCESS
OF HEALTHIER FOOD OPTIONS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE HAVE 43 INDIVIDUAL STORES.
(music)
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THIS YEAR'S 2012 EUGENE BROWNING MEDICAL SERVICE AWARD GOES TO...
MR. CLE JACKSON!
(applause, cheering) (jazz music playing)
>> DON'T YOU JUST LOVE NINO AND THE JAZZ PEOPLE?
(audience laughing) I DO.
OUR NEXT GIANT IS THE WINNER OF THE W.W. PLUMMER HUMANITARIAN AWARD.
MR. DARIUS L. QUINN IS NOMINATED FOR THIS GIANTS AWARD
FOR HIS DEDICATION TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE
IN THE GRAND RAPIDS WEST MICHIGAN REGION.
HE CURRENTLY SERVES AS DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES FOR KENT COUNTY,
AS WELL AS THE ORGANIZATION'S CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER.
IN THIS CAPACITY, MR. QUINN WORKS TO ENSURE ACCESS
FOR ALL TO PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
MR. QUINN IS RECOGNIZED FOR HIS EXPERTISE AND HIS STEADFAST PROFESSIONALISM.
THROUGH HIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS WITH COUNTY LEADERSHIP,
THE COUNTY IS BECOMING KNOWN NOW AS AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE
WITH A STRONG DIVERSITY STRATEGIC PLAN.
HIS NOMINATOR STATES THAT, "MR. QUINN REMAINS HUMBLE
"AND BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD."
HE CONTRIBUTES FURTHER TO THE HEALTH OF THE AREA
THROUGH THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
OF THE KENT COUNTY CONVENTION ARENA AUTHORITY.
HIS SERVICE IS NOT LIMITED TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY.
HE IS A MAYORAL APPOINTEE
TO THE KENTWOOD PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION,
A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF JUBILEE JOBS, AND AWAKE INC.,
CONCERNED WITH ENCOURAGEMENT AND MENTORING OF AREA YOUTH.
HE EXHIBITS AN UNSELFISH PERSONAL COMMITMENT OF TIME AND RESOURCES
IN SUPPORT OF AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY.
HERE'S MR. QUINN, NOW, WITH MORE.
>> GOOD EVENING.
FIRST, GIVING ALL OF THE HONOR AND THE GLORY TO GOD.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY NOMINATOR
AND THE GIANTS SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERING ME FOR THIS GREAT HONOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY WIFE AND MY CHILDREN
FOR GIVING ME THE FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY
IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
I PROMISE TO BE BRIEF, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO THANK A FEW OTHERS
FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE OF SERVICE.
FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE LEADERSHIP OF KENT COUNTY
FOR SUPPORTING ME IN THE WORK THAT WE DO.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE KENT COUNTY CULTURAL INSIGHT COUNCIL
AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
FOR ALLOWING ME TO WORK ALONGSIDE OF THEM,
AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS PROVIDING BETTER SERVICES
TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND TO THE CITIZENS OF KENT COUNTY.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE VARIOUS BOARDS, COMMITTEES,
AND GROUPS THAT I BELONG TO,
FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE OF SERVICE TO THEM, AS WELL.
IF THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS
WITH US IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT, I INVITE YOU TO STAND
AND SHARE IN THIS SPECIAL MOMENT WITH ME, AS WELL.
THOSE ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDE THE EMPLOYEES OF KENT COUNTY,
THE EMPLOYEES AND MEMBERS OF THE JUBILEE JOBS BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
THE GRAND RAPIDS KENT COUNTY CONVENTION ARENA AUTHORITY
AND ITS SUBCOMMITTEES,
S.M.G., AND THE CITY OF KENTWOOD.
SPECIAL THANKS TO COMMUNITY INCLUSION GROUP MEMBERS
CHRIS ARNOLD AND EDDIE TADLOCK
FOR BROKERING THE DEAL TO ALLOW US TO HOLD THE GIANTS EVENT
AT THIS WONDERFUL FACILITY EACH YEAR.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE OF SERVICE.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I ASK THAT MY WIFE AND CHILDREN
PLEASE STAND TO BE RECOGNIZED, AS THEY ARE THE LOVES OF MY LIFE.
AUDIENCE, PLEASE PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO MY WIFE AT THIS TIME,
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT RIGHT ABOUT NOW, SHE'S GIVING ME THAT LOOK.
HAVE A GREAT NIGHT, GRAND RAPIDS, AND THANKS AGAIN.
(applause) >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THIS YEAR'S W.W. PLUMMER HUMANITARIAN AWARD WINNER,
MR. DARIUS L. QUINN!
(applause, cheering) (jazz music playing)
>> THE NEXT 2012 GIANTS AWARD HONOREE
IS DR. MALINDA P. SAPP,
FOR THE ETHEL COE HUMANITIES AWARD.
THE PASSING OF DR. MALINDA P. SAPP WAS A TREMENDOUS LOSS TO HER FAMILY,
AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
AS HER NOMINATION OUTLINES, LADY MALINDA SAPP DEVOTED HERSELF
TO ENRICHING THE SPIRITUAL AND PERSONAL LIVES
OF THOSE AROUND HER.
WITH HER HUSBAND, REVEREND DR. MARVIN SAPP,
LADY MALINDA SAPP CO-FOUNDED LIGHTHOUSE FULL LIFE CENTER CHURCH.
IN ADDITION, LADY MALINDA INITIATED THE GRAND RAPIDS ELLINGTON ACADEMY
FOR ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY, INCORPORATED...
IT'S AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM THAT INTRODUCES THE STUDY
OF ART AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE MASTERY OF ACADEMIC SKILLS AND CONTENT.
THE GRAND RAPIDS ELLINGTON ACADEMY FOR ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY
SERVES OVER 300 STUDENTS ANNUALLY.
LADY MALINDA'S ADVOCACY AND ACTIVITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY
INCLUDED THE BOARD OF PINE REST CHRISTIAN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES,
WORKING AS AN ADJUNCT COLLEGE INSTRUCTOR,
AND ACTING AS AN ADVOCATE FOR LOCAL STUDENTS,
ENCOURAGING THEM IN THEIR PURSUIT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
THROUGH BLACK COLLEGE TOURS AND INFORMATION.
SHE IS DESCRIBED AS HAVING BEEN A MOVER AND A SHAKER,
WITH A VISIBLE, PERSONAL STRENGTH.
AS SHE ONCE SAID IN HER OWN WORDS, QUOTE,
"I LOVE VISUALIZING THE CONNECTEDNESS IN RELATIONSHIPS AROUND ME.
"IT IS ALL ABOUT THAT...
"ALL ABOUT INTERACTIONS AND INTERDEPENDENCY.
"I SIMPLY BELIEVE WE MUST GIVE WHAT WE HAVE,
"ALL WHAT WE HAVE, EVERY DAY," END QUOTE.
HERE NOW IS DR. MALINDA P. SAPP'S FAMILY.
>> GRACE AND PEACE, ALL.
I'M PASTOR DR. MARVIN L. SAPP,
AND I AM JUST LOOKING AS GHETTO AS I COULD POSSIBLY LOOK TODAY--
ME AND MY KIDS.
BUT WE WANTED TO JUST STOP FOR A MOMENT
AND SAY THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR HONORING MY WONDERFUL AND LATE WIFE,
DR. MALINDA P. SAPP WITH THIS ETHEL COE AWARD.
I JUST FEEL LIKE, MAN, YOU KNOW, SHE DONE GREAT THINGS
WHILE SHE WAS ON THIS EARTH,
AND SHE'S DOING EVEN GREATER THINGS IN HEAVEN, EVEN AS WE SPEAK.
SO, AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MAY GOD BLESS YOU, MAY GOD KEEP YOU.
THIS IS MY PRAYER... MADDIE?
>> THANK YOU FOR GIVING MY MOM THE ETHEL COE AWARD.
>> ON BEHALF OF MY MOM,
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS AWARD.
>> THANKS! >> (laughing) GRACE AND PEACE.
(applause)
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THIS YEAR'S 2012 ETHEL COE HUMANITIES AWARD RECIPIENT
IS DR. MALINDA P. SAPP, POSTHUMOUSLY!
ACCEPTING THE AWARD IS HER HUSBAND, REVEREND DR. MARVIN SAPP,
AND THEIR CHILDREN, MARVIN, MIKAILA, AND MADISSON!
(applause, cheering) (jazz music playing)
>> WHAT A WONDERFUL THING.
THAT, OF COURSE, WOULD BE...
THE A.K.A.s GIVING A COMMEMORATIVE BOUQUET OF ROSES.
I THINK THAT'S AWESOME.
(applause)
>> THE 2012 MILO BROWN BUSINESS AWARD
GOES TO MR. JAMES EDWARD McCLAIN.
JIM McCLAIN HAS BEEN OVERCOMING ODDS
AND OTHER PEOPLES' EXPECTATIONS HIS ENTIRE LIFE.
BECAUSE OF CONTRACTING POLIO AT A VERY YOUNG AGE,
HE MAY HAVE BEEN SEEN BY OTHERS AS SOMEONE WITH "LIMITATIONS."
THESE LIMITATIONS WERE NOT EVIDENT TO JIM,
AND DID NOT IMPEDE HIS ACHIEVEMENTS
OR DICTATE THE CHALLENGES HE CHOSE THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE.
HIS NOMINATION TELLS OF A MAN
WHO SHOWED AND STILL SHOWS IMMENSE PERSEVERANCE AND VISION.
HE WORKED IN COTTON FIELDS, IN GARDEN FARMING,
AS A (indistinct) HOTEL ELEVATOR OPERATOR, AS A KITCHEN COOK,
AND FINALLY, MOVING INTO CONSTRUCTION AND THE PAVING INDUSTRY.
HIS NOMINATOR SUGGESTS THAT HIS EXEMPLARY WORK ETHIC
MADE HIM AN EXCELLENT LEADER AND ROLE MODEL
FOR HIS EMPLOYEES AND COMMUNITY.
HE FIRST OPENED A SMALL RESTAURANT CALLED "KELLY'S,"
AND THEN HE RAN "JIM'S BARBEQUE" FOR SEVERAL YEARS--
I KNOW MANY OF YOU REMEMBER THAT.
I KNOW I DO.
IN 1976, HE ESTABLISHED "JIM'S ASPHALT SEALING AND PAVING COMPANY,"
THE FIRST ASPHALT MINORITY CONTRACTOR IN GRAND RAPIDS.
HE HAS A MUSICAL GIFT, AS WELL, AND IS A FOUNDING MEMBER
OF THE CITY'S OLDEST MALE QUARTET, "THE PILGRIM WONDERS."
FOLLOWING HIS WELL-EARNED RETIREMENT,
HIS SON TOOK OVER THE BUSINESS UNDER THE "ELLIS & SONS" TITLE.
LET'S HEAR MORE NOW FROM MR. McCLAIN.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE
OF THIS BLESSED AFTERNOON
FOR GIVING ME THIS REWARD.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY WIFE AND MY FAMILY
FOR BEING BESIDE ME...
DURING THESE TIMES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YA,
MAY GOD BLESS YA AND EVER SMILE UPON YA.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THE 2012 MILO BROWN BUSINESS AWARD WINNER, MR. JAMES McCLAIN!
(applause, cheering) (jazz music playing)
>> ALL RIGHT, NINO!
(laughing)
THIS YEAR'S PHYLLIS SCOTT ACTIVIST AWARD RECIPIENT
IS MISS ANNESHIA FREEMAN.
IT IS A DIFFICULT STORY TO HEAR AND A DIFFICULT STORY TO TELL,
THE ANNESHIA FREEMAN STORY,
AND YET, ANNESHIA FREEMAN CHOOSES TO TELL HER STORY
AS OFTEN AS PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR IT.
SHE KNOWS THAT HER PERSONAL LIFE'S STRUGGLES AND CHALLENGES
MAY BE THE WORDS SOME YOUNG PEOPLE NEED TO-- AND MUST-- HEAR.
HER LIFE ILLUSTRATES THE AMAZING POTENTIAL FOR RECONCILIATION
AND UNEXPECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
MISS FREEMAN'S EARLY LIFE WAS A STORY OF ABUSE AND POVERTY
THAT BECAME CENTRAL TO YEARS OF DRUG USE AND ADDICTION.
SHE IS NOW A PROGRAM COORDINATOR AND OUTREACH COUNSELOR WITH ARBOR CIRCLE.
SHE SPEAKS THE LANGUAGE OF THE TEENS SHE WORKS WITH,
ASKING THEM, QUOTE, "WHO ARE YOU LISTENING TO?
"THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE INFORMATION YOU NEED
"ARE NOT STANDING ON THE CORNER WITH YOU," END QUOTE.
SHE LISTENED TO HER OWN STREET TALK AND, RECENTLY,
COMPLETED A MASTER'S DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
AND IS A CERTIFIED ADDICTION COUNSELOR.
SHE SAYS, "I HELP PEOPLE GET IN CONTACT WITH THEIR DREAMS.
"IT'S MY ASSIGNMENT.
"WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH IN MY LIFE IS PAINFUL,
"BUT IT CONNECTS ME TO THE MOST PEOPLE I AM WORKING WITH NOW."
LET US NOW LISTEN TO MORE FROM ANNESHIA FREEMAN.
>> FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK GOD FOR ALL THAT HE HAS DONE IN MY LIFE.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK PAT PULLIAM FOR NOMINATING ME FOR THIS AWARD.
ACTIVISTS ARE CHANGE AGENTS,
WHOSE ASSIGNMENTS ARE TO CHALLENGE THE STATUS QUO,
WHICH MEANS WE MAKE PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE.
PATRICIA, THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING ME AND MY WORK PUBLICLY,
ALTHOUGH AT TIMES, I AM SURE IT WAS MET WITH SOME FORM OF PROTEST.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY DAUGHTERS, JANELLE AND TIARA,
FOR THEIR LOVE AND ENCOURAGEMENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK GRCC FOR PROVIDING THE SUPPORT I NEEDED
WHEN I FIRST WALKED ONTO THEIR CAMPUS IN JANUARY OF 2001
WITH MY G.E.D. CERTIFICATE.
DUE TO THEIR VARIOUS SUPPORT PROGRAMS,
I AM NOW IN THE LAST SEMESTER OF MY SECOND MASTER'S DEGREE
ON A FUTURE FACULTY FELLOWSHIP.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK GEORGE HEARTWELL FOR HIRING A SUBCULTURE REFUGEE
AND TEACHING ME HOW TO TRAVERSE THE DOMINANT CULTURE.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK ARBOR CIRCLE
FOR WORKING WITH ME FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS,
ALTHOUGH I AM SURE THEY HAD TO HIRE AN ANNESHIA RISK MANAGEMENT TEAM.
THANKS, GRAND RAPIDS!
THIS IS A COOL CITY. >> (laughing)
(applause)
THE 2012 PHYLLIS SCOTT ACTIVIST GIANTS AWARD
GOES TO MISS ANNESHIA FREEMAN!
(applause, cheering) (jazz music playing)
>> SO, LET'S TALK ABOUT TRAILBLAZERS.
THE ROSA PARKS SCULPTURE COMMITTEE, ON ANY GIVEN DAY, COULD HAVE GIVEN UP...
BUT IT DID NOT.
IT IS RARE THAT A PROJECT NAMES A TARGET,
AND THEN, SURPASSES IT
BOTH IN COMPLETION DATE AND IN FUNDRAISING.
THE ROSA PARKS SCULPTURE COMMITTEE DID JUST THAT,
AND ON SEPTEMBER 30th, 2010, AS YOU MAY REMEMBER,
THE STATURE OF ROSA PARKS WAS UNVEILED IN DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS
AT THE CORNER OF MONROE AND MONROE CENTER.
IT IS TRULY A LARGER THAN LIFE SCULPTURE THAT FULFILLS THE DREAMS
OF A COMMITTEE, COMPRISED OF LOCAL ACTIVISTS,
BUSINESS LEADERS, AND CONCERNED COMMUNITY.
IT IS THE FIRST PUBLIC PIECE OF ART OF AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN--
OR, QUITE FRANKLY, ANY AFRICAN-AMERICAN--
IN THE HEART OF THE CITY.
THE COMMITTEE PROMISED TO RAISE $350,000, AN AMOUNT THAT THEY SURPASSED.
AS THE NOMINATION READS,
"BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS OF THE ROSA PARKS SCULPTURE COMMITTEE,
"WITH THE ABUNDANT ACTIVITIES OFFERED TO EDUCATE AND EXCITE THE CITY,
"A BROAD AND VERY DIVERSE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TOOK PLACE,
"WHICH ENGAGED NUMEROUS SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY
"IN A COMMON CAUSE AND A COMMON GOAL."
THERE WAS EVEN A BROAD AND DIVERSE EFFORT
WITH AN ESSAY CONTEST INVOLVING OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
THROUGHOUT KENT COUNTY.
IT WAS QUITE THE SUCCESS WITH MORE THAN 181 ESSAYS BEING READ
AND THIS EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT OF THIS WILL CONTINUE TO STAND,
JUST AS THE SCULPTURE STANDS, UNITING OUR COMMITMENT.
AND WHAT PROMPTED THE POSITIONING OF STATUE?
WELL, AS THE SCULPTURE ARTIST, ED DWIGHT, EXPLAINED,
"I HAVE HER STANDING ON A GRANITE PEDESTAL,
"IN FRONT OF A FRONT OF A FRAGMENTED CAST BRONZE BUS SEAT
"REPRESENTING A TURNING POINT IN HISTORY
"THAT SHE HAS PLACED BEHIND HER."
LET'S HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS EFFORT FROM COMMITTEE CHAIR, ARMAND ROBINSON.
>> ON BEHALF OF THE ROSA PARKS SCULPTURE COMMITTEE,
THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS,
AND ITS STAFF, WE WISH TO THANK THE GIANTS COMMITTEE
FOR PRESENTING US WITH THIS VERY TIMELY AWARD,
OF WHICH WE ARE GENUINELY HONORED AND HUMBLED TO RECEIVE.
I'D LIKE, AT THIS TIME,
TO ASK THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND STAFF TO PLEASE STAND.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT KNOW THE HISTORY
AND EVOLUTION OF THE ROSA PARKS SCULPTURE PROJECT,
LET ME SAY THAT IT WAS THE HONORABLE REVEREND ROBERT DEAN,
WHO WAS A 3rd WARD CITY COMMISSIONER BACK IN 2001
WHEN HE SUGGESTED TO HIS FELLOW COMMISSIONERS
THAT THE SPACE CREATED BY ARTIST MAYA LIN BE NAMED "ROSA PARKS CIRCLE."
THE SUGGESTION GENERATED A LOT OF CONTROVERSY,
BUT REVEREND DEAN PERSISTED AND HIS SUGGESTION,
WHICH BECAME A MOTION,
PASSED THE CITY COMMISSION WITH A FOUR-TO-THREE VOTE.
WHILE ROSA PARKS CIRCLE BORE THE NAME OF A CIVIL RIGHTS HERO,
THERE WAS LITTLE THE PARK WHICH SPECIFICALLY COMMEMORATED HER LIFE
OR BORE ANY LIKENESS TO HER.
IN FACT, THERE WAS ONLY AN ETCHED PLAQUE
THAT PROVIDED LIMITED HISTORICAL INFORMATION.
IN 2007, I MET WITH THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMISSION
TO REQUEST THEY GRANT ME THE OPPORTUNITY AND SUPPORT
TO ERECT A STATUE OF MRS. PARKS.
PERMISSION WAS GRANTED, THE SCULPTURE COMMITTEE WAS FORMED,
AND THE PROJECT GOT UNDERWAY.
A LOT OF HARD WORK BEGAN WITH VERY LITTLE EXPERIENCE AMONG US
TO SUPPORT OUR ENDEAVORS.
IN THE BEGINNING, THERE WAS ALSO RESISTANCE TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS
FROM CERTAIN SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY,
SOME WHO HAD THE RESOURCES TO HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN BUT REFUSED TO DO SO.
BUT WE PERSISTED,
AND ULTIMATELY FOUND SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY--
THE CHURCHES, COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES,
AND SYMPATHETIC BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS.
THIS SCULPTURE IS THE ONLY PUBLIC ART PIECE
OF AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN
IN THE GRAND RAPIDS METROPOLITAN AREA.
WE COULD NOT HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IT WITHOUT THE COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION
OF THE ROSA PARKS SCULPTURE COMMITTEE,
INGRID SCOTT-WEEKLEY, AND HER STAFF, WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY
BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE THE PROJECT A REALITY...
AND ROBERT UPTON, WHO WAS KEY RAINMAKER IN SECURING THE FUNDS NEEDED
TO FINANCE THE PROJECT...
AND OF COURSE, YOU, THE COMMUNITY--
THANK YOU ALL FOR STANDING UP FOR ROSA PARKS
BY ADDING TO THE DIVERSITY AND SIGNIFICANCE OF PUBLIC ART
IN WESTERN MICHIGAN.
THE FITTING TRIBUTE TO ROSA PARKS, THE MOTHER OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT,
WILL BE ENJOYED BY ALL WHO VISIT ROSA PARKS CIRCLE FOR YEARS TO COME.
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS YEAR'S WILLIAM GLENN TRAILBLAZER AWARD
GOES TO THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS ROSA PARKS SCULPTURE COMMITTEE!
(applause, cheering) (jazz music playing)
ACCEPTING THE AWARD IS MR. ARMAND ROBINSON!
(applause)
>> OUR NEXT AWARD IS THE RAYMOND TARDY COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD.
THIS YEAR'S RECIPIENT IS MISS JENNIFER MOSS.
THIS GIANT HAS INTERVIEWED-- (applause)
(chuckling)
THIS GIANT HAS INTERVIEWED EVERYONE
FROM U.S. PRESIDENTS TO OPRAH WINFREY,
BISHOP DESMOND TUTU TO AMAZING YOUNG STUDENTS.
SHE'S SKIED WITH THE SPECIAL OLYMPIANS AND HAS FLOWN IN F18 FIGHTER JET.
SHE'S A JOURNALIST WHO NOT ONLY REPORTED NEWS IN THE COMMUNITY
FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS,
BUT LOVES THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH SHE LIVES.
MANY OF YOU WILL RECOGNIZE HER FROM HER MANY YEARS WITH WOOD TV8,
WHERE SHE REPORTED AND ANCHORED THE NEWS.
IN ADDITION TO THOSE WHO KNOW HER AS THE MISTRESS OF CEREMONIES
FOR THIS SPECIAL AWARDS CEREMONY WE HAPPEN TO BE IN THIS EVENING.
THE GIANTS COMMITTEE IS ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL TO MRS. MOSS
FOR HER LONG-TERM DEDICATION
AND CONTRIBUTION TO MAKING THE GIANTS AN ELEGANT AND QUALITY EVENT.
MRS. MOSS'S PROFESSIONALISM AND EXCEPTIONAL ABILITIES AS A PUBLIC SPEAKER
ARE DEMONSTRATED REPEATEDLY IN THE COMMUNITY,
AS WELL AS THROUGH HER BROADCAST JOURNALISM CAREER.
THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF HER COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
ARE AS A VOLUNTEER.
AS WELL AS THE GIANTS BANQUET, SHE'S M.C.'ED NUMEROUS EVENTS,
INCLUDING THE MEL TROTTER MINISTRIES GALA,
THE G.V.S.U. WOMEN'S CENTER'S ANNUAL FUNDRAISER,
THE GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC MUSEUM GALA, AND MANY, MANY MORE.
SHE'S AN ADVOCATE FOR LITERACY,
AND MENTORS HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS
INTERESTED IN A CAREER IN JOURNALISM.
MRS. MOSS HAS SERVED ON AND CONTINUES TO SERVE ON NUMEROUS BOARDS
THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
SHE IS ADMIRED FOR HER ABILITY TO WORK WITH DIVERSE GROUPS,
BRINGING COHESIVENESS AND DIRECTION TO THE GOALS
OF THE ORGANIZATION SHE'S INVOLVED WITH.
HER NOMINATORS NOTE THAT JENNIFER COMBINES
HER LOVE FOR THE GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY
WITH SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND QUIET LEADERSHIP.
SHE ATTENDS FIRST COMMUNITY A.M.E. CHURCH
AND IS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS
AND DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INCORPORATED.
LET'S HEAR, NOW, MORE FROM OUR 2012 GIANT, MRS. JENNIFER MOSS.
>> WOW!
WHAT A TREMENDOUS BLESSING TO BE THE WINNER
OF THIS YEAR'S RAYMOND TARDY COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD.
THIS IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE HONOR.
GIVING GLORY AND HONOR TO GOD,
I WANNA SAY A BIG THANK YOU TO THE GIANTS AWARD COMMITTEE
AND TO THOSE WHO SO GRACIOUSLY NOMINATED ME,
BETTY BURTON GROCE AND LOIS SMITH OWENS.
I ALSO SAY THANK YOU TO THE GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY AT LARGE,
WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN SO VERY SUPPORTIVE OF ME.
IT HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR LIVING HERE,
WORKING HERE, RAISING MY KIDS,
AND HELPING OUT IN COMMUNITY EFFORTS.
SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST,
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT SAY HOW MUCH MY FAMILY SUPPORT MEANS TO ME.
I COULD NOT DO ANYTHING WITHOUT THEM...
MY LOVING HUSBAND, MICHAEL, MY CHILDREN, OF COURSE,
MY PARENTS, MY BROTHER, PLUS MY SISTER AND BROTHER-IN-LAW.
I LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
THE GIANTS AWARD BANQUET HAS LONG BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE TIMES OF THE YEAR
BECAUSE I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO M.C.'ING AND SUPPORTING OUR YOUTH.
BUT THIS YEAR, AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, ON THIS, THE 30th ANNIVERSARY,
IT'S TAKEN ON AN EVEN GREATER MEANING AS I RECEIVE THIS AWARD.
I HAVE TO SAY AGAIN, I AM TRULY HONORED...
AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
(applause)
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO PRESENT
THE RAYMOND TARDY COMMUNITY SERVICE GIANTS AWARD TO MY FRIEND,
MY CO-MISTRESS OF CEREMONIES, MY FELLOW BROADCAST JOURNALIST,
MRS. JENNIFER MOSS HAWKINS!
(applause) (jazz music playing)
>> I LOVE 'EM!
THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH.
I'M GONNA CHEAT JUST A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE I'M UP HERE...
AND I JUST WANT MY FAMILY TO STAND.
THEY'VE COME FROM THREE STATES TO SUPPORT ME TONIGHT.
SO, IF MY FAMILY WOULD STAND OVER THERE...
I HAVE MY PARENTS FROM THE DETROIT AREA, BILL AND DORIS MOSS,
MY BROTHER, WILLIAM MOSS III,
MY SISTER AND BROTHER-IN-LAW FROM CHICAGO, MAGDA AND DUANE WALKER,
AND OF COURSE MY HUSBAND, MICHAEL,
AND MY KIDS, NICOLE FROM INDIANAPOLIS, MICHAEL II, WILLIAM,
AND GRANDSON JAMAD, PLUS THEIR GODMOTHER, GOD-MA BETTE--
BETTY BURTON GROCE, DAN GROCE, AND AUNT JEANIE.
OVER HERE-- ALL MY FAMILY.
WHAT A BLESSING, AND THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH!
(applause)
(squealing) AND MY SORORs
FROM DELTA SIGMA THETA HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL.
COME ON UP HERE. (laughing)
THANK YOU.
(applause)
OKAY, NOW, I GOTTA GET BACK TO WORK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, THOUGH.
IT IS VERY SPECIAL-- WHAT AN HONOR.
MOVING TO OUR NEXT AWARD, THE H.C. TOLIVER RELIGIOUS LIFE AWARD
THIS YEAR GOES TO PASTOR JAMES C. STOKES.
PASTOR STOKES WAS NOMINATED FOR THIS AWARD
FOR HIS TIRELESS EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
IN THE GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY.
PASTOR STOKES IS PASTOR OF NEW LIFE TABERNACLE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST.
HE'S CREDITED WITH MOVING THE CHURCH FORWARD IN A MISSION
TO REACH OUT TO THOSE IN PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SPIRITUAL NEED.
HIS LEADERSHIP IS NOT RESTRICTED TO HIS CHURCH COMMUNITY.
OF PARTICULAR NOTE IS HIS WORK
WITH THE BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS AMACHI PROGRAM,
A PROGRAM THAT RECRUITS MENTORS FROM THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHURCHES
TO ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE AN INCARCERATED PARENT.
HIS PARENTS INCLUDING HOSTING INFORMATIONAL LUNCHES
AND OTHER RECRUITMENT MEASURES HAVE RESULTED
IN AN INCREASE IN WILLING, COMMUNITY MENTOR VOLUNTEERS.
THAT PROGRAM IS NOW DESIGNED AND DESIGNATED AS A MODEL
BY THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.
EVALUATIONS OF THE PROGRAM'S SUCCESS ARE OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE,
WITH 96 PERCENT OF CHILDREN SHOWING IMPROVEMENT IN ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
AND 88 PERCENT OF PARENTS INDICATING THAT THEIR CHILDREN
ARE INDEED SHOWING THEM MORE RESPECT.
THAT'S AWESOME.
HIS NOMINATOR DESCRIBES PASTOR STOKES AS HUMBLE, ARTICULATE, AND INTELLIGENT,
WITH A GIANT COMMITMENT TO HELPING DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS,
PREGNANT TEENS, AND THE HUNGRY AND POOR OF OUR COMMUNITY.
LET'S HEAR NOW FROM PASTOR STOKES.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
DIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER
AND THE GIANTS AWARDS SELECTIONS COMMITTEE
FOR HONORING ME WITH THIS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD.
UPON LEARNING OF MY RECEIVING THE H.C. TOLIVER RELIGIOUS AWARD,
I TOOK THE LIBERTY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LATE REVEREND H.C. TOLIVER.
ALTHOUGH HE LIVED BEFORE MY TIME AND I NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET HIM,
I LEARNED THAT HE DID SOME WONDERFUL THINGS IN GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY.
SO, TONIGHT, I'M HONORED TO MOVE INTO THE RANKS OF ALL OF THOSE GIANTS
WHO RECEIVED THIS AWARD BEFORE ME.
AND SO, IT IS MY PRAYER TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON THE LEGACY
THAT THE LATE REVEREND TOLIVER HAS LEFT BEHIND.
LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST,
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY LOVELY WIFE OF 23 YEARS, JEVENA,
AND MY BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER, MACKENZIE,
FOR SELFLESSLY SHARING WITH ME THE CHURCH
AND THE COMMUNITY OF GRAND RAPIDS.
I WANT YOU BOTH TO KNOW
THAT I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THE THINGS THAT I DO
WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT.
AND I LOVE YOU BOTH VERY MUCH.
ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND GOD BLESS YOU.
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS YEAR'S H.C. TOLIVER RELIGIOUS LIFE AWARD
GOES TO PASTOR JAMES C. STOKES!
(applause) (jazz music playing)
>> I LOVE THAT MUSIC.
THANK YOU, NINO AND THE JAZZ PEOPLE.
(laughing)
OUR NEXT GIANT HONOREE IS MRS. SHARON SATTERFIELD
FOR THE HATTIE BEVERLY EDUCATION AWARD.
MRS. SHARON SATTERFIELD EMBRACED THE TRUE DEFINITION
OF "NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND"
WELL BEFORE THERE WAS A FEDERAL MANDATE.
SHE HAS CONTINUALLY WORKED TO MAKE SURE NONE OF HER STUDENTS WERE LEFT BEHIND.
FOR OVER 20 YEARS, MRS. SATTERFIELD HAS BEEN A TEACHER
OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, CURRENTLY AT OTTAWA HILLS HIGH SCHOOL.
SHE EMBODIES THE DEFINITION OF AN EDUCATOR--
A PERSON WHO PROVIDES TRAINING, KNOWLEDGE,
IN A PARTICULAR AREA FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE...
ONE WHO STIMULATES MENTAL OR MORAL GROWTH...
AND ONE WHO SEEKS TO BRING UNDERSTANDING AND ACCEPTANCE.
HER NOMINATOR SAYS THAT SHARON'S GOAL
IS TO ADVOCATE FOR APPROPRIATE EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN,
ALLOWING THEM TO FULFILL THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
MRS. SATTERFIELD UNDERSTANDS THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS
AND SHE GUIDES FAMILIES AS THEY SEEK TO NAVIGATE
AND ADVOCATE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
HER PASSION FOR EDUCATION EXTENDS TO HER WORK
AS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF NEW HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH,
WHERE SHE SERVES YOUTH AND ADULTS WITH ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND WORKSHOPS
THROUGH PATHWAYS TO EDUCATION MINISTRY.
MRS. SATTERFIELD IS ALSO CONCERNED WITH THE SPIRITUAL
AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY,
AND OFFERS HER PROFESSIONAL SKILLS THROUGH HER MEMBERSHIP
IN THE ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY.
LET'S HEAR, NOW, MORE FROM MRS. SATTERFIELD.
>> PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW.
BEFORE YOU CAN BECOME A GIANT,
YOU MUST HAVE GIANTS IN YOUR LIFE TO INFLUENCE YOU.
THANK YOU TO THE MOST INFLUENTIAL GIANTS,
MY PARENTS, ROY AND ROSA WISE,
FOR THEIR GUIDANCE, LOVE, CARE, AND SUPPORT.
THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY-- MAURICE, ERIN, AND AUTUMN--
FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR ME, AND ALLOWING ME THE FREEDOM
TO EXPLORE MY HORIZONS.
TO MY CHURCH FAMILY, NEW HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH,
THANK YOU FOR THE ABUNDANCE OF SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE
AND OVERWHELMING ENCOURAGEMENT.
THANK YOU TO MY NUMBER ONE SISTERS
OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INCORPORATION,
FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SHARE IN BEING A SERVICE TO ALL MANKIND.
TO JENNIFER BAILEY, THANK YOU FOR NOMINATING ME
FOR THIS ILLUSTRIOUS AWARD.
YOU'RE A SISTER TO ME IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.
AND FINALLY, TO THE DIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER COMMITTEE,
WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR SELECTING ME
AS THIS YEAR'S RECIPIENT FOR THE HATTIE BEVERLY EDUCATION AWARD.
I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SERVE THE GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS US AS WE CONTINUE TO STRIVE
TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT I PRESENT TO YOU
THE 2012 HATTIE BEVERLY EDUCATION AWARD RECIPIENT,
MRS. SHARON SATTERFIELD!
(applause) (jazz music playing)
>> CONGRATULATIONS, AGAIN.
AND BECAUSE I'M IN SUCH A GOOD--
IT'S ONE OF THOSE HECTIC BLURS,
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I DID THANK MY TWO SONS, MICHAEL AND WILLIAM HAWKINS...
(audience laughing) (laughing)
'CAUSE I WASN'T EVEN OFF SEVEN--
I'M LIKE, "OKAY, I'M NOT USED TO BEING ON THIS SIDE OF THE COIN,"
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I DID NOT FORGET MY BABIES,
SO I KNOW I LISTED OFF SOME OF THE OTHER NAMES, BUT ANYWAY.
ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION BY THE A.K.A.s
FOR THEIR SORORITY WINNING TONIGHT.
LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND.
(applause)
AND I GOT ONE, TOO, FROM MINE.
IT WAS A BLESSING.
IT'S ALL A BLESSING.
OUR FINAL GIANTS AWARD THIS EVENING IS THE MARTHA REYNOLDS LABOR AWARD,
AND IT GOES TO MR. GERALD KARIEM.
MR. KARIEM'S FAVORITE QUOTE IS,
"THE MORE YOU GIVE, THE MORE YOU RECEIVE--
"MATERIALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY--
"WITHOUT RESERVATION, WITHOUT LIMITATIONS."
MR. KARIEM HAS MODELED THAT SENTIMENT IN HIS PROFESSIONAL AND HIS PERSONAL LIFE.
CURRENTLY, MR. KARIEM SERVES AS DIRECTOR OF U.A.W. REGION 1D,
REPRESENTING 62 COUNTIES SPANNING WESTERN, CENTRAL, AND NORTHERN MICHIGAN.
HE IS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY.
HE HAS HELD MANY POSITIONS WITHIN THE UNION,
HAVING BEGUN HIS WORK CAREER IN 1976.
MR. KARIEM RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING PROPOSED LEGISLATION
AND SHARED HIS KNOWLEDGE WITH CO-WORKERS.
HE MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO ATTEND UNION MEETINGS REGULARLY
AND TO ENROLL IN CLASSES OFFERED BY THE U.A.W. AND GENERAL MOTORS.
HIS MOST RECENT APPOINTMENT BROUGHT HIM TO GRAND RAPIDS
WHERE HE HAS IMMERSED HIMSELF INTO THE COMMUNITY
AS HE HAD FOR YEARS PREVIOUSLY IN SAGINAW.
HE SITS ON THE BOARDS OF ALLIANCE HEALTH AND BLUE CARE NETWORK,
VOLUNTEERING WITH DISABLED VETERANS AND HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
HIS NOMINATION EXPLAINS, "GERALD WOULD LIKE THIS GENERATION'S CHILDREN
"AND GRANDCHILDREN TO HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE,
"AFFORDABLE HOMES, AND JOBS THAT PAY ENOUGH TO TRULY SUPPORT A FAMILY."
HERE'S MR. KARIEM WITH MORE.
>> GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
FIRST, I MUST GIVE THANKS AND HONOR TO GOD, WHO IS THE HEAD OF MY LIFE.
MY THANKS GO OUT TO GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
FOR HELPING ORGANIZE THIS PRESTIGIOUS EVENT.
I AM DEEPLY HONORED AND PLEASED TO BE THE RECIPIENT
OF THE 2012 MARTHA REYNOLDS LABOR AWARD,
A SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY ACTIVIST FOR THE LESS FORTUNATE AND FOR THE VOICELESS.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE
FOR SUBMITTING MY NAME TO THE GIANTS AWARD COMMITTEE.
I AM DEEPLY TOUCHED THAT THE WORK I DO ON A DAILY BASIS
IS RECOGNIZED AND APPRECIATED BY MY PEERS
AND CITIZENS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THIS AWARD WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE INSPIRATION
I HAVE RECEIVED FROM MY ELDERS AND MY COLLEAGUES,
WHO I ADMIRE AND DEEPLY RESPECT.
I SINCERELY THANK MY FAMILY
FOR ALL OF THE UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT AND LOVE.
THIS AWARD CONFIRMS MY FAVORITE QUOTE,
"THE MORE YOU GIVE, THE MORE YOU RECEIVE--
"MATERIAL, PHYSICAL, AND SPIRITUAL--
"WITHOUT RESERVATION, WITHOUT LIMITATIONS."
THANK YOU.
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THIS YEAR'S MARTHA REYNOLDS LABOR AWARD WINNER,
MR. GERALD KARIEM!
(applause) (jazz music playing)
>> GOOD EVENING.
GERALD, AS YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE,
I AM HERE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU
AND WE WANT YOU TO KNOW...
THAT BEING A GREAT PRODUCT OF THE CITY OF SAGINAW,
WE WANT TO THANK YOUR WIFE, PAT, AND FAMILY,
FOR SHARING YOU WITH ALL OF US.
AND WE ALSO WANT YOU TO KNOW, FROM THE STATE OF MICHIGAN,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WE ARE PROUD.
THANK YOU.
(applause)
>> WELL, IT IS THAT TIME, ONCE AGAIN.
THE MOMENT THAT WE ALL WAIT FOR, EACH AND EVERY YEAR,
THE ANTICIPATION OF JUST WHO WILL BE GRAND RAPIDS' "GIANT AMONG GIANTS"
FOR THIS YEAR, 2012.
I ALWAYS PLAY THIS GAME AND I TRY TO SAY,
YOU KNOW, "HOW LONG IS GONNA TAKE YOU TO GUESS?"
EVERY YEAR, I SWEAR, IT GETS SHORTER AND SHORTER AND SHORTER.
SO, IT WON'T TAKE BUT A NANOSECOND.
THIS BEING THE 30th ANNIVERSARY OF THE GIANTS BANQUET,
I AM EXCEPTIONALLY PLEASED TO BRING TO YOU OUR 2012 GIANT AMONG GIANTS.
AS YOU KNOW, A GIANT IS DEFINED AS A PERSON
WHO IS MARKED BY EXCEPTIONAL POWER,
A PERSON OF GREAT STRENGTH AND STATURE,
A GIANT WHO MAKES A HUGE
AND TREMENDOUS-- OR GIANT-- IMPACT.
TONIGHT, A MAN OF POWER AND OF GREAT STRENGTH, A MODEL TO US ALL,
IS OUR GIANT AMONG GIANTS.
HE USES HIS MUSICAL TALENT TO REACH OUT AND SHARE THE GOSPEL AND HIS FAITH.
HE'S DESCRIBED AS NOT A SINGER WHO HAPPENS TO PREACH,
BUT A PREACHER CALLED BY GOD WHO IS GIFTED TO SING!
(applause, cheering) YES, YES, OUR GIANT AMONG GIANTS
IS THE REVEREND DR. PASTOR MARVIN SAPP!
(applause, cheering)
(jazz music playing "Happy Birthday")
DR. MARVIN SAPP,
AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, WAS BORN IN GRAND RAPIDS,
AND TODAY IS HIS BIRTHDAY!
HELLO, THAT'S WHY THE BIRTHDAY SONG IS SINGING-- HOW APPROPRIATE.
(applause) (music)
>> THANK YOU.
>> DID WE CATCH YOU BY SURPRISE JUST A LITTLE BIT?
>> YEAH. >> JUST A LITTLE BIT.
LET ME JUST FINISH OUR INFORMATION ABOUT HIM.
HE BEGAN RECORDING, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW,
AS A SINGER-SONGWRITER IN THE 1990s AND HAS RECORDED EIGHT ALBUMS.
HE'S RECEIVED MANY AWARDS AND ACCOLADES, OF COURSE,
INCLUDING ALL SEVEN GOSPEL STELLAR AWARDS THAT HE WAS NOMINATED FOR IN 2009.
REVEREND SAPP, LAST YEAR,
BECAME THE ALL-TIME HIGHEST-CHARTING GOSPEL ARTIST
IN BILLBOARD'S 54 YEAR HISTORY!
(applause, cheering) OF TRACKING ALBUM SALES!
HIS SONGS, "HERE I AM" AND "NEVER WOULD HAVE MADE IT"
AND MANY OTHERS JUST SOAR TO THE TOP OF THE CHARTS.
HIS LIFE, HOWEVER, IS NOT LIMITED TO RECORDING.
HE AND HIS LATE WIFE, DR. MALINDA SAPP,
FOUNDED LIGHTHOUSE FULL LIFE CENTER CHURCH AT KINGDOM SQUARE.
REVEREND SAPP SERVES AS SENIOR MINISTER THERE.
PASTOR SAPP IS COMMITTED TO HIS COMMUNITY AND SEES HIS MISSION
AND THE CHURCH'S MISSION TO BE CONCERNED
FOR THE FINANCIAL, EDUCATIONAL, PHYSICAL,
AS WELL AS SPIRITUAL LIFE OF THOSE THEY TOUCH.
HE IS A GIANT AMONG GIANTS WHOSE ULTIMATE GOAL
IS TO ENCOURAGE BELIEVERS TO ELEVATE THEIR LEVEL OF WORSHIP
AND THEIR LEVEL OF PRAISE,
AND ONE WHO CONTINUES TO SPREAD HIS MESSAGE
WITH PRIDE, REVERENCE, AND TRIUMPH.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME
THE 2012 GIANT AMONG GIANTS AWARD WINNER, REVEREND DR. MARVIN SAPP!
OUR OWN HOMETOWN, HOMEGROWN GIANT!
(applause, cheering) >> THANK YOU--
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I, UH...
(cheering)
I HAVE, UM...
BEEN BLESSED... TO LIVE MY DREAM.
TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE WORLD,
TO SING AND TO PREACH ABOUT THE SAVING, THE KEEPING,
AND CLEANING-UP POWER OF JESUS CHRIST.
I HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO LIVE MY DREAM,
BECAUSE I'VE BEEN NOMINATED
FOR EVERY AWARD KNOWN TO MAN,
I'VE RECEIVED JUST ABOUT EVERY AWARD
THAT I'VE BEEN NOMINATED FOR...
AND THOSE THINGS ARE GREAT,
BUT THOSE PEOPLE REALLY DON'T KNOW YOU.
SO, TO BE HONORED BY PEOPLE THAT KNOW YOU AND KNOW YOUR HEART,
AND RECOGNIZE THAT THE BIBLE DECLARES THAT A PROPHET
IS WITHOUT HONOR IN HIS OWN LAND--
IT'S JUST GOOD TO HAVE THE PEOPLE THAT I SEE AT THE MALL OR SEE AT D&W,
SEE AT MEIJERS, FOR THEM JUST TO SAY, "YOU KNOW WHAT, MARVIN?
"GREAT JOB."
ALL I'VE EVER TRIED TO DO WAS TO LIVE A LIFE
THAT OUR COMMUNITY COULD BE PROUD OF.
THAT'S ALL I'VE EVER TRIED TO DO.
I WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE-- I'M A BIG CRYBABY.
I'M TRYING TO HOLD BACK TEARS, SO Y'ALL PRAY WITH ME.
I WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE
THAT GAVE ME THIS AWARD AND...
IT'S JUST MIND-BLOWING TO ME, BECAUSE...
(voice cracking) MY LIFE...
(applause)
(crying) OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS,
I'VE BEEN HELD...
BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH...
YOU EXCEL IN SOME AREAS,
THE THINGS THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT,
SOMEHOW, SOME WAY...
SOMETIMES, THEY SLIP AWAY.
I WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU ALL TO VALUE THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU,
BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL BE THE LAST TIME
THAT YOU GET TO TELL THEM HOW MUCH YOU LOVE 'EM,
HOW MUCH YOU CARE.
I KNOW THE ONLY REASON WHY I'M ABLE TO STAND HERE TODAY
IS BECAUSE I HAD A WOMAN IN MY LIFE OUTSIDE OF MY MOTHER...
THAT PUSHED ME WHEN I WANTED TO QUIT,
THAT CHALLENGED ME WHEN I WANTED TO THROW IN THE TOWEL,
THAT LOVED ME WHEN I WASN'T LOVABLE,
AND THAT WAS IN MY CORNER WHEN NOBODY ELSE WAS.
I THANK GOD FOR DR. MALINDA P. SAPP.
I MISS HER LIKE CRAZY...
AND I WISH SHE WAS HERE RIGHT NOW.
BUT EVEN THOUGH I KNOW SHE'S NOT HERE PHYSICALLY,
I GOT THREE GREAT CHILDREN THAT REMIND ME OF HER EVERY DAY.
>> AMEN! (applause)
>> IT IS MY ENDEAVOR NOW TO MAKE SURE THAT HER LEGACY GOES FORWARD.
HER PASSION WAS TO TRY AND EDUCATE AFRICAN-AMERICAN
AND ALL CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND EVEN THOUGH SHE'S NOT HERE, I'M--
ALONG WITH MY TEAM AND BOARD,
ARE MOVING FORWARD TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT HER DREAM
OF ESTABLISHING AND OPENING THE GRAND RAPIDS ELLINGTON ACADEMY
OF ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY,
AS NOT JUST AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM BUT AS A SCHOOL,
WHERE WE CAN TEACH CHILDREN
AS IT PERTAINS TO EDUCATION AND THE ARTS.
WE GONNA MAKE IT HAPPEN.
I ASK THAT YOU WOULD PRAY FOR US, HOLD US UP.
GRAND RAPIDS, THANK YOU, AGAIN.
I PROMISE YOU-- I PROMISE YOU, I'LL TRY HARD TO NEVER, EVER LET YOU DOWN,
BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND "WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS REQUIRED."
AND AS I CLOSE LIKE EVERY OTHER PREACHER CLOSES,
THERE'S A SONG WHICH I'M NOT GOING TO SING--
(audience laughing)
BUT THE SONGWRITER SAID IT LIKE THIS--
HE SAID, "I'VE HAD MANY TEARS AND SORROWS.
"I'VE HAD QUESTIONS FOR TOMORROW.
"THERE'S BEEN TIMES WHEN I DIDN'T KNOW RIGHT FROM WRONG.
"BUT IN EVERY SITUATION, GOD GAVE BLESSED CONSOLATION.
"HE LET ME KNOW THAT MY TRIALS ONLY COME TO MAKE ME STRONG.
"THROUGH IT ALL, THROUGH IT ALL, I'VE LEARNED TO TRUST IN JESUS.
"I'VE LEARNED TO TRUST GOD, THROUGH IT ALL.
"THROUGH IT ALL, I HAVE LEARNED TO DEPEND ON HIS WORD."
THANKS, MOM.
THANKS, FAMILY.
THANKS, CHURCH.
THANKS TO EVERYBODY THAT'S CONNECTED TO ME
THAT HELPS ME TO DO WHAT WE DO.
GOD BLESS YOU, GOD KEEP YOU-- THIS IS MY PRAYER.
(applause, cheering) (music)
>> CONGRATULATIONS, REVEREND DR. MARVIN SAPP.
WE LOVE YOU!
NOW, WE'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MISS CHRIS ARNOLD,
CO-CHAIR OF THE GIANTS COMMITTEE WITH OUR PROGRAM ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
(applause)
>> GOOD EVENING.
WOW, WHAT A WONDERFUL EVENT.
HOW ABOUT ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OF OUR GIANTS?
(applause)
ON BEHALF OF THE BOB AND ALEICIA WOODRICK DIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER
AT GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE,
THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.
AND THIS IS TRULY A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY EVENT,
AND IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND OUR SPONSORS.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK OUR GIANTS COMMITTEE.
THEY WORK VERY HARD,
AND OUR PLANNING BEGINS AS SOON AS WE'RE DONE HERE TONIGHT.
SO, IF OUR GIANTS COMMITTEE MEMBERS COULD PLEASE STAND
AND BE RECOGNIZED?
(applause)
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK
AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS TONIGHT.
AND ALSO, I'D LIKE TO THANK MR. EDDIE TADLOCK
AND RICH MacKEIGAN OF S.M.G. DEVOS PLACE,
UM, FOR PROVIDING THESE WONDERFUL SURROUNDINGS FOR US.
EDDIE, IF YOU'RE HERE-- I KNOW YOU'RE HERE-- IF-- STAND?
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING.
(applause)
AND ALSO, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE
THE KENT COUNTY CONVENTION ARENA AUTHORITY
AND, UM, THEY'RE WORKING REALLY HARD TO INCLUDE--
FOR INCLUSION AND TO MAKE US ALL FEEL WELCOME IN THE COMMUNITY,
AND THEY'RE REALLY REACHING OUT
AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BRINGING DIVERSE EVENTS TO THE COMMUNITY,
SO THANK YOU, DARIUS QUINN, FOR CHAIRING THAT--
UM, OUR DIVERSITY INCLUSION COMMITTEE.
SO, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND THEN, ALSO WANTED TO JUST MENTION DOOR PRIZES ARE NEXT,
SO IF YOU TURNED IN YOUR TICKET, WE'LL BE ANNOUNCING THE DOOR PRIZES.
AND THEN, YOU CAN PICK THOSE DOOR PRIZES UP--
THEY'RE DISPLAYED OUT IN THE LOBBY AREA.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING,
AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO JENNIFER AND EDDIE.
OH!
I FORGOT.
UM, JENNIFER AND EDDIE, YOU CAN STEP FORWARD.
SORRY ABOUT THAT!
BUT JUST WANTED TO THANK THEM AND ACKNOWLEDGE THEM FOR BEING HERE.
THE GIANTS EVENT WOULD NOT BE THE SAME WITHOUT EITHER ONE OF THEM,
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND M.C.'ING.
(applause)
AND JENNIFER'S GONNA GO HOME WITH A LOT OF FLOWERS TONIGHT,
'CAUSE WE HAVE SOME FLOWERS FOR YOU AND FOR EDDIE,
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.
(applause)
>> OHHH... >> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. >> THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.
THANK YOU, CHRIS.
THANK YOU, FAYE.
AND NOW, IT IS TIME FOR US TO CHECK OUT SOME DOOR PRIZES,
AS WE DRAW THE TICKETS-- OUR 2012 DRAWING.
WE ALWAYS HAVE SOME WONDERFUL PRIZES.
WE HAVE A CUSTOM-FRAMED COPY
OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING "I'VE BEEN TO THE MOUNTAINTOP" SPEECH
IN MEMPHIS IN 1968,
A CUSTOM-FRAMED AFRICAN BANANA BARK PAINTING BY B.S. LEBAGA?
IMPORTED BY KENYA.
A CUSTOM-FRAMED LITHOGRAPH BY HENRY LEE BATTLE--
IT IS TITLED "TIME WELL SPENT."
AND THESE ARE ALL VALUED AT OVER $100-- 175, 145.
AND A BOOK PACKAGE BY SOME LOCAL GRAND RAPIDS AND NATIONAL AUTHORS,
A WEALTH OF LITERARY TALENT THAT IS IN OUR CITY
HAVE PROVIDED A NUMBER OF BOOKS.
AND THEN, WE HAVE OUR GRAND PRIZE,
WHICH IS A CUSTOM-FRAMED ORIGINAL MIXED MEDIUM PRINTING-- PAINTING, RATHER--
BY LOCAL ARTIST DERRICK HOLLOWELL.
IT'S A GRAPHITE AND WATER COLOR WORK.
SO, WE ARE GETTING READY TO DRAW, AND THE FIRST ONE--
IF YOU'VE GOT YOUR TAGS-- YOUR STUBS, I SHOULD SAY.
OKAY... (indistinct speaking)
OKAY, SO I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND WHEN I FIRST STARTED,
I DIDN'T NEED READERS, AND NOW, I DO.
SO, THAT SHOWS HOW LONG THAT'S BEEN.
OUR FIRST WINNER--
TICKET 0-2-2-5, DAVE TANNEY?
IS IT "TANNEY"?
BELDING, MICHIGAN.
(applause) CONGRATULATIONS.
YOU WIN THE CUSTOM-FRAMED COPY
OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING'S "I'VE BEEN TO THE MOUNTAINTOP."
OUR NEXT WINNER...
IS CHAR NEELEY.
CHARLENE NEELEY?
ON HOME STREET SOUTHWEST.
IS THAT PERSON STILL HERE?
DO THEY HAVE TO BE PRESENT?
OKAY, THEY WILL HOLD THIS.
SHE WON THE CUSTOM-FRAMED AFRICAN BANANA BARK PAINTING.
AND OUR FRAMED LITHOGRAPH BY HENRY LEE BATTLE,
WE NEED ANOTHER TICKET FOR THAT.
THANK YOU.
JANICE HILLIER?
HILLIER, ON MARSHALL STREET?
GRAND RAPIDS?
(scattered applause) CONGRATULATIONS.
THE CUSTOM-FRAMED LITHOGRAPH.
NOW, OUR BOOK PACKAGE...
BY THE LOCAL GRAND RAPIDS AND NATIONAL AUTHORS.
THE WINNER OF THAT IS MARIANNE CRITTENDEN ON MARGARET SOUTHEAST?
MARIANNE CRITTENDEN?
IS THAT PERSON HERE?
MARIANNE CRITTENDEN?
WELL, WE'LL HOLD THAT FOR THEM.
THEY HAVE THEIR INFORMATION ON THERE.
SHE WON.
AND THEN, WE HAVE OUR GRAND PRIZE,
A CUSTOM-FRAMED ORIGINAL MIXED MEDIUM PAINTING--
THERE YOU GO-- BY LOCAL ARTIST DERRICK HOLLOWELL, ONCE AGAIN.
AND THE WINNER IS...
>> BROWN HUTCHERSON. (applause)
I MEAN, THE WHOLE-- I DUNNO-- THE CHURCH?
(laughing)
SO, THAT WOULD BE OUR GRAND PRIZE.
THE CUSTOM-FRAMED ORIGINAL MIXED MEDIUM PAINTING.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU.
(audience laughing) ALL OF YOU.
>> I'M LAUGHING BECAUSE I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS GETTING MY GLASSES ON.
I THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT JENNIFER JUST SAID.
WE BOTH, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED AT THIS-- WE DID NOT WEAR GLASSES, YOU GUYS.
NOW, WE HAVE OUR READERS.
(audience laughing) (laughing)
OKAY, WE'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK GEORGE BAYARD
AND THE BAYARD ART CONSULTING AND FRAMING SHOP.
AND HIS LOCATION IS ON KALAMAZOO AND HALL,
AND SO GO VISIT HIM.
LET US HAVE OUR BENEDICTION NOW BY REVEREND KENNETH HOSKINS.
>> CAN WE ALL STAND?
LET'S PRAY.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN ALLOWED TO SPEND TOGETHER,
TO DINE TOGETHER, TO FELLOWSHIP AND JUST LAUGH AND ENJOY ONE ANOTHER.
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE HONOREES ON HERE TONIGHT, GOD,
AND WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GO WITH US AND STAND BY US.
AS WE LEAVE THIS PLACE, DISMISS US FROM THIS PLACE,
NEVER FROM YOUR PRESENCE.
GOD, WE THANK YOU, WE PRAISE YOU, WE LIFT YOU UP.
NOW, MAY THE GRACE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST,
THE SWEET COMMUNION OF YOUR HOLY SPIRIT,
RESTFUL AND ABIDE WITH US, HENCEFORTH NOW AND FOREVER,
AND WE ALL SAY TOGETHER...
>> (all) AMEN.
>> HUG SOMEBODY, SHAKE SOMEBODY'S HAND--
LET 'EM KNOW YOU APPRECIATE THEM.
LET 'EM KNOW YOU LOVE 'EM.
GOD BLESS YOU.
(general chatter)
>> HAVE A GOOD NIGHT, EVERYONE!
AND THANKS AGAIN TO NINO AND THE JAZZ PEOPLE!