NAACP Greater Texarkana gives out awards at annual banquet
TEXARKANA, Texas — The Greater Texarkana Branch of the NAACP held its annual Freedom Fund Awards Banquet this past weekend where a bevy of awards were given out to community members who’ve used their resources to better the Texarkana area.
The event was held virtually on Oct. 23, with the theme of “Fighting Forward Toward Justice, Equality, and Change.”
“It went extremely well,” Banquet Chairperson Melva Flowers said. “We were really pleased, and the community worked extremely hard. It was a really outstanding banquet. Our technology people did so well.”
The Branch recognized the following eight individuals for their professional and personal contributions and achievements toward achieving the mission of the NAACP:
• Dr. Emily Cutrer, Benjamin Dennis President Award
• Lee Williams, III, A.E. Alton Educational Award
• Dr. Loren Robinson, Dan Haskin Torch Bearer Award
• Sgt. Lloyd Douglas, Dr. G.W. Thompson Professional Award
• Rev. James Larkins, Religious Affairs Award
• Jean Matlock, Trailblazer Award
• Derrick McGary, Dr. Calvin Rolark Business and Economic Award
• Barbara Pitts-Riley, Mr. John J. Jones, Sr. Community Service Award
Flowers, who has been the chairperson for this event for 27 years, said Texarkana is filled with deserving recipients of awards like these and that it was a challenge to cut the list down to eight.
“It’s always not a very easy task to choose people to be recipients,” she said. “We ask for feedback and nominations from the community, and then the community comes together to help us make a decision. There are a lot of people in Texarkana who are doing a lot of great things. But the community just came together and we voted to determine which ones we were actually going to give out.”
This banquet is the branch’s primary fundraiser, supporting programming, activism and outreach. The funds allow the branch to fulfill its mission, which is to serve Texarkana and Northeast Texas, its community and people and to provide and assist people in hopes of ensuring equal prosperity, advancement and opportunities.