On Friday, October 2, 2015, the Montclair Branch NAACP will celebrate the 99th Annual Thurgood Marshall Freedom Fund Dinner and Awards Ceremony. This year the fundraiser is to be held at The Hanover Manor in East Hanover, NJ between 6:30 and 11 PM.
Chapter President Albert E. Pelham announced that “Pursuing Liberty in the Face of Injustice,” the theme for this year, captures the plight of the NAACP for more than a century. Since this event is our most important fundraiser for the year, it marks the time when we reach out to our Montclair area members and friends for support.” Our Keynote address will be delivered by Richard T. Smith, President if the NAACP NJ State Conference.
In addition to the keynote address by Mr. Smith, the Montclair Chapter will honor a number of individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership throughout the township and the greater Montclair community. The honorees are Rev. A.C. Dunn, MNDC Chairman of the Board of the Montclair Neighborhood Development Corporation, Justine Harris, retired teacher from the Montclair School District; Britnee Timberlake, President of the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Legislative, Khalid Branch, Student Achievement, Barry Devone and Te’Niijah Bussey, Community Service, Lifetime Achievement, Jenny Brown, widow of civil rights pioneer and criminal defense attorney Raymond Brown, Randy Graves, Business owner of Sandwiches Unlimited, Charles Nolley and Sam Debnam, Armed Services,.
“The honorees this year reflect a nice compliment of leadership in the Montclair and surrounding community which has existed for many years as well as some very active newcomers and we are proud to acknowledge them for their hard work,” said Beverly Bussey, Chairperson of the Thurgood Marshall Dinner Committee.
The Montclair Branch NAACP relies upon the proceeds solicited from their annual fundraiser to offset operating expenses and to support a wide range of programs including scholarships for high school students, initiatives to help close the academic achievement gap; student leadership initiatives and other important community organizing events. President Pelham commented that “programs like these are designed to promote leadership, strengthen families and to support the community as a whole. Our fundraising objective is to secure corporate and private sponsors who are willing to ensure the success of our annual fundraising effort so that we can continue to do this important work.”
Tickets to the event are $100.00 a person; discounts for seniors is $85.00; and students $45.00. For more information on the Thurmond Marshall Freedom Fund Dinner, and the Montclair Chapter of the NAACP, please contact Cary Chevat at 973-615-9827 or visit our website at www.montclairnaacp.org.