The 16th Annual Richard E. Stone Freedom Fund Banquet

Themed, Operation Excellence: Moving from Good to Great, the well attended event showcased such style and stamina. In the midst of the region’s first hurricane season storm, central Brevard leadership walked in with umbrellas and all the underpinnings of success—fine attire, positive attitudes and entire families of children, mothers, fathers, church congregations and community activists, committee members and longtime friends all,  filling the banquet tables to the brim.

“On behalf of the Central Brevard County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, please accept my sincere welcome to this the Sixteenth annual Richard E. Stone Freedom Fund Banquet, “proclaimed Alberta K. Wilson, Central Brevard branch president in her impassioned welcome.

“Like in previous years, this year’s banquet committee has worked tirelessly to put on a program we’ve come to know and appreciate as one of the best of Brevard, “Wilson continued.

True to tradition, this Central Branch event was the articulate call to activism that is its distinction among the two other branches. Well spoken and accomplished women sent out the clarion call for continued civil rights activism in today’s topsy turvey turmoil for equality and economic empowerment.

A distinguished dais of prominent proactive divas and promising youth highlighted the annual event.

Jewell Collins, banquet committee co-chair, Lady Betty Goins, president, Cocoa Brevard Chapter of TLOD (Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.), Lady Peggy Lewis LeCompte, national president of TLOD and keynote speaker, as Alberta Wilson, as well as Jackie Colon, Brevard County Commissioner were resplendent in their in their attire and activism.

Young master of ceremony, president NAACP Youth Council, also graced the dais of the gala event. He would also participate in the Central Brevard Branch NAACP Choir with the gospel rendition of Soon and Very Soon and other selections.

Councilman Dr. Joe Lee Smith in his own inimitable smooth style, pitched hit for as Master of ceremonies for Attorney Kendall Moore, unable to attend. And another Cocoa Councilman Clarence Whipple offered greetings.

Keynote speaker, Lady LeCompte, roused the crowd with a contemporary state of civil rights contrast that are today’s challenges.

First and foremost, she chided in her clarion call for increased, entrepreneurship, educational equality, gender parity, teen and elderly and handicapped programs as well as an expansion of our narrow points of view of the privileged was her declaration, “and the first card you should be pulling from your wallet should not be your credit card but your lifetime membership NAACP card,” to which the audience loudly applauded.

In a rousing call to continued activism, both enlightening and entertaining, she cited this time of contrasts that call for continued, collective civil rights activism for us all, when the haves reach out to the have-nots for our future prosperity and success.

“We need to reach out and touch, grab and pull…help a sister up, help a brother up, so we can all succeed.”

“While the No Child Left Behind agenda is leaving all our children behind we must push for their success,” she rallied.

The keynote speaker is known throughout the state of Illinois and the Midwest as an outstanding educator, Greek leader, motivational speaker, achiever, community activist, NAACP worker and National President of the Top ladies of Distinction