BALDWIN- The CSEA Nassau Local 830’s Unity Committee hosted its 16^th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Luncheon at the Coral House on Saturday, January 9. Over two hundred and fifty packed the room and were treated to a wonderful afternoon of musical entertainment, dancing performances, food, and raffle prizes.

 

CSEA member Concetta Walker sang the Black National Anthem, as well as several other musical selections. Another CSEA member, Fred McFarland from the Sheriff’s Support Unit, sang our national anthem, as well as another selection. The Voices of Victory Alumni provided music throughout the day, and the Dancing Children of God gave some wonderful dancing performances. 

 

The Keynote Speaker was CSEA member Dr. Joseph Volker. Dr. Volker is a social activist, committed to Human and Civil Rights. He was part of the Newark Human Rights Commission, was director of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and chaired the initial convention of the New Jersey Ethnic Communities Congress, in addition to many other titles he has held that benefitted civil rights. Volker is an Affirmative Action Specialist III for the Sheriff’s Department and is an Adjunct Professor at Nassau Community College, and holds degrees from Seton Hall University, Kean University and Drew University.

This year, the Unity Committee focused their awards on education. Honorees were Principal Jean Bligen of Barack Obama Elementary School, Rev. Jannie West-Mays of Roosevelt Middle School, Steven J. Rose, Social Worker from Grand Avenue Middle School, Marc Lupa, Dean of Students at Westbury High School and Judith Bennett Murray, Professor of Nursing at Nassau Community College.

 

As always, CSEA was proud to award four children with $500 scholarships. All four are either high school seniors or college students with better than a ‘B’ average, and have shown active personal involvement in the advancement of the principles of human rights, within the community. The scholarship winners were Sean O. Brown, Joshua D. Lobel, Adetutu-Adayemi Jones and Michael Seth-Schneberg.

 

CSEA Local 830 President Jerry Laricchiuta and Region One President Nick LaMorte both addressed the crowd and thanked dignitaries, Legislator Robert Troiano, and Town of Hempstead Councilwoman Dorothy Goolsby for attending. Troiano and Goolsby were also nice enough to present certificates to each honoree and scholarship winner.

 

 

CSEA is so proud to once again honor the life and times of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., while rewarding great community activists and young scholars who strive everyday to keep his spirit alive.   This event would not be possible without the great work of the CSEA Local 830 Unity Committee and co-chairs Kelvin Lewis and Carol Croston, and the rest of the committee which includes Guadalupe Johnson, Juanita McKinnies, Stephen Cohen, Kathleen Zoeller, Barbara Jones, Tim Corr, Donnie Eng, Michelle Greenblatt, Kirk Fowlkes, Sharon Jackson, Vera McDowell, Valerie Nelson, Ken Nicholson, John Rinaldo, Joseph Volker and Concetta Walker.