The Truth Staff
A sure sign that the seasonal glorious weather has arrived in northwest Ohio is when the members of the Toledo Corvette-Club unwrap those beautiful vehicles that have been in storage during the winter weather and parade down Dorr Street.
On Saturday, April 20, they did just that and, as usual, took up a worthwhile cause to promote. This year the Club teamed with Toledo United for Social Action, Mt. Nebo Baptist Church Youth Ministry and the City of Toledo’s Violence Interrupters to urge youngsters not to resort to the terrible gun violence that has become such a part of the Toledo central city.
“This year so many kids are [involved in] shootings, we want to show them they don’t have to shoot themselves,” said Seldon Hill, president of the Corvette-Club. Noting that members of his club have started and led successful lives such as presidents and mangers of businesses, or in trades such as tool-and-die, Hill observed that “these people did the right things, kids can look at us and see there is a right way out there.”
Joining the club members were Rev. James Willis and Bishop Marcia Dinkins of TUSA, Rev. Cedric Brock of Mt. Nebo’s Youth Ministry’s Boys to Men in Christ and Divas groups (for boys and girls respectively) and David Bush, coordinator of the City of Toledo’s Violence Interrupters, along with several dozen youngsters from St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church and Mt. Nebo Baptist Church.
“Hands up, minds up, guns down,” said Brock, echoing the mantra of his church’s groups.
“The purpose of the march is to start focusing on our youth,” said Willis. “To show them that gun violence is not tolerated and to let them see what they can do as they go forward in life.”
As for the impact of the event on adults, Willis added: “Our children are our future, however, if you don’t spend time with them, there won’t be a future.”
