By Dawn Scotland
Sojourner’s Truth Reporter
The members of the Toledo Chapter of the NAACP celebrated their annual Christmas gathering Tuesday, December 14 at TolHouse Club located at 1447 N Summit St. Guest enjoyed hors d’oeuvres, complimentary drinks and entertainment by saxophonist Sax B.
Rev. Willie Perryman, president of The Toledo Chapter of the NAACP and pastor of the Jerusalem Baptist Church, addressed a packed room of community members, friends and supporters.
He outlined his goals and progress since becoming chapter president almost a year ago. “The relevant question that everyone asks is: ‘What has the NAACP been doing?’” said Perryman. “The one objective that I had was that I wanted to enhance the collaboration and the partners that the NAACP already had in place and to gain. I wanted the NAACP to be more than just a complaint system. So, for the past 11 and a half months that’s what we have been doing.” The full address by Pastor Perryman will be given at the first NAACP meeting in January.
Past presidents Ray Wood, Theresa Gabriel (current chair of the Toledo NAACP Advisory Committee) and the Honorable Judge C. Allen McConnell were in attendance and recognized. ‘Thank You’ plaques were given to executive members including former Mayor Carty Finkbeiner who was also in attendance.
Following his remarks, Perryman presented a special award. “There is a young man here who works so hard for so many different organizations. I want you to know publicly that if it had not been for him [the] successes that we have been able to achieve could not have been done.”
Micheal Alexander, first vice president of the Toledo Chapter of the NAACP, received the 2021 Presidential Award – the first award of its kind presented by the Toledo chapter.
Perryman shared well wishes regarding his longtime friend and his outstanding dedication to the NAACP.
The awardee received the honor humbly, “Thank you, President Perryman, for this honor,” said Alexander. “As my friend Ray [Wood] always says ‘To God be the glory. Only what you do for Christ is going to last.’ I try to use that mantra as I try to do things for the better of our community….” He thanked his supporters. “It is an honor to receive this [from] the NAACP. Thank you.”
The Toledo Chapter of the NAACP will hold its first meeting of 2022 the second Tuesday in January (Jan 11) at the Jerusalem Baptist Church. The event will also be livestreamed.
The chapter ensures exciting surprises to look out for at the Freedom Fund Banquet next year in 2022.