By Dawn Scotland
The Truth Reporter
The Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union continued its annual festival weekend with a prayer breakfast on Friday morning, July 17, at The Indiana Avenue Missionary Baptist Church. Despite the weather, the sold-out event hosted over 200 hundred people engaged in fellowship and unity to commemorate 30 years of The Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union.
The event was highlighted by numerous prayers from local leaders, special tributes and performances and breakfast catered by Marla Oden (Whisk Takers LLC.) The Master of Ceremonies was District 1 City Councilman John Hobbs III.
Following a welcome by lead pastor of Indiana Avenue Missionary Baptist Church Pastor William C. Foster and prayers from local leaders Suzette Cowell, founder/CEO of the Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union gave remarks and presented awards to the following 2026 Prayer Breakfast Honorees:
- Mekelle Bly (Clinical Nurse Supervisor of Piedmont Medical Network Surgical Services Department)
- Ebony Carter (Director of the Minority Business Assistance Center (MBAC)
- Rosalyn Clemens (Chief of the City of Toledo Department of Housing and Neighborhood Sustainability)
- Anita Hackett (Vice Chair of the Toledo Urban Resource Center)
- Judge Nicole Khoury (Toledo Municipal Court)
- Laura Kropowski (Chief Executive Director of TARTA)
- Stephanie D. Kynard (Franchise Owner and Operator of Rita’s Italian Ice and Custard)
- Wanita Mayberry (Dedicated Volunteer of the African American Festival)
- Louis Newsom (Owner & President of Systems Dynamics Communications)
- Christina Rodriguez (Executive Director of Mom’s House Toledo)
- Rachelle Roy (USPS Mail Carrier and Lupus Advocate)
- Mark Williams (Founder/ President of Psalmist Ministries and Co-President of WRW Productions)
- Yuseff Woods (co- founder of Explorers Academy and Co-Founder of WRW Productions)
- Fletcher Word (Owner/ Publisher of The Sojourner’s Truth Newspaper)
Prayers were given by local church leaders Bishop Pat McKinstry (GHDT Worship Center), Bishop Jerry Boose (Second Baptist Church), Bishop Duane C. Tisdale (Friendship Baptist Church), Rev. Aaron Murray Sr. (Southern Missionary Baptist Church), Sister Virginia Welch (St. Martin de Porres), Lady Sabrina Prince (The Cross Church), Lady Elaine Lucas (Liberty Ministries COGIC), First Lady Alisa M. Key (People’s Baptist Church), Pastor Michael Prince (The Cross Church).
Performances included a worship song by Leigh Utley, opera selection by Ivana Butler accompanied by Kevin Byslma (Toledo Opera), and poem by Sandra Rivers-Gill.
