BIG HONOR FOR ELDERS
JARED MCCALLISTER – NEW YORK DAILY NEWS – Sunday, October 27, 2013, 4:00 AM
Heartwarming doesn’t even come close to describing Yesterday’s Children: A Benefit and Award Ceremony in Honor of Our Elders. For recipients and observers, the Sept. 21 affair and its program were literally soul-stirring.
Heartwarming doesn’t even come close to describing Yesterday’s Children: A Benefit and Award Ceremony in Honor of Our Elders. For recipients and observers, the Sept. 21 affair and its program were literally soul-stirring.
This year’s honorees — representing several nations — were Mable Francis, 92, (St. Vincent and the Grenadines); Clemencia Girard-Larcher, 86, (St. Lucia); Agatha Date, 82, (Grenada); James (Sam) Granderson, 82, (Trinidad and Tobago), and Ina Wilson, 79, (Guyana).
“As the African drums rolled and the procession proceeded toward the (St. Jude) community center, hundreds stood to welcome the five elders who were this year’s recipients of the Yesterday’s Children Award,” said Mauby Media Services’ Glenda Cadogon, event’s creator.
The honorees had a star named for them through the International Star Registry. The recipients received gift packages – including picture portraits on canvas from Roderick Warner of Conflicted Geniu and specially-designed African fabric capelets and scarfs from Danella Abbey of Ahsiro Creations – and some special, individualized honors.
Mauby Media Services
Danella Abbey of Ahsiro Creations places one of her specially-designed African scarfs on awardee James (Sam) Granderson and Mable Francis (below) wears her capelet and proudly holds her Daily News Front Page award.
Mauby Media Services
For Francis, it was a drum selection by master drummer Corey Quammie of Sons of Thunder. Wilson got the story of the Monkey and Crocodile, recited by Michael Manswell, artistic director of Something Positive dance ensemble. Date was soulfully serenaded by Rev. Andy Edwards’ rendition of the 1960 Brook Benton classic “The Ties That Bind.” Granderson’s tribute came from a song performed by the Caribbean FolkTrees trio – Euston James (Trinidad and Tobago), Pax Hurley (Grenada), and Sophia Alexander (St. Lucia). And finally, Girard-Larcher was acknowledged by a dance performance by 15-year-old Imani Craig.
The elders also receved “You are a Shining Star” awards from Cadogan and personalized Front Page Awards from the New York Daily News. There also audience involvement at the close of the event – Shirma Cadogan of Mambu Inc. presented a scroll inscribed a Shirley Osborne poem, titled “You,” to all attendees over the age of 70.
Read more at: BIG HONOR FOR ELDERS