A funeral home whose staff reaches out to troubled teens and a nonprofit group that serves a southeast Raleigh neighborhood were among the honorees at the 21st Annual Awards Banquet of the City of Raleigh Human Relations Commission on Thursday night.
Lea Funeral Home was honored for its contributions to the community, including its invitations to troubled teens to serve as interns in the business. The funeral home, located at 2500 Poole Road, also has paid for equipment and uniforms for two Little League teams, hosted a community day celebration, provided financial assistance to families in need and furnished buses for groups visiting historic sites.
Family Friends & Community Outreach Group Inc. received a Human Relations Award for heightening the morale of the Southgate community by holding special events, serving as advocates and creating a support system for residents. The group was established to honor the memory of Sgt. Courtney T. Johnson, a community volunteer who was killed in 2007 while serving in Iraq.
Other winners of this year’s Human Relations Awards are:
Luis Rodilla-Sotelo, a fifth-grader at Conn Active Learning and Technology Magnet Elementary School. Luis is a news anchor on the Conn TV news broadcast, serves as youth translator for his classroom peers and helps collect paper at the school for recycling;
Dr. Norman C. Camp III, who leads the South Citizens Advisory Council and chairs Partners for Environmental Justice, a grassroots organization dedicated to restoring and preserving the Walnut Creek wetlands in southeast Raleigh. Partners for Environmental Justice worked with the City of Raleigh on constructing the new Walnut Creek Wetland Center at 950 Peterson St.; and,
Quashaun Morgan, a junior at Broughton High School and leader of the Youth Leadership Alliance and other youth organizations.
Tim Tyson, author of the acclaimed book “Blood Done Sign My Name,” was the keynote speaker at the awards banquet.
The City of Raleigh Human Relations Commission has presented its Human Relations Awards annually since 1989. The awards recognize businesses, organizations, individuals, students and youth whose work reflects the Human Relations Commission’s goal of enhancing human dignity, equal opportunity, mutual respect and harmony among Raleigh citizens. The Human Relations Commission serves in an advisory role to the Raleigh City Council, which appoints members to the commission.
Prepared by:
John Boyette
Public Affairs Specialist
Public Affairs Department
For More Information Contact:
Marionna Poke-Stewart
Staff Liaison
Community Services Department
310 West Martin Street, Suite 201
Raleigh, NC 27602
919-996-6100
