Community
section B \iso Sports , Religion and Classifieds march a, 2010
Community
Calendar
Mavericks try-outs
The Kernersville
Mavericks Organization will
have try-outs Qn Saturday.
March 6 at 3:30 p.m. for ages
10 - 12; and for ages 13-16
at 4:30 p.m. The try-outs will
be at the Kernersville YMCA
in the South Gym. For infor
mation, visit www. league
lineup. com/kvillemavs.
AARP meeting
Forsyth AARP Chapter
Number 1797 will hold its
monthly meeting on
Tuesday, March 9 at noon at
Senior Services, 2895
Shorefair Drive. The theme
is "Successful Aging Health
and Wellness." For addition
al information, contact Dr
Althea Taylor Jones at 336
996-3866 or dratjC? embarq
mail.com.
Magic show fundraiser
Popular Las Vegas illu
sionist show "The Reality
Magic" is coming to West
Forsyth High School
Performing Arts Center on
Monday, March 8 at 7 p.m.
Tickets are SIO and all pro
ceeds will help fund scholar
ships at The Special
Children's School and West
Forsyth. Contact Stuart Egan
at 336-712-4400 or Donna
Small at 336-924-9309 for
tickets, or purchase at the
door.
Tree pruning presentation
Keith Finch, an arborist
for the City of Winston
Salem. will give a free pres
entation on the proper way to
prune trees at 5:30 p.m. on
Monday. March 8 in the
auditorium of the Central
Library, 6<K) W. Fifth St. He
will be available to answer
questions about pruning or
tree care The event is spon
sored by the Community
Appearance Commission of
Winston-Salem and Forsyth
County.
Church and Community
Fitness Day
U-Fit2 Health &
Wellness Inc. will host a
Church and* Community
Fitness Day on Saturday.
March 6 from 9. a.m. to I
p.m. at Piney Grove Baptist
Church Family Life Center,
4715 Indiana Ave. The event
is free and open to the public
and will feature health
screenings, fitness exercise
classes for all levels and a
panel discussion.
Tiny Indians sign-ups
The Winston-Salem Tiny
Indians will have sign-ups
on Saturday. March 6 in the
East Winston Shopping cen
ter from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Raster dance show
Positive Image
Performing Arts is sponsor
ing "Easter Praise Dance
Showcase 2010" on
Saturday. March ft at 3 p.m.
at Brendle Recital Hall at
Wake Forest University. It
will feature liturgical praise
dance, mime and step teams
from area churches and the
community. For more infor
mation, to purchase tickets or
ask about being a vendor,
call 33ft-97M89<t or 33ft
917-3<X)5 or email annual
praisedanceshowcase(ffgmail
.com.
Patrolling Pioneers
City honors
first
black cops
BY T KEVIN WALKER
rm C HRON1CLE
Law enforcement offi
cers of color have always
had to do more than simply
uphold the law.
As members of minori
ties communities with long
held mistrust of the law and
legal system, they've had to
act as ambassadors and
bridge-builders. And as
minorities in a profession
that remains largely white
and male, they have been
victims of the moral crimes
of hatred and workplace big
otry.
Those challenges and
many more were acknowl
edged on Sunday, Feb. 21 as
the Winston-Salem Police
Department celebrated
Black History Month by
honoring some of the
department's trailblazers.
"What these pioneers
started still needs to be com
pleted." said Police Chief
Scott Cunningham,
acknowledging that nearly
70 years after the city hired
its first black officer, the
department still hasn't suc
ceeded in making its ranks
reflect the racial diversity of
the community it serves.
The man who broke the
color barrier was the first
honored at the ceremony,
which took place before a
crowd of about four dozen
r
Lillian Bonner's son, Horace (far left ) and grandson. Anthony, prepare to accept a plaque from Winston-Salem Police
Chief Scott Cunningham.
people at the Carl Russell
Recreation Center. John
Joyce joined the city's police
force on Oct . 1 . 1 94 1 , after a
career working with black
at-risk youths. A graduate of
N.C. A&T State University.
Joyce also worked as a night
watchman at a local armory
and a teacher before joining
the force.
Joyce is deceased: no
member of his family was
on hand to accept a plaque
and the appreciation of the
audience. Several members
of the late Lillian Bonner's
family were in attendance.
Bonner became the depart
ment's first black female
officer in 1952. She spent 30
years on the force. Her son,
Horace Bonner, said his
mother preferred the term
"peace" officer rather than
police officer. But in her line
of work, peace has its limits.
"She only went to the
other side when you made
her." Horace Bonner said.
The Department's first
black officers were often rel
egated to policing duties in
the African American com
munity. where they were
mostly revered.
George Redd joined the
force in 1951. During a
career that spanned three
decades, he became one of
Forsyth County's first
school resource officers, a
role that earned him the
nickname "Daddy Redd."
Redd is still living, but w'as
in the hospital on the dav of
the ceremony. His son.
George Redd Jr.. was on
hand to represent the Redd
family, which also includes
Oliver Redd (another one of
George Redd's children).
Jfr* f.
who served on the police
force for 16 \ears.
*
"I really never heard any
body say anything bad about
See Officers on B2
Above: Joe McFadden's
son, Charles, talks about
his father, as his daughter,
LeShawn Amos and her
husand, Craig Amos, stand
beside him.
Right: Ralph Meadows
leads the crowd in the
singing of "Lift Every
Voice." To his right are
Police Chief Cunningham,
Assistant Chief Barry
Rountree and Galilee
Pastor Dr. Sathan
Scovens.
Bonner
McFadden
Joyce
Redd
George Redd Jr. speaks.
1 _________
The crowd sing s the Black Xational Anthem.
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