THE CHRONIC]
>ee Opinion/Forum pages on A4 & A5 • • See Sports
2020 Community Service Awards goes
virtual on Facebook, YouTube
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
For the past 46 years
The Chronicle has been
the go-to source for com
munity news in Winston-
Salem and Forsyth County.
And for 35 of those years,
The Chronicle has held
an annual celebration to
honor those throughout the
community who go above
the normal call of duty to
serve others.
While the pandemic
didn’t allow for a grand
event like we saw in 2019
at the Kenneth R. Williams
Auditorium on the campus
of Winston-Salem State
University, last weekend
The Chronicle held the an
nual celebration virtually
while hundreds watched
online.
James Taylor, ^Chron
icle co-owner and pub
lisher, said he couldn’t
let a year go by without
recognizing people in the
community who make this
a better place to live.
“We would love to be
with you in person as we do
every single year, but due
to COVID-19, we decided
to make this event virtual,”
Taylor said. “Even though
we faced some challenges,
we couldn’t let a year go
by without recognizing
a few people in our com
munity who are working
to make it a better place to
live, work, and relax.”
After the introduction
and acknowledgment of
sponsors, it was time to an
nounce the winners. Social
distancing was observed
as each honoree came to
the podium to accept their
prestigious award.
The Woman of the
Year, sponsored by Reyn
olds American, Inc., was
awarded to Cheryl Harry.
Through her work with
Triad Cultural Arts Inc.,
and several other grass-
roots organizations, Harry
has made it her mission
to help preserve the rich
history of African Ameri
cans in Winston-Salem for
more than 20 years. Harry
is also responsible for the
city’s annual Juneteenth
Celebration, which cel
ebrates the abolishment
of slavery in the United
States. Earlier this year,
several members of the
city council recognized
• Photos by Alphonso Abbott Jr.
Last weekend The Chronicle hosted the 2020 Community Serivce awards virtually. The ceremony can be viewed by visiting The Chronicle’s
YouTube channel or Facebook page.
Harry for her efforts before
voting to make Juneteenth
an official holiday.
After accepting the
award, Harry took a mo
ment to thank The Chron
icle and those who have
helped her along the way.
“I would really like to
extend my heartfelt thanks
to the Winston-Salem
Chronicle for presenting
me, along with so many
other people, with this
award because the support
doesn’t happen in a vacu
um. It’s the culmination
of the work of so many
people,” Harry continued.
“I’d like to thank so many
people who came before
www.wschronicle.com
v v-
me, so many countless vol
unteers who do this behind
the scenes along with me
... it is my great honor and
again I say thank you.”
The Man of the Year
Award, sponsored by the
City of Winston-Salem,
was presented to Allan
Younger. Younger is the
director of the Small Busi
ness Centers in Forsyth
and Stokes Counties, and
is most known for his
work to help minority-
owned businesses reach
their full potential. Since
2018, the Small Business
Center has partnered with
The Chronicle, the local
Black Chamber of Com
merce, NAACP, and the
Urban League to select
a Business of the Month
and help bring awareness
to small businesses in the
community.
While helping local
entrepreneurs reach their
goals, Younger still finds
time to volunteer with sev
eral grassroots organiza
tions and serve on several
boards.
Younger offered his
thanks, saying, “Thank
you very much to The
Chronicle, the City of
Winston-Salem, to my
wife, my children, to God,
and to the many small
businesses that I work with
every day, as well as vari
ous members of the com
munity that work hard to
make this community bet
ter.”
Others awardees in
clude:
Youth of the Year,
sponsored by Z. Smith
Reynolds Foundation -
Isaac Redfearn
Church of the Year,
sponsored by Winston-
Salem Transit Authority -
Whole Man Ministries
Creator Award, spon
sored by HanesBrands Inc.
- Alphonso Abbott
For Seniors Only
Award, sponsored by Tru-
ist Bank - Chuck Vestal
Paulette Lewis-Moore
Lifetime Achievement
Award, sponsored by Rus
sell’s Funeral Home - Dr.
Virginia K. Newell
Carl Russell Life
time Achievement Award,
sponsored by Russell’s Fu
neral Home - James Black
burn
The 2020 Commu
nity Service Awards can
be viewed by visiting the
“WinstonSalem Chroni
cle” YouTube channel or
by visiting The Chroni
cle’s Facebook page and
clicking the “Videos” tab.