Feed the Hungry fundraiser to honor ‘above and beyond’ Butler County officials

Marlon Styles Jr., superintendent of Middletown City Schools, will be recognized Saturday during the 7th annual Black Attire MLK Gala. SUBMITTED

Marlon Styles Jr., superintendent of Middletown City Schools, will be recognized Saturday during the 7th annual Black Attire MLK Gala. SUBMITTED

The largest fundraiser for the Feed the Hungry Project in Middletown will be Saturday night, and organizers hope to attract 400 people and raise $50,000, said Deborah Patterson, executive director.

The 7th annual All Black Attire Martin Luther King Gala, a formal event, will honor several local leaders for going “above and beyond,” Patterson said.

This year’s honorees include: Dr. Gregory Jordan, surgeon at Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati; Missy McCall, director of BB Rents; Heather Merritt from Shared Harvest Food Bank; Duane Moore, a Hamilton City Schools educator; Eboni Perkins, who works for Crossroads Church; Terry Sherrer, executive director of the Middletown Area United Way; and Marlon Styles Jr., Middletown City Schools superintendent.

Phillip Holloman will deliver the keynote address, and Faith Daniels from 92.1-FM in Dayton will serve as master of ceremonies.

Last year’s event attracted about 300 people and generated $30,000 in funds that were used for the general operation of the Feed the Hungry Project that was founded in 1987 by the late Louella Thompson, Patterson said.

In 2019,Feed the Hungry provided 140 children a summer camp experience; fixed 2,500 meals for breakfast and dinner a month; prepared 175 turkey baskets; fed 70 residents Thanksgiving dinner and gave more than 500 toys to area children.

Here are some other Black History Month events in the region:

Lane Libraries present storyteller

Fourth-generation Affrilachian storyteller Lynette Ford will give a presentation from 1-3 p.m. Saturday at the Fairfield Lane Library and 3-4 p.m. at the Hamilton Lane Library.

The event is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. For more information about this and other programs at the Lane Libraries, call 513-894-6557 or visit the Lane website at www.lanepl.org.

‘Soul Salute’ set for Oxford

Yvette Harris will be the introductory guest speaker for Oxford Seniors’ “Soul Salute” at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 26 at Oxford Seniors’ Great Room, 922 Tollgate Drive.

Harris will highlight the impact African-Americans on American history. The event is free and and open to the public.

Oxford Seniors has sponsored a public event during African American History month since 2009 to promote inclusion and diversity. Light refreshments will be served.

For more information, call 513-523-8100.


HOW TO GO:

WHAT: 7th annual All Black Attire Martin Luther King Gala

WHEN: Saturday. Social hour: 6-7 p.m.; program: 7-9 p.m.; ball: 9-11 p.m.

WHERE: Centre Park of West Chester, 5800 Muhlhauser Road, West Chester

HOW MUCH: $70. Table of 10 for $600.

MORE INFORMATION: www.feedthehungryproject.org.

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