Returning Home for the 24th Year to Reunite, Share Honors

WHITESBORO – Concerned Citizens of Whitesboro, Inc. celebrated its 24th annual reunion festival from Fri., Aug. 31 to Sun., Sept. 2 with speakers, food, prayers and praise, displays, and merchandise of many types.
This year’s theme was “Pulling Together to Serve the Community.”
Celebration will continue Sunday with worship and speakers by the Martin Luther King Community Center, West Main Street.
Saturday afternoon’s portion of the festival was held, as had been all others, under a tent on West Main Street in front of Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center.
Featured speakers of the afternoon included Sturdy Savings Bank President, CEO and Director Gerald Reeves, who focused on the importance of a community bank. He also told how first-time home buyers may be assisted with special programs and grants available from the bank.
Keynote speaker was Larry S. Gibson, professor of law, University of Maryland. In 1972, he was the first African American law professor at the University of Virginia. Two years later, Gibson accepted a faculty position at University of Maryland School of Law. He remains there teaching Evidence, Civil Procedure, Race and the Law, and election law.
Gibson, also an author, has done widespread research and written a book about Thurgood Marshall.
He is also the principal advocate for a law passed in Maryland General Assembly that renamed the Baltimore-Washington International Airport “BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport.”
John Ponzi, master of ceremonies, recalled how he had learned to read with Superman comic books. It was that superhero he admired, he said of Gibson, “His peers have identified him as a super lawyer. He’s as close to Superman as I will ever get.”
Ponzi reminded the crowd that both Marshall and community founder George White believe in the value of education for young people.
He noted that in South Carolina in 1740, it became illegal to educate African Americans. The fine for breaking that law was $100, Ponzi said.
“In 1954, the illustrious Thurgood Marshall reversed that Brown v. Board of Education, a ruling that helped all of us to get the educations we have,” Ponzi continued.
Gibson told of the great similarities between White and Marshall, for their work toward advancing civil rights and equality of African Americans.
“The parallels between George White and Thurgood Marshall are dramatic,” he said. Both graduated from Howard University, White as an undergraduate student, Marshall in the Law School. Both were active in their Masonic lodges, both were early leaders in the NAACP.
Both fought for voting rights, fairness in the criminal justice system, decent housing and promotion of educational opportunity.
“For 24 years, you have gathered here to preserve and promote the legacy of George White and the community he founded,” Gibson said.
At the beginning of the program, Bernie Blanks plaques of appreciation to former mayor F. Nathan Doughty for what he had done for the community, to Helen Saunders, widow of retired Middle Township Police Chief Raymond Saunders, a South Carolina resident, and to Sandra Jensen on behalf of the family of the late Doris McMillan, long active in the Concerned Citizens of Whitesboro.
Blanks also recognized Kay White, absent from the ceremony, who has worked tirelessly to beautify the Household of Ruth Cemetery on Pennsylvania Avenue. He vowed to deliver the plaque to White.
Mayor Daniel Lockwood told the crowd that Whitesboro is “spoken about” when heritage and history are talked about in the township and elsewhere.
Citing the work done by the late police chief, Lockwood cited the police department and added, “It’s easy to say great things (about the men and women of the department) who have had a particularly challenging time this past month,” he said, in reference to the missing Patrolman Jason Sill.
“It is important to realize, in trying times like this, when the (police) men and women are going through grief … they realize we are there for them just as they are here for us,” said Lockwood. The mayor said he was “proud to be a part of the governing body that got Main Street done.”
He added there will be “other improvements” including water in some sections. “As Whitesboro grows, so does Middle Township. I appreciate your attention and the opportunity to speak,” Lockwood concluded.
Blanks said Committeewoman Susan DeLanzo was in attendance, and Deputy Mayor Timothy Donohue was present earlier when a tree was dedicated to the memory of Chief Saunders.
Police Chief Christopher M. Leusner read the statement about Saunders that he had sent on his passing in April.
“Words do not seem adequate to describe the life of Chief Saunders…Every morning I pass by the picture of Chief Saunders in the stairwell of the Middle Township Police Department. I find it hard to imagine the challenges Chief Saunders faced in his 27-year career…
“In 1965, when Chief Saunders was hired as a police officer, he was only the fourth full time officer to be hired. When he retired as chief of police in 1992, he commanded 38 sworn officers and over 20 support personnel. What does this tell us? Well, it tells us the foundation of a terrific organization called the Middle Township Police Department was built in large part because of the hard work of Chief Saunders. (He) put the Middle Township Police Department on the map, make no mistake about it. He was the first Middle Township police officer to ever graduate from the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va.
“…His vision and hard work led to a safer community that was lucky to have such leadership,” said Leusner.
Stedman Graham, executive director, Concerned Citizens of Whitesboro, Inc. concluded the afternoon’s events by reminding the gathering how geese fly, look out for one another, are ready to assist a leader by honking encouragement, and always ready to take the leader’s place when he gets weary.
“The lesson from this is, let us all try to fly in formation, all in same direction. Drop back to help those that might need it. Thank you for supporting 24th anniversary,” said Graham.