Features Editor

The Troy United Women’s League will celebrate Black History Month by hosting its annual Black History Banquet at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Adams Center Ballroom.

The banquet is a sellout, with 500 tickets being sold within a few days after they became available, said Shelia Jackson, president of the Troy United Women’s League.

"This is our largest fund-raiser of the year and it is always well attended," she said. "We have an outstanding speaker, the Rev. Tommy Johnson, pastor of the St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church of Huntsville. Under his leadership, St. Luke has grown from a rural family church of about 30 members to an urban community church with more than 500 members. In January, the church purchased a $1.7 million 800 to 1,000 seating capacity facility that will be dedicated in May 2002. We know that the message he brings will be an inspiration to all who attend."

The Troy United Women’s League will also recognize nine distinguished guests who will be recognized for the accomplishments and their contributions to their communities.

"These nine guests are men and women who continually give back to their community in return for the support and encouragement they received," Jackson said. "We have a varied group of distinguished guests and we are proud and excited to have them be a part of the 2002 Black History Celebration."

Jackson said the Troy United Women’s League also is committed to community and the funds raised by the banquet will all be funneled back into Pike County communities.

"We give six scholarships each year to seniors at Charles Henderson, Pike County and Goshen high schools," Jackson said. "We also give financial support to the CHHS band and sports booster programs. We support the American Heart Association, Relay for Life, the March of Dimes and the Arthritis Foundation and the Troy Public Library and Head Start."

Jackson said, in addition, the women’s league helps members of the community in emergency situations or when special needs arise.

"We want to do more for our community, so we are planning another fund raiser in the summer," Jackson said. "We are able to do for our community because of the support we receive from those who purchase ads in our banquet program and those who attend. We express our great appreciation to all of them."