The Urban League Leadership Dinner

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Urban League's Leadership Dinner

Monday, December 06, 2004

More than 700 people filled the ballroom of the Westin Convention Center Hotel Friday night for the Urban League's ninth annual Ronald H. Brown Leadership Banquet. They came to celebrate the contributions in civic leadership of Oliver Byrd, the driving force behind the Africa American Cultural Center; the community leadership of Leon Haynes III, founding director of Hosana House, Wilkinsburg; the corporate leadership of Marva Harris, retired Community Reinvestment Act officer at PNC Bank and to give posthumous recognition to Dr. Robert Kisner, the region's second black ob-gyn and a champion of family planning and better health care for African-American and poor women.

The event took place on the eve of Esther Bush's 10th anniversary as president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Urban League. She noted that the organization's programs have touched some 400,000 people in that time, despite a $1 million funding cut in the past two years. And she revealed that the chapter soon would be receiving a $500,000 grant to develop training and employment opportunities for young adults, ages 18 to 21.

Many longterm stalwarts of the organization were on hand to hear Gov. Ed Rendell's videotaped congratulations and Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato's praise from the stage, including past chapter leaders Leon Haley, David Epperson and Art Edmunds. Also present were board chair Victor Roque with Marcia, former chair Glenn Mahone with Andrea, emcee Harold Hayes, Mike Doyle, Jim Ferlo, Tawanda Carlisle, Sala Udin, Evan and Brenda Frazier, Gayle Moss, Tim Stevens, Ron and Judy Davenport and Lynn and Ron Davenport Jr., Marcia Martin, James and Doris Carson Williams, Milt and Nancy Washington, Yvonne Cook, Pam Golden, Willette and Eddie Edwards, Bill Trueheart and Carol Word, George and Janet Miles, the PG's Edwina Kaikai, Ronnie and Sandra Bryant, David and Wendy Barensfeld, William Kisner Sr. and Jr. and Dr. Morris Turner, who accepted for Dr. Robert Kisner. Among the young professionals in attendance were Thomas Reynolds, Linda Cuttler, Jada Beaufford, Crystal Lloyd, Ondrea Burton, Evan Frazer, Warner Macklin III and Tracey McCants-Lewis.

A Medal for Strickland

Bill and Rose Strickland traveled to Greensburg Friday evening to pick up yet another feather for his cap: the ribbon-strung Gold Medal annually awarded by the Westmoreland Society, a fund-raising arm of the Westmoreland Museum of American Art.

Presenters Martha Perry and JoAnne Boyle advised that Strickland merited the honor for his impact on the arts via his work at the Manchester Bidwell Corp. on the North Side. Ably catered by Bob Sendall/All in Good Taste, this black-tie gathering also featured a vote to add both an Austin C. Wooster still life and prints by Otto Kuhler and Harry Sternberg (combined cost: $19,775) to the museum's permanent collection.

Attendees included Henry and Elsie Hillman, Diana Jannetta, Harvey Childs, Harley Trice and Lea Simonds, Jack and Anne Robertshaw, Chuck and Trudy Booth, Art Boyle, Richard and Sande Hendricks, Anita Manoli and daughter Ann Ruddy, and the museum's director, Judith O'Toole, with Kevin.

Hope Has A Home

Darryl Strawberry is an imposing figure, a tall and commanding presence who immediately arrests the attention of all who enter a room in which he is holding court. But on Thursday night, it was the former baseball star's story of drug addiction and recovery that captivated guests at the annual Hope Has a Home gala at the Hilton Pittsburgh.

Strawberry came to town with his lovely wife, Charisse, to share their story of pain and redemption, and at the same time raise money for youth programs at Gateway Rehabilitation Center, a nonprofit drug and alcohol treatment effort in Western Pennyslvania. Among the 400 attending the $150-a-plate soiree were honorary chairs Richard and Janice Pagliari, Dr. Abraham Twerski and Dr. Gail Bessler Twerski, Bill and Linda Roemer, Ed and Karen Linder, Paul and Ann Bridges, Jack and Eleanor Schano Feeney, Jim Rogal, Bob and Carol Carter, Richard and Jessica Galardini, Annemarie Hoffman, Paul Maloney and Dr. Ken and Pamela Ramsey.

Make-A-Wish Sports Carnival

Competition was fierce for giant Shrek or Spiderman figures, but there were plenty of prizes to go around at the Make-A-Wish Sports Carnival Saturday at UPMC Sportsworks at Carnegie Science Center. The place was jumping, literally, as hundreds of kids and parents tried their skill at assorted challenges between bites of a buffet dinner. Dan Drawbaugh (wih Susan) and Dan Griffin (with wife Marian Vanek and son Sean) co-chaired the benefit, and the 16th Annual Bryan P. McClintock Award was presented to Bill Strickland, president and CEO of Bidwell Training Center and Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, for his continued support and services to the children of Make-A-Wish.

In the crowd were Make-A-Wish Foundation president Judith Stone, Rose Strickland, board chair Sandy Aderson with Leslie, Frank and Erica Zappala, Tim and Beth Eckenrode, Susie and Bill Johnson, Ron Violi, Robert Cindrich, Chip and Robin Kamin, Wayne and Ann Berger, Carl and Marlene Cooper, Dr. Richard Kasdan and Mark and Rebecca Lando.

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