Greensboro's African American Community Newspaper since 1967
Community leaders, advocates, and families gathered at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center on Sunday, Nov. 8 for the Hayes-Taylor Memorial YMCA’s 60th Annual Awards and Recognition Banquet. Anchored by the theme “Through Our Eyes: Continuing Our Legacy,” the evening celebrated decades of civic leadership, youth empowerment, and service across East Greensboro and Guilford County.
Executive Director Terry Matthews, joined by Justin Lundy, Judge Paul Jones, and Don Croom, welcomed attendees before guests enjoyed a buffet dinner and an evening honoring community champions.
Guilford County Board of Commissioners Chairman Melvin “Skip” Alston delivered the keynote address, reflecting on his upbringing in Durham and how community mentors shaped his path from delivering newspapers to his leadership in public service. Alston urged attendees to take personal responsibility for guiding the next generation.
“Our youth need more than programs. They need our presence,” Alston said. “Show them something to say yes to—yes to education, yes to discipline, yes to character, yes to excellence.”
Emphasizing that public funding cannot substitute for community care, Alston challenged every adult in attendance to establish an intentional mentorship: “Government has an important role… But government cannot replace a mentor. It cannot replace an adult who says, ‘I believe in you, and I’m not gonna let you give up on yourself.’ One leader, one young person, one relationship.”
The evening also featured a presentation by N.C. Child examining the Guilford County Child Data Card, underscoring local challenges in childcare capacity, health care access, and economic security. Following the data overview, five-year-old student Malachi Hicks captivated the audience with a special reading from Pete the Cat.
The banquet highlighted standout community partners across multiple honors:
Youth Development Awards: GenerationEd (accepted by CEO Maria Layne-Stevens); Attorney Steve Bowden, who sponsored more than 30 children for the annual Bright Beginnings back-to-school program; and the Rotary Club of Greensboro (accepted by President-Elect John Thomas) for sustaining the Champions youth leadership initiative.
Healthy Living Awards: Lolita Watkins for her work on eliminating food deserts and initiatives with Black farmers from across the state; Cone Health P.R.E.P. (accepted by Kim Bolton); and the North Carolina A&T State University School of Nursing (accepted by Dr. Tiffany D. Morris) for delivering weekly wellness screenings.
Social Responsibility Awards: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.’s Kappa Lambda Chapter (David Richardson); Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.’s Tau Omega Chapter (Luke Wallace); and Chase Bank (Alyssa Jones) for leading summer financial literacy workshops.
Annual Giving Campaign Awards: Doneil Croom (Top Male Campaigner); Peggie Jones-Dargan (Top Female Campaigner and Most Pledges); and Margaret Allen Ryan (Overall Top Campaigner).
Special recognition was bestowed upon Nancy Douglas, Willie Williams, and Kathryn Barber for their enduring volunteerism with the Hayes Taylor YMCA.
A central highlight was a heartfelt in memoriam tribute to the Stokes family, honoring their late patriarch Theophilus Overture “T.O” Stokes Jr. —a pioneering civic and business leader, YMCA Hall of Fame inductee, and longtime Hayes-Taylor champion. His wife of 74 years, Mrs. Alma Stokes, accompanied by her son, Pella, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, accepted the recognition.
“History will not judge us by our titles,” Alston concluded. “It will judge us by the people that we helped, the lives we changed, the doors we opened, and the leaders we prepared to come after us.”
