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Church Directory Pg. 10
Sports Pg.14
28th Annual Savannah Black Heritage Festival
February 1-26,2017
"Focusing on the Future; Acknowledging Fchoes from the Past"
GEORGIA’S BEST WEEKLY
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
1805 MLK Jr. Blvd. Sav., GA 31415
Vol. 45 No. 90
Tel: 912-233-6128 • Fax: 912-233-6140
savannahtribune.com
The Musical Birthday
Celebration Of McDuffie In The
End Hits A Powerful Melody
Continued on page 2
By Yenne Shi
The Musical Birth
day Celebration for E. Larry
McDuffie got under way on
Sunday, December 11, 2016
at 5pm at St. John Bap
tist Church where the Rev.
George R Lee III is Pastor.
The sanctuary was filled to
capacity from the lower lev
el to the balcony as friends
and family came from as far
away as Washington D.C.,
Richmond, Virgina, North
and South Carolina to cel
ebrate the 80th birthday of
a man so many obviously
loved and held so dear.
The evening began
with prayer and scripture
reading, and for the next
three hours, the night was
magical, entertaining, com
ical, heartfelt and powerful
ly anointed. Although Bro.
McDuffie does not actually
turn 80 until Wednesday
the 14th, his birthday cele
bration on this past Sunday
set the tone for reflection on
just how much he is loved
and adored.
I had not met Bro.
McDuffie before the cele
bration, and to my pleasant
surprise, I found myself be
ing swept away with amaze
ment in how animated he
E. Larry McDuffie at Birthday Celebration
Photo by Yenne Shi
was as he danced about in
joy and excitement in the
Lord. For a man turning 80,
he certainly put many of us
“younger” hens and roosters
to shame.
The night’s gala
was hosted by McDuffie’s
God-son, Eric Brack, who in
his own right is a great MC,
musician, singer and song
writer. “I Won’t Complain”
was the first song of the
night, sung by McDuffie’s
nephew, Timothy McDuffie
after we heard words of ap
preciation from McDuffie’s
sister and brother-in-law,
Bro. and Sis. Brown
Savannah Fire And
Emergency Services Holds
Recruit Class Graduation
Former Mayor Jacksons Official
Portrait Unveiled
Continued on page 3
With a crowd of
well-wishers in attendance,
the Savannah City Council
paid tribute to Immediate
Past Mayor Edna Branch
Jackson at the beginning of
its regular Council Meeting
on December 8, 2016. The
ceremony culminated with
the placing of her official
portrait in City Hall among
other former Mayors of Sa
vannah.
Before the unveil
ing of the official portrait,
each member of Council
made complimentary com
ments as they recalled her
achievements and their re
lationship with Jackson who
is the only African Ameri
can female to serve as May
or of Savannah. Savannah
Alderwoman Estella Shaba-
zz highlighted the historical
significance of the event
when she noted that for gen
erations to come young Af
rican American females will
see Mayor Jackson’s portrait
in City Hall and be inspired
by her accomplishments.
During her re
marks, Jackson thanked
the members of the current
Council for their kind re
marks, but quickly pivoted
to recognize the work of the
Aldermen who served with
her on City Council when
she said “it was never about
the Me, but always about the
We.” She asked each person
who served on City Council
during her tenure as Mayor
to stand and be recognized.
She thanked the
Former Savannah Mayors
Edna Jackson and Otis Johnson
former City Manager and
her staff for having the fore
sight to prepare a booklet
documenting many of the
major capital projects and
Savannah’s unprecedented
economic growth during her
four years as Mayor. During
her tenure, she and the oth
er members of City Council
who served with her moved
Savannah from 145th place
on the list of the Nation’s
Best Places for Business and
Careers to 78th.
Mayor Jackson
served as a member of City
Council since 2000. She has
also served on the Board of
Directors of the National
League of Cities, and is for
mer President of the Nation
al League of Cities Women
in Municipal Government.
She was First Vice President
of the Georgia Municipal
Association and Chaired
the GMA Legislative Policy
Council.
Walmart And Sams Club
Association Rally Behind
Childrens Hospital To Raise
More Than $155,000
Nearly $37 million raised nationally during seven-week campaign for children’s health.
The Savannah Fire and Emergency Recruit Class 2016-02
Savannah Fire
Chief Charles G. Middleton
and Savannah Mayor Eddie
DeLoach and City Manager
Rob Hernandez welcomed
18 new firefighters to the
ranks of Savannah Fire &
Emergency Services today,
as members of SFES Re
cruit Class 2016-02 took the
oath of office during an af
ternoon ceremony at the Sa
vannah International Trade
& Convention Center on
Hutchinson Island.
The new firefight
ers had just completed 14
weeks of intensive training,
which earned each of them
the nationally recognized
designation of Firefighter II.
Completion of the demand
ing academy training also
earned each new firefighter
additional certifications in
cluding HAZMAT Opera
tions, Vehicle Extrication,
Technical Rescue and 1st
Responder.
Mayor DeLoach
expressed his pride in wel
coming the new firefighters
to the city and the fire de
partment. Hernandez spoke
to the recruits from experi
ence, having graduated from
a fire academy himself more
than a dozen years ago. He
congratulated the members
of the class and wished
them success protecting the
citizens and visitors of Sa
vannah. Chief Middleton
emphasized the need for
each new member of the de
partment to always remem
ber their oath, to work hard
every day to uphold the high
standards of the department
and the firefighting profes
sion and to keep in mind
that they represent the city
of Savannah on and off duty.
Two members of
the class were recognized
for outstanding accomplish
ments during today’s cere
mony: Michael Schonfeld
received the academic award
for highest grade point aver
age and Bud Boyce received
the Class Choice Award for
her leadership during the
academy.
A seven-week
campaign by Walmart and
Sam’s Club associates, cus
tomers and members raised
more than $155,000 for the
Dwaine and Cynthia Willett
Children’s Hospital as part
of a national campaign for
the Children’s Miracle Net
work. The campaign, which
raised close to $37 mil
lion nationally for member
hospitals in the Children’s
Miracle Network, will help
fund critical medical care
for children.
“The Willett Chil
dren’s Hospital is the only
children’s hospital in all of
southeast Georgia. We care
for more than 70,000 chil
dren every year. Without
this service in Savannah,
families in our region would
have to leave their homes,
schools, and support sys
tems to get the care they
need,” said Maggie Gill,
president and CEO of Me
morial Health, which owns
the Willett Children’s Hos
pital.
Donations were
collected between Au
gust 29 and October 16, as
Walmart and Sam’s Club
associates at 132 locations
held various in-store fund
raising activities and asked
customers and members at
the register to help kids and
their families during a medi
cal crisis.
“The Walmart
Foundation is proud to sup
port Dwaine and Cynthia
Willett Children’s Hospital
as it provides incredible,
lifesaving care to children
from all across the region,”
said Paul Lewellen, regional
vice president in the south
east at Walmart.
The fall campaign
is the most recent in annual
fundraising by the retailers.
Walmart and Sam’s Club
associates have collected
nearly $1 billion for sick
and injured children since
partnering with the char
ity in 1987. Funds raised
through Walmart and Sam’s
Club impact each of the 170
Children’s Miracle Network
Hospitals, which treat one
in 10 children across North
America. Hospitals utilize
the funds based on what
they need most, typically
providing lifesaving equip
ment and research, support
ing top therapy programs
and providing charitable
care.
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Unglue Identifier
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