FATHERS WHO CARE LOOKS BACK AT A SUMMER FILLED WITH COMMUNITY SERVICE & FUN

FAMILY & FRIENDS HELP FLORA BANKSTON CELEBRATE HER 101st BIRTHDAY

Mrs. Flora Bankston was born in Courtland, Alabama, on September 15, 1911. Family members, friends, and staff members of Oak Park Healthcare Center where she lives, threw a gala 101st birthday party for her on September 14. 

Mrs. Bankston is the mother of four children, three sons and a daughter. She was a domestic worker and lived in Chicago’s Austin community for many years. Last year, on her 100th birthday, Mrs. Bankston received a letter of congratulations and good wishes from President Barack Obama. Oak Park Healthcare Center is located at 625 North Harlem Avenue, Oak Park.

Greater True Light celebrates a great year for summer camp!

Grace Watkins, Dir. of the Summer Camp, with her staff at New Greater True Light M.B. Church. (Photo by Marilyn Hampton)

Children having a good time at the closing day festival of Summer Camp provided by New Greater True Light M.B. Church, 5401 W. Chicago Ave. (Photo by Marilyn Hampton) 

U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Michael N. McDowell, former youth worker for THE VOICE Newspapers and a member of New Mt. Pilgrim M.B. Church, currently a military resident of Arkansas, was highlighted in Michael Sneed’s Chicago Sun-Times column as the first Chicagoan to cast a ballot in the upcoming presidential election.

Corinthian Temple Jams on some Peace

Pastor David Whittley of Corinthian Temple COGIC greets Pastor Ousley of True Temple Church at the Summer Peace Jam. (Photo by Marilyn Hampton)

Pastor Whittley coaches a basketball team in the Summer Peace Jam Tournament. (Photo by Marilyn Hampton)

Praise dancers perform at the Corinthian Temple Summer Peace Jam. (Photo by Marilyn Hampton)

Devon Fields, 22, a former youth worker for THE VOICE, shot and killed

Devon Fields, 22, a former youth worker for THE VOICE Newspapers, was shot several times and killed by an unknown assailant at a house party in the 1300 block of North Latrobe Avenue. Despite numerous people attending the party, police report that no one is cooperating by providing information regarding the identity of the shooter. An unidentified young woman was also wounded in the shooting. Police say the killing is gang-related. Fields is the fourteenth VOICE youth worker murdered in the 28-year history of the newspapers. Funeral services for Devon Fields are scheduled for Saturday, September 22, at Stone Temple M.B. Church, 3622 West Douglas Boulevard.

BEAUTIFUL ARIEL SIMMONS SEEKING TO BECOME MISS ILLINOIS & MISS AMERICA

Chicago’s West Side has a beautiful, smart, and charismatic young woman representing us in the December pageant that selects the 2013 Miss Illinois, who then competes in next year’s Miss America pageant. ARIEL SIMMONS is bright and magnetic. She grew up in Austin, raised by her grandmother, Katie Smith, in her home on Mayfield Avenue near West End. Ariel graduated from St. Paul Lutheran School, where she says she received her grounding and discipline. From there, she attended Walther Lutheran High School, Proviso West, and graduated from Wabaunsee Valley. Ariel went on to attend the College of DuPage, where she earned certification in phlebotomy, EKG, Medical Assistant, and Certified Nursing Assistant. She worked for two years at Elmhurst Hospital and currently works at a cardiac & vascular specialty clinic. But, she says her real passion is the fashion industry, stemming from her childhood, reading VOGUE and Italian VOGUE...dreaming of seeing herself in those pages. Ariel says she was always into makeup. Through her trademark hard work, dedication, and drive, this dream has been realized. She has been a successful boutique model for the past four years and has seen herself pictured modeling elegant clothing in the fashion magazines she dreamt of being in. The 22-year-old Ariel says she is too small at 5’4” to make it big at runway modeling. She is quite content to build her success on magazine and catalog modeling. She works free-lance, rather than being represented by an agency. Ariel says she maintains a very busy modeling schedule, with three or four fashion shoots a month. She is seen in VIBRANT magazine and has appeared in CHICAGOLICIOUS! Ariel says she works out regularly, but will make everyone jealous when she adds, “I eat whatever I want and I don’t skimp. I was raised in a family that enjoys soul food, so I love to eat!” And, she says she wakes up every morning saying, “I AM MISS ILLINOIS!” We believe that with that kind of confidence, Ariel Simmons will wake up December 3 as our new Miss Illinois!

HARVEST DAYS – A GARDEN PARTY IN GARFIELD PARK CONSERVATORY’S BACK YARD

SUMMER ENDS WITH DANNY K. DAVIS’ BACK-TO-SCHOOL PARADE & TASTE OF AUSTIN

TRUE WAY OF LIFE CHURCH CELEBRATES 30th ANNIVERSARY

WEST SIDE STUDENTS PLAY WHILE TEACHERS STRIKE

PROGRESSIVEWAY MISSION COGIC CELEBRATED PASTOR’S 8th ANNIVERSARY SEPT. 16 IN NEW CHURCH

    Having moved into its newly rebuilt church at 5017 West Chicago Avenue on August 16, the congregation of Progressiveway Mission COGIC is celebrating the 8th anniversary of Pastor Edward F. Silas, Sr., at a special celebration on Sunday, September 16, 4:00 PM. Theme of the event is A Shepherd Working to Bring In the Young Sheep – John 10:11. Everyone is invited to attend and celebrate this spiritual milestone.
    Progressiveway Mission COGIC was founded in 1959 by Elder & Administrative Assistant Obe Hendricks on the site of the new church on Chicago Avenue. In August of 2010, fire destroyed the original building and the congregation was welcomed to share space with New Life and Victory COGIC on Lake Street, under the leadership of Elder Tyrone Sanders.
    Administrative Assistant Bennie Stewart, Superintendent of the Obe Hendricks district, will be the keynote speaker at the September 16 anniversary service for Pastor Silas.
    On December 16, at 4:00 PM, the Progressiveway congregation is hosting the Dedication Service for their new church under the direction of Bishop Robert R. Sanders, Prelate of the Third Jurisdiction in Illinois All are welcome to attend.

COMMISSIONER HORTON PRESENTS PROCLAMATION TO WOMEN’S BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER

Metro. Water Reclamation District Commissioner Patricia Horton presents a proclamation honoring Women’s Business Development Center for advancing entrepreneurial & economic empowerment of women.

    Commissioner Patricia Horton, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, presented a proclamation to Georgia Marsh of the Women’s Business Development Center. The proclamation from the MWRD honors the WBDC’s achievements and is helping to highlight the 26th Annual Entrepreneurial Woman’s Conference and Women’s Business and Buyers Mart on September 20 at McCormick Place-West.
    “The MWRD was an early advocate of a policy which supports the legitimate aspirations of women’s businesses within its jurisdiction,” says Commissioner Horton. “We are proud to have been a pioneer in recognizing the economic contribution and attribute of business women in Cook County.”
    Since 2008, the MWRD has awarded 265 projects to women-owned businesses. These contracts have included heavy construction and related projects, professional services projects and job order contracts. The value of these subcontracts is $104,939,151.
    More than 50,000 women business owners have received one-on-one counseling, participated in workshops and entrepreneurial training, and taken advantage of other programs offered through the WBDC. The WBDC implemented creative and innovative approaches to empowering women and their families while striving to influence the larger political and economic environment in a way that encourages and supports women’s economic empowerment.