Gold Star Awards Gala

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

More than 400 attended the National Hook-Up of Black Women (NHBW) Joliet chapter’s 19th annual Founder’s Day and Gold Star Awards Gala on Nov. 27 at the Joliet Holiday Inn Conference Center.

The annual Founder’s Day Gala celebrates the establishment of the Joliet chapter of NHBW and the organization’s many community accomplishments for the year.

As part of the festivities, the Joliet chapter presented its NHBW 2010 Gold Star Awards. Recipients were Betty J. Washington for adult community service; Larry Crawford for education, Jasmine Moore for youth community service, Ruth Colby for outstanding service in health care, James D. Brown for the arts and Geraldine Barber for community icon. The Gold Star Award categories represent the mission of NHBW.

The awards were presented by Lou Ann Johnson, NHBW Joliet Chapter president, and Stacy Dilliard, first vice president. The keynote speaker was Deborah Catchings-Smith, first vice president, production support, at Citi Mortgage Inc. The theme for the evening was “Attacking the Literacy Epidemic.”

During 2010, NHBW initiatives included literacy and domestic violence awareness. In its literacy initiative, a partnership with Silver Cross Hospital distributed more than 5,000 books to children and adults across the Joliet community. Also, NHBW awarded 14 scholarships, 11 to high school seniors and three to college students.

The National Hook-Up of Black Women, Inc. Joliet Chapter is a nonprofit charitable community service organization dedicated to improving the lives of families through support of the arts, culture, health, education, and human services programs. NHBW provides free programs, health and wellness seminars and clinics for the community with the help of local hospitals and physicians.

The Joliet chapter was established in October 1991 and is supported by membership dues, donations and fundraisers. All programs and services are presented to the community at no cost.