Awards honor those who make a difference in the community
By Megan Blaney, SB Sun, Staff Writer 092306
To honor those who give of themselves asking for nothing in return, the San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation has held an annual award night for almost two decades.
This year, the 17th annual Black Rose and Humanitarian of the Year Awards event was Friday night at the Valencia Room at the National Orange Show Events Center.
Retired teachers Bennye and Samuel Burton of Claremont were "amazed and appreciative" to find out they were receiving special recognition for their service to the community.
The Burtons taught in the Chino Valley Unified School District for more than 30 years.
Bennye Burton said teachers are essential to a child's development.
"Children are our future," Bennye Burton said. "We have to try to do our best to train them with morals and to get them the best education they can have."
Carl Dameron of Dameron Communications in San Bernardino and professor Kathryn Ervin, professor of theater arts at Cal State San Bernardino, were emcees of Friday's event.
Community leaders must showcase the good that people are doing in the midst of a crime wave that involves blacks, Ervin said in a press release about the event.
"It's important for our people to see role models," she says. "And it's important for the rest of us to be reminded of the good things people here are doing."
Dameron said every recipient has made a difference.
"These are outstanding people," he said. "They really are the heroes of the community."
Community activist Artist Gilbert, 67, received the 2006 Juanita H. Scott Humanitarian of the Year award.
Gilbert is involved with multiple organizations and works closely with foster children at the Knotts Foster Family Agency in San Bernardino.
Gilbert said it's always important for communities to unite.
"This is a time for us to get together as a unit and give recognition to people," he said. "Hopefully this will be something that can tie us together."
Black Culture Foundation President Frank Washington III said the event represents an integration of many facets of the community.
"There's always something negative out there," Washington, 44, said. "Seems like every time that blacks get together it's for a funeral. I like for us to get together for happy times too."
Although many recipients over the years have been black, Washington said the Black Culture Foundation does not consider color when designating the awards.
"We look at people working in the community," he said. "It's not a race thing."
Former Foundation President Margaret Hill said it's not always easy to drag some of the altruists into the limelight.
"They don't do it for the glory or recognition," Hill said. "We try to seek them out sometimes it's almost like pulling teeth."
Still, she said it's important that people are aware of their positive actions.
"Even with the negative impact of what's happening, there are far more good things happening out there than bad," Hill said.
BSRanch Perspective:
There is no way that anyone no matter who it is that is pulling that particular string will find all the unsung hero's of any city! I am sorry, but this is some kind of Politics as usual, to get some, Well, now! What do you know! "Press"!
You have to count the ones that are out there that are giving food to the hungry, or clothing to people that don't have any! There isn't one or two people in a city the size of San Bernardino, Rialto, Riverside, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga that can claim to be the hero, in a community that has a lot of hero's.
Sure in that Pile of hero's there are criminals and there is crime, but there are people like my Wife that feeds the poor through her church, However she doesn't want the public eye looking at her gracious hand giving to the people that are a little proud and a little more hungry to take the food. So, there are many hero's within the neighborhood, you just have to look around!!
BSRanch
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