Charitable Women’s Club recognizes mentors, raises funds
Special to The American
A music educator, youth mentoring leader and teen who grew his hair to donate to cancer patients will be honored Sunday, June 7, during this year’s scholarship luncheon and fashion show of the Charitable Women’s Club, Inc.
Former St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Sylvester Brown is the event’s honorary chair and will present Men of the Year awards to Ferguson-Florissant School District Fine Arts Coordinator Dwayne Buggs and 100 Black Men’s Mentoring Division Leader Darius Chapman.
Dolan “D.J.” Heard, who grew his hair 14 inches over four years to donate to Locks of Love will be honored as Youth of the Year.
The luncheon will begin at 2 p.m. June 7, at the Sheraton Chalet Hotel at Westport Plaza. Cynthia Todd, formerly of the Post-Dispatch and Channel 5, will serve as mistress of ceremonies.
The Charitable Women’s Club, Inc. selected the three awardees because of their contributions to their communities and their role modeling for the area’s youth. Proceeds from the luncheon will help the group continue to support area youth’s education goals.
Since 1964, the Charitable Women’s Club, Inc. has awarded more than $65,000 in scholarships to some of the area’s “average” students to help them realize their college dreams.
Surpassing those and similar goals brought Buggs, Chapman and Heard to the Club’s attention.
Buggs has overseen Ferguson-Florissant’s Fine Arts programs since 2005. Prior to that time, he led award-winning student performing groups while a vocal and music teacher in the Normandy School District where he ultimately served as coordinator of Music and Art.
Chapman, whose day job is a manager in the city’s License Collector’s Office, is also an ordained minister at The Mind of Christ Church where he serves as the Praise and Worship leader. He is on the board of the 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St Louis, its chaplain and oversees its mentoring efforts.
Heard garnered media attention earlier this year when he donated 14-inch locks of hair he had spent four years growing to contribute to cancer patients through the organization, Locks of Love. Heard learned of the program when he was just 10, and decided then to participate in the program because he knew of no African-American presence.
Tickets to the scholarship luncheon and fashion show are $35. For ticket information, please call Rebecca Robinson at 314-383-5473.
Employment agency fundraiser
Jobs and Employment Support Services (JESS) will host its Miniature Golf Tournament and Hole In One Contest on Saturday, June 13 at Tower Tee Golf Complex, 6727 Heege Road in St. Louis.
The Miniature Golf Tournament is 2-4 p.m. and the Hole In One competition is 3-7 p.m.
This is the largest annual fundraiser for a not-for-profit agency that serves youth and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities by helping them find jobs in competitive employment.
The Hole In One grand prize is $10,000 cash.
