The council is an affiliate of the National Black Nurses Association and was chartered in 1982. The organization celebrated its silver anniversary two years ago.
The gathering was a festive one. It began with opening preliminaries before lunch was served. Wilber Douglas King, a member of the organization, presided over the program.
Following lunch, Charles Cook presented the keynote address. A doctor who is an adjunct faculty member of Duke University, UNC, and Wake Forest University's School of Medicine, Cook spoke on the topic, "African Americans 'upside down' in the Health Care Reform Debate."
When King resumed his duties as emcee of the event, he said that the keynote presentation was one of the most informative that the organization has had.
Next, it was time to award the scholarships. This year, the two scholarships were named in honor of former members of CCBN and there was a dedication of each.
The first scholarship was named for the late Dorothy Cox Fisher. A native of Spring Hope, Fisher was instrumental in the chartering of the CCBN. The second scholarship was named in honor of Patricia Ruffin. Ruffin too was an active member of the CCBN serving as its president from 2004-2008.
The scholarships were awarded to area nursing students. The two recipients for this year were Kiadrick Hood and Elizabeth Tita.
The Distinguished Chapter Service Award was given to Mary Baldwin. Baldwin seemed quite surprised by the honor. This is only the second year that this award was given.
Just before the end of the program, a few lucky people were awarded poinsettias prior to the closing remarks.
Senior Holiday Party
I ended my week on Tuesday at the Durham Parks and Recreation's Annual Senior Holiday Party. The event was held at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Research Triangle Park.
This is always an inspiring event. Mature adults from all across the city packed the ballroom for this affair. When I first arrived, I was greeted by Omega Parker, who was decked out in her Christmas red. Parker attended the affair with her husband John.
The evening began with welcoming remarks from the event emcee, Ken Smith, news reporter for WRAL- TV. Ken expressed his excitement as a return host. Next we heard welcoming comments from Durham Mayor Bill Bell. We were also greeted by Rhonda Parker, the DPR director.
Following the welcoming remarks, dinner was served. Throughout the beginning part of the evening, people all around the ballroom took the time to greet one another, take pictures and extend holiday greetings.
Ann Evans and Naomi Goldston were dressed to impress. The two had participated in the fashion show usually held as a part of the event in the past, and were hoping to be a part of one this year. Though there was no fashion show on Tuesday night, the two were still glad to be a part of the evening.
The program resumed following dinner. A few lucky ticket holders walked away with a number of great door prizes. And there was lots of great entertainment too.
First to perform were the Rose dancers. Decked out in colorful blouses, dark pants and Afro wigs, the group set the tone for the night.
Next up were the Durham Twirlers. This group of dancers had a tough act to complete, as their dance moves were called out by their announcer and they had no idea which move was coming next.
There was a brief break in the entertainment while more prizes were awarded. Also we heard from Durham Mayor Pro Tem Cora Cole-McFadden, who introduced the 2009 Durham Parks and Recreation King and Queen, Carrie Hill and Fredrick Hall.
Both Hill and Hall received the royal treatment on Tuesday. Hair styling and haircuts were provided along with complimentary transportation.
We saw one final number by the Rose dancers again before the Durham Senior Divas and Dude took the stage. This group of senior cheerleaders energized the crowd with their moves.
We took a break from the traditional door prize awards when Smith began recognizing special people in attendance. A door prize was awarded to the oldest or "most experienced person present" for the evening, who happened to be 102.
Of course no party would be complete without lots of dancing and the organizers left time in the evening for that. When the talking was done, the band LoKshun took to the stage, performing the song, "The Electric Slide," which was a crowd pleaser.
And when the night was over and people made their way to their respective vehicles after lots of fun, I was reminded that we all need to follow the motto of the Durham Parks and Recreation, and "play more."
Angela Ray is an actress, author and motivational speaker. For comments or tips on future events, e-mail her at Angela@mahoganydime.com.
