‘Steppin’ Out and Steppin’ Up for UNCF’

Category: Chronicle Archives Published on Friday, 21 July 2006 20:00 Written by Michigan Chronicle

      This year, the Detroit office of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), will host its second annual UNCF Weekend July 28-29. The weekend, coined “Steppin’ Out & Steppin’ Up for UNCF,” kicks off with the Summer Soiree Scholarship Ball on Friday, July 28, and wraps up with the 18th annual Sole Steppin 5K Walk on Saturday, July 29, at Belle Isle.

      Founded as the Mayors’ Ball, the Summer Soiree (Securing Opportunities and Important Resources for Educational Excellence) Scholarship Ball will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, July 28, at the Roostertail in Detroit. Now in its 10th year, the event is more than a dinner; it has awarded in excess of 120 students with more than $525,000 to attend an UNCF institution of their choice. More than 400 corporate supporters, benefactors, community leaders, scholarship awardees and their families are expected to attend.

      When the sun rises on the horizon of the Belle Isle Casino on Saturday, July 29, more than 1,000 men, women and children dedicated to breaking through the economic barriers to education will lace up their sneakers and make big strides for the United Negro College Fund. This year marks the 18th year of the Sole Steppin’ 5K walk and the response to this year’s call for walkers and supporters has been enormous. The goals presented by the corporate teams have been met and 2006 promises to be the biggest fundraising year in the history of the UNCF walk.

      “Fundraisers like the 5K walk are excellent opportunities for the community to support the educational dreams of students everywhere as well as assist the UNCF in one of its primary objectives, which is to remove the economic barriers to a quality education,” says Assistant Area Director Leslie Andrews.

      Collectively the two events have raised in excess of $500,000 for Southeast Michigan’s historically Black college-bound students. This year the UNCF will award 17 scholarships to students entering their freshman year. Among those to receive scholarship awards at the event are:

      Rhian Carreker, graduate of M.L. King High School, to Fisk University; Mark Coleman, U of D Jesuit,, Morehouse College; Christine Curry, Roeper, Spelman College; Raveem Foster, Southfield High, Morehouse; Jamal Ryan George, Conner Creek Academy East, Clark Atlanta University; Christine Griffin, King, Spelman; Lauren Harper, Harrison, Spelman; Delissa Jackson, King, Spelman; Odell Lamont Johnson, Redford Union,Wilberforce University; Kristina Robinson, Spelman; Lakendra Smith, King, Clark Atlanta; Noble Swint, Renaissance, Morehouse; Brandon Waddles, Renaissance, Morehouse; Ashley Watkins, Bloomfield Hills Lahser,Tuskegee University; Cecilia Weems, Detroit School of Arts, Bethune Cookman College; Jaymie White, U of D Jesuit, Morehouse; Kyianna Young, Renaissance, Morris Brown College.

Nationally, UNCF supports 65,000 students at more than 950 colleges and universities. Nearly 2,000 of these youths come from Michigan. Approximately 92 percent of UNCF students require financial assistance; 59 percent are from families with gross incomes of less than $25,000 and roughly half are from single-parent families. Comerica and Henry Ford Health System , generous sponsors, provided a hard-working committee and a host of volunteers.

      The presenting sponsor of the weekend is Target Corporation. Other participating sponsors of the weekend are AAA Michigan, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Chase, Comcast, Comerica, The Coca-Cola Company, DamilerChrysler Corporation, DTE Energy Foundation, Emerson Process Mgt., Fifth Third Bank, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Greektown Casino, HAP, LaSalle Bank, Lear Corporation, MGM Grand Casino, The Michigan Chronicle and Michigan Front Page, Masco Corporation, MotorCity Casino, Miller Canfield, Radio One, Taubman Centers, UAW - DaimlerChrysler, UAW Ford, UAW - GM and Visteon Corporation. Join these corporate partners and others as additional sponsorship dollars are needed for this event and available.

For ticket sales, sponsorship opportunities and more information about UNCF, call the Detroit office at (313) 873-1500, or log on www.uncf.org.