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Tuesday, January 6, 2004 WRITER: Cynthia C. Hoke, 706/542-1024, cchoke@uga.edu UGA ANNOUNCES FULFILLING THE DREAM AWARD RECIPIENTS The University of Georgia has announced the recipients of the first annual President’s Fulfilling the Dream Award to be presented by President Michael F. Adams at the Freedom Breakfast, sponsored jointly by UGA and Athens-Clarke County Government, Friday, Jan. 16, 7:30 a.m. at the Classic Center. The keynote speaker will be Superior Court Judge Steve Jones. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant efforts to build bridges of unity and understanding among residents of Athens-Clarke County. According to Keith D. Parker, associate provost for institutional diversity at UGA, four citizens are being cited for their work in and contributions to the community. “The nominating committee selected two individuals from the university and two from the community,” he said. “It is our hope that this will be an annual award that recognizes not only the outstanding contributions of award recipients, but efforts of the university and city/county government to work cooperatively in meeting the needs of our citizenry.” UGA award recipients are Robert A. Pratt, a history professor and author of the book We Shall Not Be Moved, and David C. Berle, an assistant professor in the horticulture department and volunteer interested in Athens’ heritage and the preservation of historically and culturally important sites in the city. Community award recipients are Trudy Bradley, director of the Clarke County Mentor Program, who is dedicated to helping all students in the Clarke County School District achieve success, and Evelyn C. Neely, a community activist known as the “Mayor of East Athens.” Pratt, in We Shall Not Be Moved, presents a historical account of students challenging segregation at UGA. It is a triumphant story of the search for equal opportunity and justice for all. A 17-year faculty member at UGA, Pratt has taught courses in Southern history, civil rights history, multicultural America and African-American cinema history. He was the first African-American professor in the history department and has risen through the ranks from assistant to full professor. Pratt is a distinguished teacher and scholar who receives high marks from both his students and colleagues. He has been invited to lecture on his book throughout the state of Georgia and some liken his articulate and enthusiastic lectures filled with prose to the sermons of top-notch charismatic African-American ministers. His work infuses the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. into the course of daily instruction and his book serves to build bridges of unity and understanding among residents of Athens-Clarke County. Berle volunteers as faulty advisor for the UGA Landscape Club. Seeing a need to preserve the heritage of the Athens-Clarke County area, he was inspired to call the group to action after visiting the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery with a friend. The site, a resting place for noted Athens African Americans since the early 1800s, was overgrown from years of neglect. Wanting to protect and preserve it for the future, Berle appealed to the landscape club and the UGA Horticulture Club to undertake a clean-up initiative. After receiving proper clearance from the East Athens Development Corporation, Inc., the two groups began their efforts toward preservation with a clean-up day in October. A group of about 25 students and faculty tackled clean up of the ten-acre property. They returned to the site in November and made a commitment to continue their efforts. Not only is Berle committed to community service and preserving historically and culturally important sites in Athens, he also encourages students to volunteer. This year, he is promoting the spirit of the King holiday by staging another clean-up day at the cemetery on Jan. 19. Bradley, director of the Clarke County Mentor Program for 12 years, has increased the number of mentors from 30 at its inception to 800 today, and she has done so with zest, zeal and an untiring commitment to help students succeed. Her dynamic leadership style and positive attitude inspire mentors to make short-term projects more long-ranged as she holds high expectations of both mentors and mentees. She spends her days coordinating partnerships, serving as the program’s major fundraiser (securing grants from corporate and philanthropic sources) and coordinating training activities. Most important, as her board members will attest, she provides leadership to hundreds of volunteers who follow her lead and embrace her passion for the success of youth in Athens-Clarke County regardless of ethnicity or economic background. She embodies the spirit of service and racial harmony for which Martin Luther King Jr. both lived and died. Neely, a community activist for more than 40 years, began her activism with the Model Cities program of the late 1960s and early 1970s bringing services and opportunities to low- and moderate-income families of the community. Hers would be a life of service as she would advocate for quality education and champion justice for all citizens of Athens-Clarke County. Her esteemed career includes serving as the first African-American female member of the Clarke County Board of Education; being one of three African-American women to help implement the Model Cities program; and advocating for and helping to establish the Athens Neighborhood Health Center. She also opened one of the first privately owned licensed childcare centers in Athens. Neely is admired by many for responsive and reliable leadership in the East Athens community. At age 78, she continues her activism by serving on numerous boards, including the East Athens Development Corporation, and serving as president of the deaconess boards at two local churches. Neely’s life and work are exemplary of Dr. King’s teachings of service. Tickets for the breakfast may be purchased at the Classic Center for $26 each. For more information, call 706/583-8195.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos of the recipients are available at www.photo.alumni.uga.edu. Kim Cretors, News Bureau Manager |
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