The SCLC Pensacola, Florida Chapter is the current SCLC Chapter of the Year.
At this year’s SCLC National Convention in Jacksonville, Florida, the Pensacola Chapter was honored with the highly-esteemed and much coveted Chapter of the Year Award.
“I am thoroughly pleased that our chapter has been recognized nationally for our hard work and accomplishments,” said Chapter President Ellison Bennett. “I am very happy for the city of Pensacola where the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has been brought into a new light here within our community.”
According to Ron Woods, the SCLC Director of Program and Affiliates, the Pensacola Chapter was selected based on a collaboration of things such as their work and involvement in their local community, their successful hosting of the 2004 Annual Spring Board Meeting, which drew record numbers with approximately 1200 people in attendance, and their overall commitment to upholding the ideals and principles set forth by SCLC founder, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“They did a spectacular job hosting this event,” Woods said of the Pensacola Chapter. “Through their hard work in getting the community involved, their smooth orchestration of the various programs and community rally and march, and their success in securing outstanding banquet services for the event, the national office chose the Pensacola Chapter to receive this well-respected accolade.”
According to Bennett, their chapter office still receives requests each day from someone who wants a video of the program, or from someone who was somehow involved in the event and is now more active in their community, and even by those who missed the opportunity to attend but who still want to get involved with the organization.
“We plan to keep up our work in the local community here by continuing our voter education and registration initiative year-round at local banks, libraries, and other places in the community where we can walk in and register people on the spot,” declared Bennett. “We will also continue our work with the school boards to monitor and prevent student expulsions, especially those involving black males. We want to keep our sons off the street and in school where they belong. We will also continue our investigations into some wrongful death suits here in the state of Florida, and will continue to shed light on these unfortunate and troubling cases.”
SCLC currently has 56 chapters throughout the nation with several more being considered. To learn more about starting a chapter or affiliate in your city or state, contact the national office in Atlanta, Georgia at 404-522-1420, or mail inquiries to P.O. Box 89128 ~ Atlanta, GA 30312