Hundreds of people gathered at the Holiday Inn-Valley View last Friday to celebrate the fifteenth annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Banquet. This year’s theme was “Moving Forward in Difficult Times” which focused on the belief that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. The Roanoke Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, presided over by Mac McCadden, sponsored the event.
“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed …We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” Leo Dow, Jr., reciting from memory and in a booming voice, delivered the famous lines from the speech given by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Keynote speaker was the Rev. William Avon Keen, State President of the SCLC. He spoke on the topic I have seen the affliction of my people, which highlighted the suffering, hurt, shame and sickness of the people in the United States in addition to our current healthcare problems. “We have dropouts, drugs, poverty, more prisons in the state of Virginia than [other] state institutions. There is still hope and the Lord hears the cries of the righteous.”
Dr. Perneller Chubb-Wilson, founder of the Roanoke Chapter of the SCLC, presented the “Drum Major for Justice Awards,” to seven people. Notable among the winners was Dr. Frank Cotter, co-founder of Project Access of Roanoke Valley, a physician driven, community supported, patient centered program, which exists to arrange and coordinate comprehensive healthcare service for the low-income uninsured in the valley.
“He is the meanest man I have ever met and I love him with all my heart,” said Chubb-Wilson affectionately. She is grateful that Cotter diagnosed and treated her glaucoma. Without him, she said, she would not have sight today.
Ruth Gaither explained that she was experiencing vision problems and also went to see Cotter. Although she told him she had no money, he told her not to worry — he would treat her anyway. When she asked for the bill for the glaucoma surgery and follow-up care she had received, Cotter told her he had written the whole amount off. With tears in her eyes, Gaither said, “he is just a wonderful, wonderful man.”
The banquet guests were also treated to several solos by Donna Pride, as well as an audience sing-along to “America The Beautiful.”
By Carla Bream [email protected]