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Woodie Rucker-Hughes
SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The Boy Scouts of America California Inland Empire will honor Waudieur “Woodie” Rucker-Hughes, Child Welfare and Attendance Manager, Riverside Unified School District and Carl M. Dameron, Creative Director, Dameron Communications. They are the 2016 Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award Honorees.
The gala is Thursday, March 10 at 6 p.m. at Shandin Hills Golf Club located at 3380 Little Mountain Drive in San Bernardino. A table of 8, a full page ad in the program, and camp sponsorship for 3 youth is $1,000. Individual tickets are $75.
The Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award is to recognize outstanding service by an individual for demonstrated involvement in the development and implementation of Scouting opportunities for youth from rural or low-income urban backgrounds-this in fulfillment of Dr. Young’s dream of justice and equality for all.
The proceeds from The Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award Dinner will support the Assistance to Others Fund of the California Inland Empire Council, Boy Scouts of America, designed to help provide financial outreach for those youth and families in need of Scout registration fees, camperships, Scouting handbooks, uniform needs and training scholarships.
Whitney Moore Young, Jr. was an American civil rights leader, born July 31, 1921 and died March 11, 1971. He spent most of his career working to end employment discrimination in the United States and turning the National Urban League from a relatively passive civil rights organization into one that aggressively worked for equitable access to socioeconomic opportunity for the historically disenfranchised. On March 11, 1971, Whitney Young died of a heart attack after swimming with friends in Lagos, Nigeria. President Nixon sent a plane to Nigeria to collect Young’s body and traveled to Kentucky to deliver the eulogy at Young’s funeral.
“I am honored to be one of the recipients of the Boy Scouts of America Whitney M. Young Jr. Award. Mr. Young was a true Civil Rights advocate, a shrewd and politically aware advisor to President Lyndon Johnson, the president who history notes had some of the greatest Civil Rights legislation and programs created and passed during his tenure,” said Rucker-Hughes.
She added, “Mr. Young was also the recipient of a Presidential Medal of Freedom and in his capacity as a leader of the Urban League, he was a co-sponsor of the historic March on Washington which I had the privilege of participating in. I thank everyone who thought enough of me to nominate me for this Award.”
Rucker-Hughes has meritoriously served the Riverside community at large as a humanitarian and pillar. She most recently was appointed to the California-Hawaii State NAACP Executive Committee, where she serves as its South East Area Director. Woodie also serves as the NAACP Region 1 Secretary, an elected position that she has held since 2010.
“I am pleased to serve my community and help where ever I can,” said Dameron. “As a former scout I am honored to serve scouting and to receive the prestigious The Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award.”
Committed to the Inland Empire Dameron contributes his marketing skills to help non-profits elevate awareness of their service and increase donations. For more information on call Tracy Youden at (909) 793-2463 extension 123.
