Veteran's Affairs Plus discusses the issues that veterans in Las Vegas deal with on a daily basis. Your host, David L. Washington connects listeners with relevant community resources and information that they need to help veterans or themselves.
Announcer
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This is a KUNV Studios original program.
Wesley Knight
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You're listening to special programming sponsored by Making Moves Life Coaching Services. The content of this program does not reflect the views or opinions of 91.5 Jazz & More,
Dave Washington
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the University of Nevada Las Vegas, this is Fetcher's Affairs Plus on 91.5 Jazz and More. Good day, Las Vegas. This is Veterans Affairs Plus on 91.5 Jazz and more I'm Dave Washington your host and as you can hear My voice is a little rhapsody this morning because I started my final round of chemo yesterday So please bear with me and I appreciate the support that I've received as I journey through this Cancer matter that I'm dealing with a couple announcements, and then I'll bring on our guests for today. Condolences, certainly want to express
Dave Washington
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condolences to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Hobart. He just recently passed away and a couple days prior to him his wife passed away. But Gerald has been a long time, that whole Hobart family is a long time family of Las Vegas. They have a rich history in our city. And also services for Lonnie Carter will be on 28th. And birthdays, Linda Cooper-Ladd this month, Faye Duncan-Daniel, which I mentioned again, but she is such a great friend, I thought I'd offer that up again. And then another dear friend, high school and elementary all the way back to junior high even, Allen Ely, and let's pray for his wife who's having some medical issues at this point in time.
Dave Washington
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So, Alan, happy birthday to my friend. Once again, our service officer, Tony Marshall, 301-537-9465. But you can't walk into his office at the VA hospital nor at the Community Resource Center out in North Las Vegas.
Dave Washington
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You have to have an appointment. After I have some conversation with Mr. R.K. Hodges of the Black Achievement Fund, I will do a memoriam for a number of folks who we lost in 2024. And I want to take the liberty to even go back to 2023 because there are three fire service colleagues that I hold in high esteem. With that, R.K., how you doing?
Arkee Hodges
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I'm doing great, brother. I just want to tell you that off the top. Well, I appreciate that. So, you've got a lot of stuff going on, my friend, and I want you to please share a lot of it, or as much as we can in about 15, 16 minutes with our listening audience because
Dave Washington
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you're doing a tremendous job.
Arkee Hodges
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Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Dave Washington
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Yes, we do have a lot going on at the Black Achieving a Fund. But before I start, I want to say that I'm a big fan of your book, The Black Achieving a Fund. I've been reading it for a long time. I've been reading it for a long time. I've been reading it for a long time.
Arkee Hodges
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Thank you, thank you, thank you. Yes, we do have a lot going on at the Black Achievement Fund. But before I start, I just want to share what the Black Achievement Fund is all about. We are a non-profit, national, economic, and community development corporation with the simple mission of financing the grand development of black America through a simple system of collective economics.
Arkee Hodges
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Our motto is 10 million black people and our allies plus $9 a month equals $90 million every single month and over a billion dollars a year. With that capital, the Black Achievement Fund is building new black communities, black institutions, as well as our main goal is to establish our own city as a model for black self-determination. Right now, the Black Achievement Fund has a little over 3,400 members. We have members in all 50 states, including about five dozen members internationally.
Arkee Hodges
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One of our international members just popped up into town yesterday, who happens to be a diplomat, the High Commissioner of Zambia. The Black Achievement Fund is also open to anyone who believes in our mission and our guiding principles, regardless of race, religion, political preference, or sexual orientation. So some of the things that we have going on right now, we have a 112-acre New Kemet retreat and residential community that we're building two hours south of Atlanta, and that is our
Arkee Hodges
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featured project. And I'm so, so, so proud of where we are in the project, and I don't know how much you want me to go into it. If you want to ask me some questions about it or...
Dave Washington
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Well sure, I certainly want to ask you what's the membership increase during 2024, if you can give me some, just a general idea to our public in that regard as far as growth.
Arkee Hodges
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We've had surprisingly slow growth, but we've had steady growth. We get about 25 to 30, we get about a new member every day that has been our, yep, yep, yep. But the great thing about what I'm seeing with our model is that number one, we don't have to wait until we get 10 million people
Arkee Hodges
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in order for us to begin action. I want to make that crystal clear. With the For example, we have given back over $40,000 in scholarships to Black Achievement Fund members as well as grants to our nonprofit members. We've established our very own Kimmick Club,
Arkee Hodges
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which is our cultural center, social space in Atlanta. We have funded multiple free events to the public, educational activities and events, things like that. But more importantly, we have our first plot of land. So we own collectively six acres of land and we were gifted two acres of land to begin building our very first community. So I just wanted to share we're not waiting for 10 million people.
Arkee Hodges
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We've been doing about a new member a day. But I also want to point out that the first six acres that we purchased, it was 159 people, brother, over 22 states that pooled their capital over 24 months for us to achieve that. So just putting it in perspective.
Dave Washington
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So give us an indication of the first home that will be built there. What's the size, what's the opportunity for members to actually come and stay there a couple of days?
Arkee Hodges
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Okay, the community is going to feature 50 A-frame pyramid style homes. All of our lots are one acre lots. You can buy two acre lots, two acres and put them together if you so Right now, we have sold three of our first five lots for our first mini-subdivision, which is called Pharaoh's Row. And the diplomat that I'm speaking of, she's one of the people who purchased one of those three lots.
Arkee Hodges
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And her house is the first house that we're building. This house is approximately 1,800 square feet. It is three bedrooms, three full baths, a full bath in each bedroom, 25-foot ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling
Arkee Hodges
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glass.
Dave Washington
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So, with that, I did see what you sent me yesterday in regards to the actual bedrooms. How many and where are they located, up or downstairs?
Arkee Hodges
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Well, I want to say that to let everyone know that every single house is a custom built. Okay. So you, yeah, so you have the opportunity of building whatever you desire and our architects are there to help you design the house of your dreams. We have plenty models to choose from as a
Dave Washington
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base start. Your facade, however you want
Arkee Hodges
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at $375,000. So, they're coming in with $40,000 in equity.
Dave Washington
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Great. So, on the six acres you're building, what's there? That's where the pyramid is.
Arkee Hodges
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We have, yeah, all 50 of the homes are going to be pyramid style homes.
Dave Washington
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Okay.
Arkee Hodges
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And they're going to be all custom built and the minimum size home is 1,750 square feet.
Dave Washington
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Okay. All right. And the lots are now for sale? Yep.
Arkee Hodges
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They are for sale and we have two lots remaining for the first mini subdivision in the community. And these are flat lots, by the way. And we've already done all of the septic well testing, the level 3 soil reports, all of that stuff
Dave Washington
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is already done for your lot. Now I would imagine that people would like to know how far is it from, I'm assuming it's close to Atlanta where they can fly in, etc. about how far are we from from the airport approximately? You're two hours
Arkee Hodges
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from the airport. Okay. You are 30 minutes from Milledgeville which used to be the capital of Georgia. And Milledgeville is a college town, has five colleges, and you're literally 30 minutes away from the mall, which has the Applebee's and the Longhorn's and all of that. So you're not in the middle of nowhere.
Arkee Hodges
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You're also 30 minutes away from Macon, Georgia as well.
Dave Washington
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Okay, and what's the number of lots you have again?
Arkee Hodges
0:10:01
We're gonna have 50 lots that are for sale. I also want to talk a little bit about the amenities if I can. Sure. So this is a retreat community and residential community. So we have a state-of-the-art clubhouse that we're building on the property. The clubhouse is going to feature a farm-to-table restaurant and cafe. We're also going to have a convenience store as well as a gift shop, conference space, a multipurpose space for all types of activities, lounge, spa, resort-style pool, tennis court, basketball court, and a three-plus-mile trail that goes throughout the whole community.
Arkee Hodges
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In addition to that, we have a produce farm, we have a greenhouse, we have a chicken raising and beekeeping operation, as well as an animal farm and petting zoo. So it is a full lifestyle change of scenery type of environment. And of the 112 acres that the community consists of, only 50 acres have been dedicated to residential. All the rest of the land is all green space and amenities.
Dave Washington
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So I would imagine that our listening audience would want to know, I purchased my lot, what's the time frame? Because I'm assuming there is some time frame in which one must build their home.
Arkee Hodges
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Yes, well once you purchase your lot, you have 12 months to build your home. We already have a resident architect that will work with you to design your home, we already have designs that you can begin to create your own layout
Arkee Hodges
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for.
Arkee Hodges
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So, all of that stuff is in-house. We also have preferred lenders for you. So, everything we're doing in-house.
Dave Washington
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Excellent. Excellent. All right. We got about two and a half more minutes. Is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listening audience who may be down in the area in the next few weeks or months that you can share with them that they may want to participate in?
Arkee Hodges
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Yes, of course we have an Akwanza celebration at our Chemic Club in East Point, Atlanta, December 28th and that is going to begin at 3 p.m. So if you're in town, we're going to have a great celebration. In addition to that, we are going to be hosting our very first National Black Family Reunion camp out on our land on Labor Day weekend of 2025.
Dave Washington
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All right, you got some exciting things tracking in for 2025. So we wanna, again, thank you for coming on because I think it's important for me to get you on from time to time just to share about some of the things that you're in the group.
Dave Washington
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So has your boards remained pretty consistent?
Arkee Hodges
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Everything is going pretty well. One of our board members, Dr. Ray Higgins, is actually in the hospital. He's looking to have a kidney transplant. So our prayers are going out for him to get a recovery. He has to get a blood clot scanned out
Arkee Hodges
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before he's able to get a new kidney.
Dave Washington
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Absolutely. All right. Thank you, sir. We appreciate it. Brother Akihaji is president of the Black Achievement Fund. We thank you for that information.
Dave Washington
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We trust that some folks will be in touch. Can you give us a website real quickly?
Arkee Hodges
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www.daf.solutions.
Arkee Hodges
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All right.
Dave Washington
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Thank you, sir.
Arkee Hodges
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Thank you, man. Take care.
Dave Washington
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All right. Once again, this is Veterans Affairs Plus on 91.5 Jazz and more will be on the other side shortly and I'll be doing a Memoriam on a number of folks great people that we lost over the last two years
Dave Washington
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Good morning again, this is veterans affairs plus on 91.5 jazz and more West just counting me back in
Dave Washington
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So again, I want to do something in memoriam because I had one of my guests who had to cancel, do something that come up that they had to deal with. She was all right. And I'm like, no, that's life. You know, things happen. So we'll make it work. So with that, I'm going to start with and I'm taking the liberty to do this because these are fire service colleagues. Two of them was actually in 2023 and the fourth and the third one will be in 2024. So I'm going to start out with Assistant Fire Chief Retired and now an ancestor, Herschel Clady.
Dave Washington
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Herschel was just an outstanding individual who did so much for me. You know, when I ran for office, he was one of my top contributors. Whenever he and his wife would come to town, me and him and Marcia, we would get together. We would also do a lot of golfing. In fact, Regina Walker, James Walker, and Marcia and I, we used to go down and golf with Herschel every three months. And we had a great time. And he was one heck of a golfer. So, Ms. Herschel, and I know that for those out there listening,
Dave Washington
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particularly those who knew him well, know that Herschel was working on a book. And I saw the outline of his book, and I'm still trying to get my hands on it because I think it's something that's very important and needs to be completed. And if I can get my hands on, I'm already started a file that I'm compiling some information on him that we can get that book done because I
Dave Washington
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think it's so important. One thing I always, I told Herschel more than once, Herschel, it's not about you. It's not about you having a big ego or anything like that. It's just sharing information that can be helpful to other fire service.
Dave Washington
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And people in other professions, for that matter, they will have to go through the same pitfalls that you did just by some of the knowledge that you would share. So that's Herschel Clady. And they talk about the dash, his dash from August 20, 1941, through January 20, 22nd, 23. Herschel did some great things. So we will always hold him in high esteem. And the next individual I want to talk about is Brother Leonard Ladd, Leonard Theodore Ladd. I never knew Leonard's middle name was Theodore, but June 10th, 1948 through October 30th, 2023. Leonard was a veteran of Las Vegas Fire and Rescue. He was, you know, I didn't learn until after Leonard's death
Dave Washington
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that, you know, he had sisters. I think it was five or six of them. So he was the only boy. So I would imagine, unlike me, he didn't get drafted into the United States Army or any other military service group for that matter. But he went to Job Corps. This is what was one of the most talented people I've ever known. And he was a horseman. He was a hunter. He was a fisherman, ski, but that's both snow and water. And a member of the Sierra Snow Gliders. In fact, I never saw him get angry. I know that there was time that that he had to be steaming. And I always told him, boy,
Dave Washington
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you got that multi-million dollar smile that just wouldn't let no anger penetrate. And I trust that some may have seen him in an angry moment, but not I. I appreciate the wisdom that he shared with lots of folks, black, white, male, female on Las Vegas Fire and Rescue. So, Leonard, I know you're up there looking down, my man, and just know that we really appreciate what you brought to the table at Las Vegas Fire and Rescue.
Dave Washington
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He was a hazmat tech, worked out of Station 3 at Rancho in Washington, and just did a great job with our department. So just want to express, again, condolences to his family particularly, and I mentioned her birthday, which is this month his wife, Linda Ladd. So salute to Brother Leonard, to Brother Herschel Clady. Now for the other fire service member that I told you I was going to cover, and that's celebrating the life of Chief William Spike Jones. Man, what a nice guy he was. He talked to you in such a way that it was like, man, he just kind of straightened me out on something that I was really way out in left field.
Dave Washington
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He also, like Herschel and I, avid golfer, and he was a part of a team that went around the country to include, as Herschel was as well, EDI, the Carl Holmes Executive Development Instructors, housed out of Dillard University. And so, he did he come down and do that work along with Fire Commissioner, Fire Chief Sherman George of St. Louis Fire, Addington Stewart. These guys travel the country to help out those who are who just bring them in and feed them. They didn't really charge folks. They just made them pay their way there and feed them and house them. But they went around and did what's called the Assessment Center Training Program and also did that particular class at the Carl Holmes Executive Development Institute,
Dave Washington
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which we will be in, I believe it's our 22nd or 23rd year this year in 2025, I should say, at Dillard University. And we generally are the first week in June of each year. And we appreciate the opportunity to continue to work with that university. In fact, there's a couple of us trying to get down there to meet with some of the executive level staff, hopefully including the interim president, Ms. Gilroy. So with that, again, Herschel, Leonard,
Dave Washington
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William, Spike Jones, we appreciate what you brought to the table. In fact, I don't have it with me, but I will make sure I have that next airing that Spike did complete his book. He wrote a book that I think folks would enjoy, Male, Female, Black, White. It just tells you about some of the things that occurred in the St. Louis Fire Department. I think you would appreciate what he has put to paper. So again, just wanted to celebrate those three individual colleagues once again.
Dave Washington
0:19:52
Now, I'll go to some community folks. And I will start with, I trust that many of you guys knew Herman Thor. His dash was 1936 to January 29, 2024, and his birthday was on March. He was a fellow Pisces person. He had Thor's Market for many, many years, and Herman Thor, he did a lot in the community. He didn't just – and I didn't realize that he had been a firefighter in the Air Force.
Dave Washington
0:20:21
I'm like, what? I didn't know that until after he – it's something how you can learn things about people after their passing, when you go to their service. But what a great guy, certainly missed by his family, as well as the folks in the community, because once again, he was just an example
Dave Washington
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of being a great humanitarian who did so much for people in the community who may have been in need. So we want to once again express Charlene, his wife of 67 years, that we miss him as well. And we trust that God was pleased with the work that he did while here on earth. I'm going to cover one more and then I'm going to take a quick pause for the calls. This is Veterans Affairs Plus on 91.5 Jazz and more I'm going to cover Miss Lizzie Hatcher. Lizzie's sunrise was February 8, 1954, sunset August 15, 2024.
Dave Washington
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Lizzie was a local attorney, and she was well-known throughout our community and just a tremendous person that she was loved by everybody she came in contact with. And she was also a member of my wife's church, Victory Baptist Church. So I just want her family to know we have not forgotten about her. And in memoriam, I thought it was important to mention her in this short brief time that I have to do these particular words of appreciation to these folks who have gone on to the other
Dave Washington
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side. They are now ancestors. Once again, this is Veterans Affairs Plus on 91.5 Jazz and More. I'll be back on the other side shortly. Once again, good morning, Las Vegas. This is Veterans Affairs Plus on 91.5 Jazz and More continuing the memoriam. Miss Sheila Williams, August 29, 1961, June 20, 2024.
Dave Washington
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This is the niece of Ray Allen Feaster, a dear friend of mine. Sheila was such a great lady. I will see her sometimes down at the local watering holes. She's just an outstanding person, always smiling, had nothing but good things to say about her friends and family. Also, she is the sister of Linda Montgomery, who was a dear friend of mine,
Dave Washington
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a long-time member of our community and a local postal worker. But Sheila, we want, or Sheila's family, we want you to know that we have not forgotten about Sheila and the great lady that she was in our community, and we miss her sorely. Next, we have Michael Garrett, Dr. Bombay, November 12, 1963, his dash January 13, 2024. Michael was such a great person in our community who did lots of work with young people. And trust me, when I say a lot, he did a lot.
Dave Washington
0:23:18
And he was always out there working with young men. And I trust that many of them got an opportunity to go to college because of Michael's mentoring and his leadership in dealing with young people. Some people just have a knack in dealing with young, rambunctious young folks. And Mike was that kind of talent. But again, well known through our community for that kind of work with youth. So we miss Mike and want his family to know, and we hope that his son is doing
Dave Washington
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well. And we know that people are looking out for that young man, so don't feel alone, young man. And we know, and you should know, that we love your dad for the work that he did with youth in particular in our community. Next, we have in living memory, Ms. Lillian McMorris, December 23, 1954 to July 16, 2024. Lillian was a talk show host in our city, and she was well known and did a lot for people. She also was the one to get up and announce the women who were coming through. And she said, don't read everything word for word.
Dave Washington
0:24:34
Guess what I did? I got up there with us and I read everything word for word. And I got up there and I said, this lady was a member of the ballot team. Ballet team is what I was supposed to say. I said ballot. And boy, I could see people in the audience. Morris and her talent and her daughter should know that, young lady, we love your mom and know that she will always be with us because we know the work that she did was always from
Dave Washington
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the heart. So God bless you and your family and know again that we appreciated your mom so very much. Next is Mr. Jerry M. Neal. Oh, what a character Jerry was. Jerry was a, Jerry had that warrior spirit, I call it.
Dave Washington
0:25:41
Jerry didn't mess around. He'd go to the housing authority meeting, and me and Bernie Beatrice Turner would talk about how Jerry would take no prisoners. He didn't care who was, you know, because the housing authority had several elected officials from the various valley entities. Well, this county or city, Jerry didn't care. If they were wrong, Jerry would tell them about themselves. And Jerry's dash was August 16th, 1949 to June 6th, 2024.
Dave Washington
0:26:10
Again, a warrior with a warrior spirit. And we know that Jerry, we trust, I should say, that God was pleased with the work that he did while he was in our community. And again, took no prisoners whenever there was something that he thought the Housing Authority was doing wrong to those folks who resided there, he would step to the mic and do what he had to do. So Jerry, we miss you. The final in this
Dave Washington
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memoriam today honoring the life and legacy of Melvin A. Givens. Melvin, his dash was, what was his dash year? 19, excuse me, 1953. It was 9-28-1953, sunset 10-29-2024. I went to his service, and you cannot believe how many young folks stood up, because he did a lot of football, but mostly basketball coaching. And a lot of young folks got an opportunity to go to college as a result of the work he and his folks did with these young people in our community.
Dave Washington
0:27:15
So there was so many people there from his high school friends. I know he and Marsha, I believe, were schoolmates at Valley High School. So this man did so much work. And you kind of forget about some of the things that people have done. And I had last saw him about a month, three weeks to a month before him transitioning. So just want his family to know how much we appreciate what he's done for the youth of our community who are now adults and doing fine work within our community.
Dave Washington
0:27:47
So just want you guys to know this is Veterans Affairs Plus and this year I thought it was important to do a memoriam of folks who passed recently. Thank you Wes and this is Veterans Affairs Plus on 91.5 Jazz and More signing out.
Dave Washington
0:28:01
Jazzy Morris signing out. All the smoke in the air, feel the hate when they stare, all the pain that we bear, on you you All the smoke in the air, feel the hate when they stare, all the pain that we bear, on
Transcribed with Cockatoo