Thursday morning’s 48th Annual Hopkinsville Human Rights Commission Unity Breakfast shined a bright light on several individuals who have recently made Christian County — and south western Kentucky — a better place.
Following his innumerable efforts with the Jeffers Bend Environmental Center & Butterfly Garden, Charles Turner was tabbed among eight nominees as the HRC’s 2022 “Volunteer of the Year.”
A social service and personnel clerk for The Salvation Army, Alissa Barton was named the HRC’s 2022 winner of the “Bernard Standard of Excellence,” which annually recognizes someone who goes “above and beyond the call of duty.”
Judge-Executive Steve Tribble presented the annual “Judge’s Award” to Wynn Radford, for his organizing of efforts following the December 10 & 11 tornadoes that affected southern Christian County.
Mayor Wendell Lynch handed the annual “Mayor’s Award” to an 85-year local organization Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated — well known for the colors of pink and green.
Posthumously named for an integral local family in the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame, the “Hal & Bettye Thurmond Award” went to Patricia Beliles — someone who started a mobile hot meals ministry.
Guest speaker and Salvation Army Lieutenant Lindsey Galabeas brought a unifying theme about the compassion needed to “walk in the steps of another.”
Idalia Luna, executive director of the HRC, said her office handled 133 human rights issue cases last year, mostly for employment and housing. More than 430 hours of training, as well as 20 or so social media and in-person campaigns, were also administered.
Hopkinsville Fire Department posted the colors. Pastor Richard Dixon of Restoration House Family Worship Center held the invocation. A “Kathak Prayer Dance” was orchestrated by Ishani Shah and Rakshita’s Group. Lynch and Tribble offered a “unity proclamation” for this week, declaring it a time to “Light Up the World with Kindness.”
The Hopkinsville HRC will be celebrating 60 years in 2023.
