Photo courtesy: 3rdEye Photography, Charlotte NC 2009 Human Rights Honorees: First Row (left to right): Dee Albritton, Inez Abel, Thomasina D. Briggs, Gladys Wallace, Durham E. Carter, Donnella B. Wilson, Annette Davis, Carol Krebs, and Margaret Marshall. Second Row: Annette Speed, Kay Patterson, Marie Maine, Henry Maine, Russell Miller, James E. Murray, Doris Glymph–Greene (Celebrations Coordinator). Third Row: Olulfemi Olulenu, Alma Barnes, Flo Johnson,(President–Church Women United), and Floyd Bullock. Not pictured: Buck Loflen, Phyllis Melvin,Dr. Andres F. Leone Campo, Julie G.Smithwick–Leone,Eugene Speed The Columbia Unit of Church Women United International observed the national Human Rights Celebration at Northminster Presbyterian Church Friday, October 2, 2009. In a program “Seeking Shalom,” CWU honored 22 local heros/heroines who were identified as “peacemakers” in their communities.

Awards were presented to each honoree by Flo Johnson, president of the Columbia CWU; Joyce Lybrand, president of the S.C.CWU; and Doris Glymph– Greene, celebration coordinator.

The 2009 Columbia area honorees are Inez Abel, Northminster Presbyterian newsletter spiritual columnist; Dee Albritton, director of Fast Forward, United Way agency; Alma Barnes, active Union Baptist churchwoman; Thomasina D. Briggs, Zion Baptist church leader and community activist; Floyd Bullock, Union Baptist volunteer at Heartworks Jubilee Academy, W. A. Perry Middle School and the prison ministry; Dr. Andres F. Leone Campo, physician and founding pastor of Cristo Rey Iglesia Luterana at St. David Lutheran Church; Durham E. Carter, active Columbia community leader; Annette Davis, Presbyterian youth ministry– PCAAY(Presbyterians Concerned About African American Youth); Carol Krebs, United Methodist Women’s social action coordinator; Major Buck Loflen, decorated war hero and volunteer carpenter at Forest Lake Presbyterian Church and for the community; Henry and Marie Maine, Forest Lake Presbyterian volunteers who minister to the sick and shut–in; Margaret Marshall, 20 years of service to Meals on Wheels; Phyllis Melvin, visionary who has collected over $6000 in dimes to feed the hungry; Russell Miller, co–ordinator of Trinity Cathedral’s Breakfast Program; James E. Murray, Union Baptist church worker for more than 55 years; Olufemi Olulenu, community activist and “village elder;” Sen. Kay Patterson, champion for justice; Virginia Peterkin, Girl Scout leader and NAACP youth advisor; Julie G. Smithwick–Leone, Hispanic Outreach Volunteer and former Peace Corps worker; Eugene and Annette Speed, Newcastle Neighborhood community leaders; Gladys Wallace, Presbyterian moderator of Peacemaking Task Force; and Donella B. Wilson, 100 years old, inspiring teacher, mother, community leader.

Church Women United of Columbia, part of an international Christian organization begun in 1941, represents inter–racial and interdenominational churches in the Columbia area and has contributed greatly to the Columbia area with benevolent projects to many groups. All are welcome to join the “Celebrations,” which are held with different community emphases. The next celebration “Piecing the Earth Together” will be Friday, Nov. 6, 2009, at 10:30 am in Ebenezer Lutheran Church with the theme of taking care of our environment, and donations will be brought for Harvest Hope.