'What Manner of Man' awards set by local MLK Committee

The local Martin Luther King Committee will celebrate their 20th annual “What Manner of Man Awards Banquet” Friday, June16 at 7 p.m. at the Forest Restaurant in Franklin.
This year’s “What Manner Of Man Awards” recipients are self-employed, licensed plumbers who have been in business for over 25 years and have done both residential and commercial plumbing.
“Our hope is that by honoring these gentlemen on their own merit, we will also be holding them up as role models for students who may not necessarily be college bound, but have the ability to pursue skill training in a trade that is not only needed, but also a skill that can make them productive citizens,” charter member of the committee Diane Wiltz said.
Being honored this year are Joseph Jones of Morgan City; Alex Nelson of Verdunville; Isaiah Thomas of Franklin; and Cornelius C. Stewart of Patterson. A posthumous award will be presented to the family of the late Ezekiel Anderson.
This annual awards banquet began with two objectives: first and foremost, the committee wanted to recognize the contributions of people they considered to be “unsung heroes.”
According to Diane Wiltz, “These ‘unsung heroes’ could be community activists who championed the plight of people marginalized simply because of their ethnicity; ‘unsung heroes’ who withstood the test of time battling unfair civil rights obstacles; ‘unsung heroes’ who achieved notoriety because of their determination and perseverance, despite civil rights obstacles designed to prevent them from doing so; ‘unsung heroes’ who serve as role models for children who dream of similar professions. We felt then, as we do now, that our honorees are deemed worthy because their efforts (in one way or another) not only espouse Dr. King’s dream, but also espouse a legacy of ‘going beyond the call of duty’ not necessarily for personal gain, but for the purpose of breaking through barriers that could change quality of life for those who could not otherwise do so for themselves.” Secondly, the committee used this event as a fundraiser for the Martin Luther King Memorial that was erected on the corners of Martin Luther King Blvd and First Street here in Franklin in 2009.”
The committee is currently seeking donations to help replace the memorial that was knocked down for the third time and destroyed because of vehicular negligence. Anyone wishing to make a donation should call (337) 828-5703.)
“We have appealed to the city, and they have agreed to help us protect the memorial by putting in safety measures that will be designed to prevent future damage to it,” Wiltz said.
Past awards recipients include:
Edward Minor – 1996
Charles Middleton – 2003
Joshua McDaniel, Sr. – 1997
Herbert Joseph – 2004
Alberta Williams – 1998
Hilliard Buckner – 2005
Oscar Watson – 1999
The Foulcard Family – 2006
Almetra Franklin – 2000
Simon Daniels – 2006
Willie Peters –
Reggie Harrell – 2007
Joseph Davis – 2002
Wendell Bogan – 2008
Dolores Henderson – 2009
Dorothy Young – 2009
Morris Beverly – 2010
Larry Jones – 2010
Patrick LaSalle – 2010
Willie Rack – 2010
Steven Veal – 2010- 2011
Dr. Gary Wiltz – 2012
Mayor Tim de’Clouet – 2013
Mayor Rodney Grogan – 2013
Mayor Raymond Harris – 2013
Janis Jones – 2014
Leroy Trim, Sr. – 2014
Rev. Joseph Fields – 2016
Rev. Cornelius Lewis – 2016
Rev. Dr. Crispin Smith – 2016
Additionally, the awards banquet also provides an opportunity to remember the lives of those individuals who, though dead, worked tirelessly during their lifetime, but were never duly recognized or appreciated. Throughout the years, the committee presented posthumous awards to the families of the following ‘unsung heroes’:
Rev. Willie Otis, Sr.
Rev. Dr. Albert David Teno Jr.
Rev. C. E. Baptiste
William Bradford Jr.
Lawrence Lewis
Vera Joseph
Mildred Buckner
Roberta Brown
Ernie Ladd
Theophilus H. Thomas, III
Edgar Nico
Joyce Bourgeois
James Hernandez
Joseph Ireland
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by calling (337) 828-5703.