JU
WESTERN MICHIGAN
TE DE Joann
Roberts cited numero complaints
in defe e of her recommendation to
di mi Warren. Although mo t of
the complaint again t Warren
centered on hi job performance
during the 1 90-91 chool year,
Roberts cited pa t activitie that he
felt warranted attention al o.
Among Robert • complaint
against Warren were:
ode
o C
o t e oad
rrstmas parade
Hard work and dedication gets a dream going
By Jao McDowell
This i the result of a lot of hard
work, frustration, determ ination
and guts. This originally was a 1922
Fbrd Center Door. A rare automobile
indeed. It i unknown how many
�nter doors were made because
Ford corsidered themjusta two door
cdan.
I purchased the car 'about three
y rs ago. I had no idea about how to
drive it, for it has three foot pedals, a
lever on the side and two levers on
the steering column.
I bought the car in the winter time,
I think in November. Spring time
came and I couldn't wait to try my
luck at driving tbsi T-Model.
My be 'end t� t ,of
land and I think I covered most of it
one Saturday learning to drive. With
a lot of car stalls and words of en­
couragement (curse) from by best
friend, I was on my way.
IN NE I hauled it to the Mid-
land Fairgrounds for show. It was the
only T-Model there of its kind. It was
admired by many but won no prize.
My brother nd sister-in-law'
Shirley McDowell were bringing the
car back from Midland and were' run
off the road by a drunk driver. My
Bronco had over $6,000 damage, the
car trailer was a complete loss, and
the T-Model landed on its side and
the body parts were a mangled heap
of tin. .
'One day I was talking to a friend
about selling the car and he sug­
gested I covert the car into .a Depot
Hack. Thi vehicle was used to haul
passengers and luggage to and from
the train station.
He knew of a place in Illinol that
sold wood kits.and if I purcb 9 r'
I could have the car back on the road
within a year!
I ordered a wood kit in February
of 1990 and picked it up on June 30
in Pallentine, Illinois. It was around
that time that Walt Ritter gave a class
on setting goals, so I discussed my
project with Walt and the class ..
My goal was to have the car done
by Labor Day. The class got my
adrenalin going, and with a lot of
encouragement from my Howmet
friends, patience and elbow grease,
the car was done September 30,
1990. The last bolt was tightened, the
last coat of lacquer was sprayed and
I took the car for a spin. The car had
sat for over two years and had
developed major engine problems,
but the engine is being repaired and
hopefully I'll be driving it in the
Whitehall Christmas Parade.
Muskegon'S Black Women
to host 1992 Roundtable
The Black women in Muskegon
County have been invited to host the
States Concerned Black Women's
Roundtable Conference in Septem­
ber of 1992, The theme is "Survival
in the 21st Century," announced
. Maggie Jones, Communi ty Liaison
for Minorities.
We were fortunate to host this
same conference in 1987, Jones said.
It gave us the opportunity to show­
. case Black Women in Muskegon
County and now we have the same
. opportunity again which can also
give us the opportunity to spo�or a
major project as part of the African­
American Celebration 1992, which
is being planned for the entire year.
It will spot light contributions of
Blacks in America. HOW EXCIT­
ING/
"Ho ting this conference is. a
major responsibility," Jone said.
"The only way that it is possible is by
all of us working together. We have
planned a meeting for Monday, July
8, 1991 at 5:30 p.m. in Conference
Room 107 at Muskegon Community
College to determine the interest of
the community. If you are interested
in any way please join us at. this
meeting and bring a friend," Jones
said.
"IFWESHOULD decide to host
this conference, we would like to
dedicate it to the memory of the late
Gwen Alexander, who served as one
. of the co-chairs of the Concerned
Black Women's Roundtable Con­
ference hosted by Muskegon
County' Black Women in 1987,"
she said.
Confirm you attendance and in­
terest by calling Faye at 777-0211 as
soon as possible.
Midnite Basketball comes to Kazoo
By DANNY R. COOKS
Cornspond,nl
Young Black men of Kalamazoo
will become the first Michigan resi­
dents to be able to participate in a late
night alternative to idlene sand
trouble making, starting July 2nd.
Known as the Midnite Basketball
League, Kalamazoo's progra� will
be held at Dougl Commuruty As­
SOCiation on Tuesdays and Wednes­
days from 10:00 p.m. until 2:00 .m.
Male 18-25 years old are eligible to
participate, although the games re
open to the public and without d-
mi ion charge.
A national program begun in
Prince George County, Maryland in
1986, the League now has fourteen
sites throughout the country.
Kalamazoo' eight teams will com­
pete for the opportunity to reach the
national champinship , according to
Michael Williams, Dougl Com-
munity ociation Director.
Work hop and peciali t on
heal th i ues, employment, and
education will be part of the nightly
fare, Williams said. The program
ends August 26th.
TOM THORNTON t work.
(photo by D, Cooks)
Kalamazoo's
Finest
By DANNY R. COOKS
This is the first of a series ojweek­
ly profiles of Kalamazoo � successful
Black business people-)whether
they're taking care of business in the
public or: private sector, at home of­
fice:
Tom Thornton, orphaned wi th the
death of his parents during his
seventh year, now rides high as the
owner and chief executive office of
Thornton Enterprises.
As head of ten successful busi­
nesses in the Kalamazoo area, rang­
ing from commodities (oil, gas,
sulfur, and fertilizer), adult foster
care, video. productions; and real es­
tate Thornton is not too busy to reach
back into the Black community to
help others.
. Although insisting he has no
political ambitions he recently
ho ted a fund-raiser in his home for
the Rev. Jesse Jackson .
President of the non-profi t South­
west Michigan Black Business As­
sociation, Thorton credits his good
fortune with saving and investing his
earnings, making his money the old
fashioned way.
Moffett
family. reunion
By MarY' Golliday
. There will be a Moffett Family
Reunion J,uly 4, in Utica, Mi issip­
pi. They will travel from Michigan,
Indiana, Missouri, and Illinoi for
this great family affair.
Follow the Echo' to Cedea Point
Amu ement Park on Saturday,
August 3. Cost is $45.00 per person
that include bus fare, breakfast on the
b and adrni ion to the park.
Children 3 years old and under,
free din' ion to the park.
The bu will leave the J .C.
Penney' parking lot t 4 .m. For
more information, call Jean at 722-
6415 or Rosie at 733-9951.
Jack on take
track reins at Alma
ALMA-Alm College h hired
Cornell University i tant football
coach Eric S. Jac on of Yp ilanti as
head co ch of the men' and
women's track program beginning in
fall 1991. Jackson also will be an
istant football coach.
Jackson take the trac program'
reins form Jim Cole, who w named
the Scots' head football coach in
March. During the football season,
Jackson will co ch the defensive
backs, coordinate the pecial teams
and as ume orne recruiting duties.
A 1982 graduate of Yp ilanti
High School and a 1987 alumnus of
Bas m Michigan Unive ity, J k-
n i ... · .. ��laa
a cornerback at EMU. He tarted his
coaching career while till an East-
ern undergraduate.
He was the head graduate footh 11
assistant at the University of Cincin­
n ti before moving on to Cornell in
989 as the defensive backs co ch
nd freshm nco-defensive . r­
, dinator. Corn 11 was the Ivy Le gue
champion in 1990. •
JACKSON HAS A Bachelor of
. Science d gree 'with major in hi _.
tory and minors in Afro American
tudies and earth ctence from EMU.
He h done work on his m ter'
degree t Cincinnati and EMU.
Jac on takes charge of a succe -
ful trac nd field program at Alma.
The 'm won I cnth
consecutive Michigan Intercol­
legiate Athletic Association cham-
ErIc S. Jackson
pions hip in 1991, pI ced three ath­
letes on the All-American team and
finished in the top 20 nationally for
the second time in school blatory.
The men finished second ,to the
league (tl 99i and p . one rimner I
on the All-American team. :
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It's NBUF Family Reunion time!
The 12th Annual
National ,Black United Front (NBUF)'
Convention
..
Wil Be Held
July 18th -21st
Muskegon, Michigan
Convention Site: Muske-gon Community College
221 Quarterline Road
Convention Housing: Econo Lodge
($50.00 for all rooms regardless of size)
3450 Hoyt
(616) 733 - 2601
Days Inn ($48.00 for all rooms regardless of size)
150 Seeway Drive
(616) 739 -9429
Convention Registration Fee: $50.00
. (Includes registration and banquet)
Convention Focus: Retreat, Youth Participation, Family Outings,
Prison Visit Section Meetings, Banquet and African Market.
, ,
For futher information: Call 312-268-7500 or (616) 728-4570
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