Talbot Mentors Celebrates At Annual Dinner
More than 150 mentors, students and family members enjoyed the Talbot Mentors 17th Annual Dinner Celebration on November 13 at The Milestone. The event provided an opportunity for the organization to recognize the contributions of its volunteer mentors, who give their time in friendship to a child, building relationships that benefit not only the children, but their families, the mentors themselves and the community as a whole.
The evening’s guest speaker was Talbot County Councilman Corey Pack, who applauded the mentors for “truly making a difference” in the lives of their mentees. “Your actions shout victory, not defeat; love, not hate; commitment and dedication,” Pack told them. “The power of mentoring is life-changing and the results life-lasting.”
Two Talbot Mentors graduates, now adults working in the community, were recognized both for their personal accomplishments and for their advocacy for the organization. Tyrell Jackson and Mark Murray were presented with awards by Jackson’s mentor Al Smith. Each young man offered words of encouragement to the mentors and students to keep their relationships going beyond graduation from the program, emphasizing their continued friendships with their mentors, Smith and Tom Fauntleroy.
Executive Director Paige Jernigan presented certificates to the two matches that had reached their five-year anniversary—Corey Carson and mentor Lenox Trams, and Dre’Ona Dawson and mentor Susan Piggott. All of the organization’s current matches were recognized, from the 14 new matches the organization has made this year to those who have been together as long as eight years.
Special guests at the dinner were former Major League Baseball star right-fielder and St. Michaels native Harold Baines and his wife, Marla. Raffle tickets were drawn for lucky mentees to whom Baines presented signed souvenir baseballs.
The evening concluded with a slideshow of images of mentees and mentors participating in Talbot Mentors events and activities over the past year. Ten students currently are on the organization’s list waiting for mentors to be a part of next year’s celebration with them.
Photos:
Left to right, Al Smith with his mentee, Tyrell Jackson; Mark Murray with his mentor Tom Fauntleroy. Smith presented awards to Jackson and Murray for their personal accomplishments and advocacy for the organization.
Left to right, former Major League Baseball player Harold Baines, Talbot Mentors Executive Director Paige Jernigan, Board President Jim Reed, and guest speaker Talbot County Councilman Corey Pack.
Copyright © 2014 by Talbot Mentors, Inc. Permission is granted to use any photos within this Press Release only for publication and not for sale or resale. All other rights reserved.