Resilience, restoration and unity were key themes highlighted at the Dickey Museum & Multipurpose Center’s banquet last weekend.
The annual Black History Month fundraiser “Connecting Excellence in Business, Community & Education” was held Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Taylor Independent School District’s event center, the first such event since the historic home of Dr. James Lee Dickey was destroyed by fire last July.
The Williamson Museum made a $2,500 donation towards the restoration of the Dickey Museum & Multipurpose Center. Nancy Hill of the Williamson Museum presented the check during the event.
In addition, board member Laurie Born announced the launch of the “We Will Restore” community campaign to reconstruct the Dickey house by next year.
“Our ambitious goal is to celebrate the opening of the new Dickey House in 20 months on Nov. 12, 2024, Dr.
Dickey’s birthday,” Born said.
She said the cost is high, but not unobtainable.
“We are going to need to raise a million dollars, folks,” Born said. “That’s a daunting number … (But) we’ve done this.
It can be done, says the grant writer. Funders are out there watching.
They want to help this community triumph over tragedy.”
Keynote speaker T.L.
Garner Jr., the pastor from Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Austin, discussed racial and political polarization, as well as the dehumanization plaguing our society — and how to fix it.
“The survival of our communities and the survival of humanity depends upon our ability to come together,” Garner said. “Change must come within the heart of every person.
I challenge you to look inward and see how we can really make a difference. What can you and I do to make this world a better place?
I’m tired of these feeling good speeches. I want to feel right about what it means to be in a community that you love me, despite my differences.”
A number of people received Connecting Excellence Awards, including Mayor Pro Tem Gerald Anderson, Taylor Youth Ducks Head Coach Quincy Griffin, Angelina Shelton, Mark Jackson, Christina Muhammad and Eliza Ackerman.
Jarvis Anderson received a $1,000 scholarship from the Dicky Museum and Multipurpose Center organization.
