50th Anniversary Launches!!
It was a marvelous morning, despite a little drizzle, to kick off SCC’s 50th. The rocket theme was in full effect as our emcee, Libby Mahaffy, stepped out in an astronaut suit, complete with helmet and jet pack. As guests enjoyed the delicious food catered by Jules Catering, Mayor Curtatone gave a wonderful welcome and promised to fulfill his pledge to jump into the Mystic River and Danny LeBlanc reminisced about SCC’s beginnings.
Keynote speaker Dr. Karilyn Crockett inspired all with her remarks on community building, activism, and commitment to social justice – moving beyond dreams and into the dream filled work of doing the impossible. “SCC has helped define what is necessary and possible, when others were not so sure…this is the work that builds the beloved community,” she said. “From the beginning SCC was in the business of feeding and protecting this community from the ground up. Bowls of soup, social services, a sense of home and belonging, became the essential ingredients for nurturing every revolutionary battle that this organization has waged.” She spoke of Dr Martin Luther King’s legacy, and other activists working at the time of SCC’s founding – “this is the cauldron in which you were born.”
Then First Source Jobs participant and Iraq veteran Charlene Stallworth spoke about her journey through our culinary program. She has worked with celebrity chefs, saved for her own car, and now works at the Encore Casino – “My career in culinary is blasting off!”
Anniversary sponsor AAFCPA’s Matt Troiano explained how our CITC tax credit works, essentially “doubling your impact,” and then, as the Second Line Brass Band started up, guests processed down to the dock to see if the Mayor would really jump in…
And he did!! He and Danny ran right off the dock in their suits into the water!! They really took the plunge as our canoe paddlers launched SCC into the future…
Thank you to all who came, helped, celebrated, and sponsored – as a community organization, we truly can’t do it without you. If you missed it, you can watch the entire morning, recorded by SCATV, here, and check out pictures here.
Here’s to the year ahead and to the next 50!!!