Honored were a couple married for 55 years who devoted their retirement years to volunteer work and a Springfield Central High School senior who mentors incoming freshmen.
SPRINGFIELD - The 22nd annual Ubora Awards continued to celebrate a fusion of African-American culture and commitment to the local community, Saturday.
Honored were a couple married for 55 years who have devoted their retirement years to volunteer work and a Springfield Central High School senior who mentors incoming freshmen.
"Ubora" is the Swahili word for excellence. The program is organized by the Springfield Museums African Hall Subcommittee.
Springfield residents Bob and Katie Glasgow, who retired from the U.S. Postal Service and Noble Hospital, respectively, have together volunteered at the City Library, in the school system and at their churches, to name a few.
"It just sort of happened," Katie Glasgow said. "People will ask, can you do this today, can you do that today? And we choose the ones that we think need to most attention," on that day.
The couple raised one biological and two adopted children and volunteer separately so they will have things in common but varied experiences to discuss, she said, standing in the atrium at the Michele and Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts on Saturday.
"I didn't really want an award and I still don't want an award. I'm no good at getting attention," she said.
Ruth S. Njiiri founder of the ceremony, said the tradition began more than two decades ago when she sought to honor Raymond Harvey, former conductor of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, in 1992.
"He came from outside the state, outside the city, and he was doing things above and beyond what his position called for," said Njiiri, who worked as an educator locally and directed an international education foundation in New York City.
She said she did not originally intend for the ceremony to have the longevity it has enjoyed.
"It was so well-received we decided we would do it again, and again and again," said Njiiri.
The African Hall Subcommittee, which judges potential recipients, decided to add a youth recipient five years ago. This year's Ahadi youth winner was Raekwon Wheeler, a 17-year-old senior at Central High School who has been class president, a news anchor for the school's television network and an honor student.
The African Hall Subcommittee of the Springfield Museums presented the 22nd annual Ubora Award and the 5th annual Ahadi Youth Award at a ceremony on Saturday, September 21, at 6 p.m., at the Michele & Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts at the Quadrangle. Raekwon Wheeler received the Ahadi Youth Award. "I'm the oldest of six, and I'm helping my siblings with little to major things every day," Wheeler said, adding that he extended that helping hand to younger classmates in school and at the YMCA.
State Rep. Benjamin Swan, D-Springfield, presented the night's primary citations to honorees.
"This (ceremony) gives the community an opportunity to understand a little bit about the African culture," he said.