The Gadsden County Democratic Women’s Club plans to honor homegrown professional athletes at this year’s annual Ebony and Ivory Affair, 7 p.m., Friday, June 1 at the Pat Thomas Conference Center in Quincy. Each year the club highlights the accomplishments of a select group of pro players from Gadsden County. Gadsden County has given birth to many outstanding people. The citizens of Gadsden County can be very proud that we are well-represented in professional sports. Thirteen local pros, representing numerous teams and sports, are up for honors this year.
Basketball
• Billy Ray Hobley, Harlem Globetrotters • Rosa Hudgins, Oslo, Bergen and Norway • Alfred Lawson, Sr., Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks • Andrew Moten, New York Nets
Football
• Woodrow Campbell, Houston Oilers • Curtis Green, Sr., Detroit Lions • Alex Jackson, Jacksonville Jaguars • Dexter Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cincinatti Bengals, Arizona Cardinals • Willie Ray Simmons, Sioux City Bandits • Leroy Smith, Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Storm, Utah Blaze, Milwaukee Mustangs • Ricky Smith, Washington Redskins, New England Patriots Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions • Rodell Thomas, Miami Dolphins
Boxing
• Shinny Burns
These athletes are protégées of the Gadsden County public school system, where they were coached, encouraged, inspired and educated. Their accomplishments required not only talent, but also a lot of hard work, determination and of course, help from others. Their success is truly attributed in some measure by their upbringing in Gadsden County.
For the local Democratic Women’s Club, highlighting the success of these athletes and others annually is a way of shining the spotlight on our county and its people. The Ebony and Ivory Affair is a way of showing our students they can be whatever they desire. It also reminds residents that good comes out of Gadsden and tells the world we can successfully compete with people anywhere.
To attend, congratulate honorees or for more information email gadsdenwomen@gmail.com, or call Sarah at 850-524-7860 or Marva at 850-875-9300.
Joe Ferolito
sports@prioritynews.net