Fellowship
Charleston
Community Helps ‘Grandfather’
continued from page 3
Rev. Terry McCray Hill, pastor of Bethel AME Church
in Northeast Portland, helps a community member
light a candle at a vigil last Thursday for victims of
last week’s shooting in Charleston, S.C.
honor the shooting victims.
McCray Hill urged those in
the congregation to make
contact with two or three
people they had never met
before.
Shortly before the vigil,
the Portland Police Bureau
announced that it would
have officers in the neigh-
borhood while it took place.
In addition to having a
presence in the surround-
ing area, four uniformed
officers stood in the lobby
during the ceremony. Friday
PPB announced it would
provide extra patrols in ar-
eas neighboring houses of
worship in Portland.
“Basically, it’s a re-
sponse to what happened in
Charleston and recognizing
that people here in Portland
are going to feel affected by
it and apprehensive about
going to their places of
Each precinct is responsi-
ble for determining cover-
age in its own area.
“It started over the week-
end. I’ve not heard anything
negative about the weekend
or that there were any prob-
lems or issues.”
Nationwide
discussion
about the Confederate battle
flag has turned a spotlight
on the presence of the Mis-
sissippi flag – which incor-
porates the Confederate flag
into its design – in Salem in
a public park.
The Oregonian reported
on the flag’s presence at a
park near the capitol build-
ing in Salem, and have not-
ed other state governments
have passed laws prohib-
iting flying of the battle
flag on their property. On
Tuesday, Rep. Tobias Read
(D-Beaverton) announced
he planned to introduce a
PHOTO COURTESY OF LEONARD SMITH
worship, not just at Black
churches but all churches,”
PPB spokesperson Sgt. Pete
Simpson told The Skanner
News.
PHOTO BY CHRISTEN MCCURDY
to bed so she could be there
for her congregation and for
the community.
The vigil closed with a
candle-lighting ceremony to
Leonard Smith, 77, Vancouver, the former owner of Grandfather’s BBQ and a founder of the Mississippi
Avenue Street Fair, has chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and needs of stem cell therapy
treatment to repair his lung. His insurance does not cover this type of treatment, and friends and
community members have rallied to help Smith raise money for his care. Those interested in helping
can contribute at http://www.gofundme.com/leonardsmith.
resolution calling for re-
placement of the flag.
The Willamette Week also
reported this week on the
presence of the battle flag at
the Jefferson Davis Park in
Ridgefield, Wash., outside
Vancouver, just south of the
Gee Creek Rest Area on I-5.
The park, which opened in
2008, sits on a small parcel
of privately-owned property
owned by a group called the
Sons of Confederate Vet-
erans. The group describes
itself as “non-political and
non-Racist,” but Vancou-
ver leaders from the Na-
tional Association for the
Advancement of Colored
People told The Columbian
Monday that the park and
flag send a message of “big-
otry, and divisiveness and
hatred.”
Retailers, including El-
mer’s Flag Shop in North-
east Portland as well as
major sellers like Wal-Mart,
Amazon and EBay, all
announced Tuesday they
would no longer be selling
Confederate battle flags.
Allen Temple CME Church 1st Annual Unsung
Heroes & Heroines Award Breakfast
The Allen Temple CME Church Fami-
ly is inviting you to attend the first annual
“Unsung Heroes and Heroines Award,”
at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 27, Maranatha
Church, 4222 NE 12th Avenue.
Rev. Dr. LeRoy Haynes, Jr. is the Se-
nior Pastor of Allen Temple CME Church
and Presiding Elder of the Oregon/Wash-
ington District and Alaska Pacific Con-
ference. Allen Temple CME Church is a
church that reaches beyond the walls to
meet the needs and serve the community.
This is a fundraising event to help re-
build our church. The cost of the break-
fast is $20. Contact Rev. Rhonda L.
Smith for ticket information.
The purpose of the award is to ac-
knowledge and honor an individual(s) or
organization(s) who are unknown but,
making a difference in the community by
assisting underserved individuals or
groups and improving their quality of
life. The categories of recognition are in
the following areas: education, drug ad-
diction programs, homeless ministry, ath-
letics, religion, youth programs, journal-
ism/media, arts, health, foster care, gang
prevention/resource and social justice.
June 24, 2015 The Portland and Seattle Skanner Page 9