St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay presented the “Key to the City” to Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club Co-Founder Martin L. Mathews. The “Say Amen” Literacy Banquet At the 2003 gala, US Deputy Housing & Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson provided the keynote address and City of St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay presented the “Key to the City” to Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club Co-Founder Martin L. Mathews at 14th Annual “Say Amen” Literacy Banquet on Aug. 16, at the Marriott Pavilion Hotel. The fund-raiser drew an audience of 600+ civic leaders, sports and media personalities, and generated $110,000 for the Club’s Volunteer Tutorial, Computer Literacy Instruction, career and leadership programs. To capture the “Building A Brighter Future Through Education” theme, 10 Mathews-Dickey youth attired in tuxedos, construction hard hats and orange safety vests, formed the receiving line for program participants and later performed a special rendition of ‘My Girl.’ KMOX Radio’s Jon Grayson was the ‘foreman’ for the gala, which also featured award presentations by the station’s VP & GM Tom Langmyer, KSDK NewsChannel 5 Education Reporter Sharon Stevens and St. Louis Post-Dispatch Sports Editor Larry Starks. Charter Communications Executive VP Steven A. Schumm and Edward Jones Managing Partner John W. Bachmann were the 2003 co-chairs. The program opened with a performance of ‘God Bless America’ by Mathews-Dickey VP/PR & Special Events Barbara A. Washington - with Collage, Professional Recording Artist Jamie ‘KP’ Dennis, Mathews-Dickey Youth Ensemble and PR & Special Events Director Bill Fronczak also providing musical entertainment. City Academy School Founder and former Mathews-Dickey volunteer tutor and Education VP Donald Danforth, III received the second annual Bill Maritz Award for his contributions to expanding academically enriching opportunities for St. Louis’ youth. The award was presented by late civic leader’s cousin Ray Maritz, president of Raymond E. Maritz & Sons, Inc. and a Mathews-Dickey Board Member. Other award winners included: Academic Scholar - Erica Fondren, 13, Ladue Middle eighth grader, and Bryton Hobbs, 11, Laclede Elementary sixth grader; Outstanding CLIP Volunteers - Denise Sykes-Collins of SSM Health Care and LaSheena Fisher of Edward Jones; Outstanding Tutor Volunteer - Retired educator James Boone and Cheryl Peoples of the US Postal Service; Outstanding Youth Volunteer - Brittney Johnson, 14, Lutheran North freshman, and Marlon Jackson, 17, Cardinal Ritter senior; and Scholar Athlete - Sabrina Kilgore, 15, Crossroads School sophomore and Freddie Taylor, Jr., 18, incoming Morehouse College freshman. Major sponsors were A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Charter Communications, Edward Jones, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and other Civic Progress companies. The Mathews-Dickey Education Program features Computer Literacy Instruction, career and leadership training components. The Club reaches more than 40,000 young men and women each year in the St. Louis metropolitan area through recreational, educational, cultural and leadership training programs. For more information, call Washington or Fronczak at (314) 382-5952, ext. 234. Mathews-Dickey VP/PR & Special Events Barbara A. Washington and Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club Co-Founder Martin L. Mathews. Archived: 13th Annual “Say Amen” Banquet 12th Annual“Say Amen” Banquet © 2004 Mathews Dickey Boys' & Girls' Club site. Designed by the Moore Design Group.