Award-winning actress Lynn Whitfield, along with Atlanta leaders, to be honored at Black-Tie social event.
Atlanta, GA — The Sadie Grice Funny Scholarship Foundation (“SGFSF”) will host its Annual Black-Tie Fundraising Gala on Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. at the beautiful Marriott Gateway Atlanta Airport Hotel. The Fundraising Gala is one of Atlanta’s premier social events that supports higher education opportunities through scholarships awarded to disadvantaged students desiring to attend college.
Celebrity actress Lynn Whitfield and U.S. Congressman John Lewis are special guests of the Gala. Whitfield is well known for her stellar television and movie career. She currently stars as a main villain in Greenleaf, an Oprah Winfrey television drama about the the deceitful world of the Greenleaf family and their sprawling Memphis megachurch. Congressman Lewis is a revered civil rights icon and the U. S. Representative for the 5th District, representing Atlanta in Washington. Television and film actor Lamman Rucker will serve as Master of Ceremony for the Gala.
In addition to Whitfield, Lewis, and Rucker, Gala honorees include:
* Reverend Raphael Warnock, Senior Pastor of the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church Executive
* Theron Johnson, Founder of Paramount Consulting Group
* Miss USA Kala McCullough, 2017 Pageant Winner
* U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters, California Representative
Over 500 movers and shakers, comprised of history makers, corporate sponsors, dignitaries, and Atlanta’s finest, will be hosted during an evening of excitement and entertainment. The Foundation will honor inspirational leaders who have set the standards of excellence in their respective fields. Invited celebrities will also be in attendance to support this wonderful community event. Gala highlights include an elegant VIP reception, exquisite dining, a silent auction, an awards presentation, and a fabulous dance floor for Gala attendees to dance the night away. Entertainment will be provided by KLF Pro Entertainment.
“The Sadie Grice Funny Scholarship Foundation recognizes the need to provide resources for underprivileged students desiring to attend college, but uncertain on how they will pay for it,” says Foundation Founder John J. Funny. “With the support of our corporate sponsors, we are pleased to host this Annual Gala, which is our signature community event in Atlanta. It is the goal of our Foundation to provide support and resources to the students who need it the most. The Sadie Grice Funny Scholarship Foundation Annual Black-Tie Fundraising Gala is a must attend event for its social and networking opportunities but most importantly for the difference the funds raised will make in the life of a needy student. We welcome the support and participation of the Metro Atlanta community in reaching our worthwhile goal.”
Students receiving scholarship from the Sadie Grice Funny Scholarship Foundation have been accepted for enrollment or have completed their studies in some of the best institutions of higher education including:
* Agnes Scott – Decatur, Georgia
* Benedict College – Columbia, South Carolina
* Claflin College – Orangeburg, South Carolina
* Clark Atlanta University – Atlanta, Georgia
* Clayton State College – Clayton County, Georgia
* Clemson University – Clemson, South Carolina
* Coastal Carolina University – Conway, South Carolina
* Furman University – Greenville, South Carolina
* Hampton University – Hampton, Virginia
* Howard University – Washington, District of Columbia
* Lander College – Greenwood, South Carolina
* Morehouse College – Atlanta, Georgia
* Meharry Medical College – Nashville, Tennessee
* South Carolina State University – Orangeburg, South Carolina
* Tulane College – New Orleans, Louisiana
* University of South Carolina – Columbia, South Carolina
For more information on the Gala or how you can support SGFSF, please contact Shelia Edwards at 404-692-0308. Mark your calendars and secure your tickets now for this special event.
Sponsorship opportunities and individual tickets are available now at www.sgfsf.org
Who: Actress Lynn Whitfield and Atlanta’s Finest “Movers and Shakers”
What: Sadie Grice Funny Scholarship Foundation Awards Gala
When: Saturday, November 16, 2019
VIP Reception at 6:00 p.m. and Gala at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Marriott Gateway – Atlanta Airport Hotel
2020 Convention Center Concourse, Atlanta, GA 30337
Attire: Black Tie and Elegant Gowns
ABOUT SADIE GRICE FUNNY AND THE SADIE GRICE FUNNY SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION
The Inspirational Story of Sadie Grice Funny April 10, 1924 – August 15, 1999
Sadie Grice Funny, a native of Georgetown, SC, was born on April 10, 1924, during a time of relentless transition and tumultuous contradiction in America. The wave of the Roaring Twenties was cresting in an explosive economic response to the aftermath of World War I, while ebbing just scant years away was the impending plunge of Wall Street and that historical day of infamy
– “Black Monday.” In South Carolina, the boll weevil attack on the cotton industry was a precursor to the rising tide of the Great Depression. However, Sadie Grice Funny chose her destiny to shape her own world, rather than to be shaped by it.
Educated in the local area school system, she made a lifelong vow to James Funny, Sr. in matrimony, a firm union that lasted 57 years and produced eleven children. She was committed to ensuring that her offspring had the means to pursue an education, which she knew opened the doors of opportunity. Ever a diligent and hardworking soul, she responded when she recognized a need in her community. Realizing the local workers’ need for transportation to and from Myrtle Beach, her entrepreneurial spirit led to the establishment of her own car and bus transit service. When she discovered that businesses needed employees, she formed an employment referral service to notify individuals in local communities of employment opportunities at businesses (hotels, restaurants, golf courses, churches, etc.) in Myrtle Beach. Sadie Grice Funny died August 15, 1999, but her legacy lives on.
Three years later, her youngest son, John J. Funny, President and CEO of Grice Consulting Group, an Atlanta based city/urban/transportation planning and traffic/transportation engineering firm, established the Sadie Grice Funny Scholarship Foundation (“SGFSF”) in honor of his mother’s sacrifice and commitment. SGFSF celebrates her life, commemorates her value of education, and immortalizes her contribution to the community for the success of future generations. Through academic funding, SGFSF provides scholarship support to enable eligible students to pursue their educational objectives. Since its establishment in 2002, the Sadie Grice Funny Scholarship Foundation has bestowed more than $230,000 in scholarships to deserving students.
Sadie Grice Funny dedicated herself to service and excellence throughout her entire life. Through John, the Foundation carriers on in her footsteps with the work it does in the community for deserving students desiring to attend college.
PRESS CONTACT:
Shelia Edwards
Trappier Communications
(404) 692-0308
shelia@trappcomm.com