By: Jair McElveen
On July 27, 2024, the Whimsical Florist Ballroom will host the inaugural Project Uplift Excellence Black Tie Scholarship Gala, an event devoted to highlighting community leaders who do not get the acknowledgment they deserve. Leading this event Jerome Purdie, founder of the state-recognized and non-profit organization Project Uplift, prepares for a memorable night that will be full of recognition, community spirit, and charitable support.
Sharing his vision for the event with us here at BladenOnline, Purdie says, “I just wanted to celebrate Bladen County because I think so often that we are overlooked, and the people in our county who do great things are overlooked. I want to shed light and let the world know that we have some people in Bladen County who’re really moving and shaking to make our county a more desirable place to live.”
The Project Uplift Excellence Black Tie Scholarship Gala will feature many things. At this event, there will be delicious food, live entertainment, a scholarship presentation, and an award presentation. Pouring into the future, Project Uplift is awarding 500-dollar scholarships to two recent high school graduates. Honoring the unsung heroes of Bladen County, nine awards will be presented as well. The nine prestigious awards include the Ultimate Educator Award, Community Leader Award, Servant’s Heart Award, Business Champion Award, Organization of the Year Award, Community Partnership Award, Trailblazer Award, Youth Advocate Award, and the Reaching Back Award. Nominations for these awards were open to the public for 45 days, enabling members of our community to nominate deserving candidates through a Google Form.
Bladen County native and current county commissioner in Durham, North Carolina, Nimasheena Burns will be the keynote speaker of the evening. Known for her exceptional leadership as the Chief Director of the North Carolina Build Program, Burns brings loads of experience in community development and empowerment.
“Building as we fly,” Purdie hopes to turn this event into an annual one, and that through similar events community members begin to give back to our community and the youth. Through the Project Uplift Excellence Black Tie Scholarship Gala Purdie aims to encourage unity and most of all progress. Guests can expect a night of fine dining and networking opportunities with a focus on enhancing community connections. Lastly, Purdie adds “It takes a community effort to grow, so I hope that we will all come together to change things for the better and our youth.”
If you would like to attend the Project Uplift Excellence Black Tie Scholarship Gala, tickets are priced at 50 dollars with 100% of the proceeds going toward the scholarship fund and Project Uplift to support the organization’s community initiatives. Tickets can be purchased through the Eventbrite link below, CashApp to the tag $ProjectUPLIFTNation, or by contacting Jerome Purdie directly at 910-224-2882.
Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/project-uplift-excellence-black-tie-scholarship-gala-tickets-916404880667
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