Elmer Smith in Color

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ELMER SMITH RETIREMENT PARTY

PLANNING COMMITTEE

ASHLEY ARNOLD

CHERYL SMITH ARNOLD

MELANIE BURNEY

MICHAEL DAYS

ANGELA DODSON

SARAH J. GLOVER

ANNETTE JOHN-HALL

MARY ANN SMITH

MARIE YOUNG, M.D.

Thanks for a Night to Remember!

DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR MR. ELMERS SMITHS RETIREMENT CELEBRATION-11/11/11BY INDIA JACKSON

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2011

THE SHERATON DOWNTOWN

201 N. 17

TH

STREETPHILADELPHIA

Retirement Celebration


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His journalism career began in Philadelphia nearly four decadesago with the Evening Bulletin, where he worked as a City Hallreporter covering the Green and Rizzo administrations and CityCouncil until the Bulletin ceased publication in 1982.

Smith was a featured columnist for eight years for the DailyNews opinion pages. He was appointed to the Daily News Editorial Board eighteenyears ago. For the last nine years, he was a featured columnist in the front sections ofthe paper and has continued on the editorial board.

Smith has won numerous writing and civic awards including the coveted NatFleisher award for lifetime achievement from the Boxing Writers Association ofAmerica, three first- place column writing awards from the Keystone Press Association, and an American Red Cross public service award for columns he filed fromlocations in Haiti and Somalia about the

relief efforts in those hard-hit areas. Most recently, Smith was named first-place winner in the columnist category forthe prestigious Na- tional Headliners Award and was recognized in 1996 among thefirst-ever recipients of the WDAS radio ClaimYour Culture award. He is amultiple winner of the local chapter of SigmaDelta Chi Journalism organizations journalist of the year award.

In 2007, Smith was named a Trailblazer by the Philadelphia Associationof Black Journalists. He is a founding member of the chapter and a member of theNational Association of Black Journalists.

Smith is a product of the Philadelphia public school system anddistinguished alumni of the Temple University School of journalism. He served for 28years as an adjunct professor of journalism at Temple. He was the host of TheExchange a daily radio talk show on WHAT-AM radio until the station closedfour years ago.

He is involved with several youth-outreach programs, including sessions withhis adopted class at the Reynolds Elementary School in North Philadelphia, as areader for pre-school and kindergarten students in Philadelphia public schools, inmentoring efforts in the industry and with the Philadelphia Futures Sponsor a Scholarprogram. He is a member of the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Burlington, NewJersey, where he also serves on the Board of Trustees and the Senior Choir.

Smith is married to the former Mary Ann Green. They have one daughter,

Cheryl, and a son-in-law, Lt. Col. Aric Arnold. The Smiths have twogranddaughters, Ashley, and Aaliyah.

ELMER SMITHElmer, you're a gentleman, a scholar, one hell of writerand a cherished friend and colleague.-Betty Winston Baye

For the Record.


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How'd you stay so awake, Elmer, so vital, so undimin-ished, so young, so damn long?- Rick Nichols

Let the Good Times Roll..You've earned the respect of kings and the admiration ofus regular folk.-Neal Scarbrough

After all these years of hashing it out with you on theeditorial board, I had no idea we were arguing with SAINTElmer! Totally explains the halo. Going to miss you.-Signe Wilkinson

You've been an inspiration and mentor to so manyjournalists. But more importantly, you've always been afirst-class person willing to share your knowledge andadvice.-Clifton Brown

You are always my treasured friend even as both our lives

change. Richard Aregood

A Word of ThanksThe Friends of Elmer Smith extend our heartfelt appreciation to

everyone who helped make this retirement celebration a

tremendous success. Thank you for your presence. Tonight

would not have been the same without you!

A special thanks to:

Thomas Holmes

Sharon L. Hopson

Patty Jackson

Ron MoffittTom Pierson

Larry Platt

Sheraton Staff

Jon Snyder

Signe Wilkinson

Jeffrey G. Barnes

Bobbie Booker

Brandywine Workshop

John DuchneskieAllan Edmunds

Arthur Fennell

Bill Foster

Mannwell Glenn

Sarah J. Glover

*****************************************************

About the Brandywine Workshop:

Founded in 1972, Philadelphia-based Brandywine Workshop is a

nonprofit institution committed to cultural diversity in thecreation, practice and appreciation of the fine arts and thepromotion of printmaking as a fine art form.

Brandywine programs provide established, world class artists with

support, and emerging artists with specialized training andservices in printmaking

An advocate to make art accessible to all members of society,

Elmer was so impressed with the Brandywine mission after writing

a column about the group that he joined the organization. Hecurrent serves as President of the Board of Directors.


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ProgramWelcome- Annette John-Hall, Mistress of Ceremony

Tribute to Veterans - Lt. Col. Aric Arnold, U. S. ArmyBrandywine Workshop - Allan Edmunds, Exec. Director

Musical Selection -Thomasina Johnson James

Video TributeInvocation/Blessing of FoodRev. Lula Custis

Former Pastor of Mt. Zion AME Church Swedesboro, NJChat and Chew

Many Aspects of Elmer SmithBulletin Days - Joe Davidson, Washington Post

Boxing Era - Michael Bruton, Philadelphia TribunePhiladelphia Daily News- Michael DaysBrandywine Executive. Board - Dr. Marie Young

NABJ/PABJ - Sandra Long WeaverMen's Bible Study Group - Eugene Edwards

Church Family - Ronald Moffitt, Tabernacle Baptist ChurchFamily - Cheryl Arnold

Closing Remarks-Elmer Smith

Fall Salad with mixed greens, diced apples and pears withwalnuts and crumbled gorgonzolawith Chef s Fall Dressing

~

Boneless Breast of Chicken withChef s Autumn Cranberry Stuffing topped with a

Champagne Cream Sauce~

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes~

Sauted String Beans~

Rolls and Butter~

Tiramisu~

Coffee, Tea, and Lemonade

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Elmer Smith in Color