CHA holiday gala
honors local seniors
Defender Staff Report generation has what they need to
succeed.”
The recent Chicago Housing Gospel singer Cathy Townsend
Authority's 25th Annual Senior and R&B band the Gentlemen of
Holiday Gala was a memorable one Leisure House provided entertain-
for the 2,000 seniors who attended. ment after lunch, which consisted of
The popular event offered seniors a three-course soul food dinner of
an afternoon of live musical per- chicken gumbo, smothered chicken,
formances, dancing and lots of holi- greens, cheese grits, sweet potatoes
day cheer, held this year at the Hyatt and a strawberry chocolate cream
Regency Hotel downtown. Each puff dessert.
senior was given a gift for the long In closing, the housing authority's
years of service as noble CEO Lewis Jordan said he really
Chicagoans. enjoyed the event and looks forward
Mayor Richard M. Daley was to next year.
joined by CHA officials and other “Last year was my first time
elected officials, such as U.S. Rep. attending this event, and I can hon-
Danny K. Davis, D-7th, Clerk of the estly say I have been looking for-
Circuit Court of Cook County ward to coming back to participate
Dorothy Brown, and Aldermen Pat in this celebration with good food,
Dowell (3rd) and Toni Preckwinkle good music and good friends,” he
(4th), in honoring the seniors. said.
“Seniors have done their job to The Gala first began in 1983 and
make Chicago great (and) we want was originally called the “Christmas
Senior citizens attending the Chicago Housing Authority's 25th annual seniors gala cut a rug as R&B
to look after you,” Daley said. “But Grand Ball Gala.”
musicians Gentlemen of Leisure House Band perform classics the seniors jammed to “back in the
we also want to make sure the next
day.” Photo/Chicago Housing Authority
Christmas comes early for kids in Englewood.
Children receive more than toys and other gifts at the annual
From left, U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, D-1st, Gov. Patt Quinn, state Sen. Jackie Collins, Mayor Richard M.
Englewood holiday giveaway, “they receive hope,” said Larry
Daley, Larry Huggins of Riteway-Huggins Construction Co., Ald. Toni Preckwinckle (4th) and Ald.
Huggins of Riteway-Huggins Construction Co., who helped to bring
Latasha Thomas (17th) pass out thousands of toys and gifts to hundreds of kids during the annual
over $40,000 worth of gifts to the South Side community.
Englewood toy giveaway. Thomas and Huggins collaborate to host the event. Defender/Worsom Robinson
Defender/Worsom Robinson
24
Chicago Defender • ChicagoDefender.com • December 23-29, 2009
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