By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
As the Rev. Dr. Grant Harrison stepped down from the podium his message was clear ó voting is a privilege.
Harrison spoke to a group Friday night during the 14th annual Harvest Banquet for the Salisbury-Rowan branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
The theme for this year’s program, which also recognized community leaders and scholarship recipients, was “Power, Justice, Freedom, Vote.” The event was held at the Holiday Inn at Jake Alexander Boulevard.
Harrison encouraged the audience to not only vote, but to take others to the polls to vote. He said voting is a privilege that should be done to honor those who fought for the right.
“One thing we can all do is vote,” he said.
Harrison also spoke of the issues that have been a big part of presidential hopeful Barack Obama’s campaign, including education, the economy and war.
He also discussed the different meanings of Obama’s name. In Swahili, Barack means blessing, he said.
In Arabic, Baraka also means blessing, and in Hebrew, baruch means blessed.
“When you vote, you bless the nation. So bless America by voting,” Harrison said to laughter.
The speaker is currently the pastor of Soldiers Memorial AME Zion Church in Salisbury.
In addition to being a pastor, Harrison is also a musician, community leader, educator and author.
He has taught at Barber-Scotia College, Livingstone College and Hood Theological Seminary.
Harrison and his wife, Joanne, wrote “The Life and Times of Irvine Garland Penn.”
NAACP branch President Dr. Bryant Norman Jr. spoke briefly about the historical significance of the November presidential election.
“We now have a person of color who has the opportunity to be president,” Norman said.
He also talked about the African-Americans who “struggled, bled and died” to secure rights for the future.
He encouraged those in attendance to “get out to vote.”
Albert Ruff Jr., with the Salisbury-Rowan Community Action Agency Inc., received the community service award.
Ruff has worked with the agency for 41 years. Ruff is best known as “Mr. Weatherization.” He is the director of the Weatherization Assistance Program.
The program provides solutions to permanently reduce energy costs by making homes more energy efficient.
The Presidents’ Award was given to the Rev. Ethel Bamberg-Revis, a Hefner VA Medical Center chaplain.
She works with female inmates at the Rowan County Detention Center and provides crisis counseling with the National Guard.
She is an associate pastor of Soldiers Memorial AME Zion Church.
The Harvest Banquet raises money for the local branch’s activities and scholarships. This year’s scholarships, totaling more than $7,000, were given to 16 high school students enrolled in Rowan County schools.
Corporate sponsors were Rowan Regional Medical Center, Food Lion, Hitachi, Dr. Dennis Wilson of Piedmont Cardiology, Dr. Bryant Norman Jr., DDS, Holmes Iron and Metal, Cloninger Ford/Toyota and the Salisbury Post.