Awards handed out at annual Unity Breakfast

With a theme of “How do you build a community?” the Human Rights Commission held its annual unity breakfast Thursday morning at the Bruce Convention Center.

Raoul Cunningham is the former Kentucky NAACP president and urged the large crowd to vote in the upcoming election and to participate in the 2020 census so that everyone will be accurately counted.

Mayor Carter Hendricks and Sheriff Tyler DeArmond read a unity proclamation between the city and county and the Mayor’s Unity Award was presented to Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Terrence Davis and his staff.

The Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors received the Volunteer of the Year Award and Board Chair Angie Goode thanked the numerous organizations and individuals who have helped get their new cafeteria project off the ground.

The prestigious Hal and Bettye Thurmond Award for efforts to improve human relations in Hopkinsville was presented to Hopkinsville Police Chief Clayton Sumner, who urged the community to passionately support people when they are doing the right things.

Longtime Human Rights Commission Director Bernard Standard is retiring soon and was the recipient of the newly created Bernard Standard Award for Excellence. He says he’ll still continue looking for ways to make a difference in the community in retirement.

Christian County High School’s choir received a standing ovation after performing several selections during the breakfast.