MODESTO -- The Rev. Wade Estes, who recently retired after more than two decades of leading CrossPoint Community Church (formerly First Baptist of Modesto), Modesto City Schools board member Cindy Marks and Lynn Dickerson, chief executive officer of the Gallo Center for the Arts, are among the 13 winners of this year's CrystalClear Awards.
The 19th annual awards for outstanding community service will be presented at 6 p.m. Friday at Bethel Church, 2361 Scenic Drive. The awards ceremony, which will include music by local artists and giveaway prizes such as golf outings and beauty products, will be followed by a light dinner. The presentation and dinner, sponsored by Staff of Life Ministries, are free.
"I'm just really happy at the direction (the awards) have gone to encourage the good work in our community," said the Rev. Darius Crosby, senior pastor of Greater Glory Community Church and president of Staff of Life Ministries.
Crosby, who moved to Modesto in 1992, said he created the awards in part because of his brush with racism and police brutality when he was in college four decades ago.
"My father sat me down and said, 'Son, you can't pay people back for every wrong thing they do, but you can search out people who are doing what's right and honorable and you can reward them. Make contributions to society instead of being a liability to society.' It stuck," Crosby said. "If it wasn't for him, I would be in jail or worse. Now I do sensitivity training with the police. It's been awesome — God has put me in a position of making a difference."
This year's winners and the categories in which they will be honored are:
Estes, pastoral ministry-community; the Rev. Ross Briles, Sherwood Bible Church, lifetime achievement for pastoral ministry-business; the Rev. Aubrey McGann, Valley Bible Church, lifetime achievement for pastoral ministry-international evangelism; Bishop David McNeir, New Beginnings Tabernacle of Life Church, musical excellence-pastoral ministry; Wynona Lloyd, Modesto City Schools, lifetime achievement for education; Cindy Marks, Modesto City Schools board, education; Mac Wilson, lifetime achievement for community activism; Ron Cloward, Modesto Police Department, law enforcement; Joe Hernandez, clinical psychology, medicine; Dickerson, mass communication-community; John Brown, Modesto Auto Electric, business; Kianna Clay, Road Runners Track Club, outstanding athlete award; and Ephion "E.J." Jackson Jr., Road Runners Track Club, coach's award.
For more information, call (209) 303-4531.
Bee staff writer Sue Nowicki can be reached at snowicki@modbee.com or (209) 578-2012.
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