True sincerity was heard through the voices of Laura Stevens Aliff and Sarah Carr Parsons tonight as the two avid community volunteers accepted their Benedum Fellow awards at Bridgeport Conference Center.

 

Both women shared that they had been struck with a case of the nerves and that they weren’t particularly fond of speaking in public, but the humble words they delivered could not have been more perfect. Nor could the service they have provided to the people of Bridgeport and surrounding areas. That is the reason, former Bridgeport Mayor Joe Timms said, that they had been selected as this year’s Benedum Festival honorees, an award which exemplifies the spirit of Michael Late Benedum and his contributions to our city. 

 

Following an invocation by the Rev. Father Hilarian Cann, dinner music by Don Hamilton, introductions by Mayor Robert Greer, words of Michael Benedum delivered by Benedum Festival Queen Morgan Smith and Teen Queen Audra Knotts and “A Trip Back in Time” delivered by George Daugherty and Joe Deegan,” Timms served as emcee. After profiling each of the honorees, he turned the microphone over to them for their comments.

 

The former Laura Stevens, Aliff is a graduate of Bridgeport High School and West Virginia University, where she followed in the professional footsteps of her father, Frank “Doc” Stevens by pursing an education in the practice of dental hygiene and how it can affect one’s health.

 

“Laura currently works in Morgantown in a clinic that provides free dental care for the needy,” Timms said. “She has also been an involved parent and volunteer in Bridgeport schools and is a very active member of Bridgeport United Methodist Church, the church choir and teaching church school, as well as working with the elderly and shut-ins.”

 

Aliff’s list of volunteer activities is long, but to mention a few, Timms said she serves on the Bridgeport High School Improvement Council and Alumni Board, where she helps write and publish the alumni news.

 

“As a member of the BHS Boosters, she initiated the successful alumni strawberry sale and as a member of Maple Lake Woman’s Club, she did the research and developed the necessary financial resources to purchase new playground equipment for her neighborhood children.”

 

Aliff began her speech by sharing that at a young age, she was captivated by a phrase by Gale Sayers in which she said “The Lord is first, my family and friends are second and I am third.”

 

Aliff has has been influenced, she said, by church and community leaders, as well as plenty of everyday people she has met along her life’s path.

 

“I’ve met a lot of those working in the free clinic and it’s been quite an experience in my life,” she said. “So many individuals have been by my side and we’ve tackled and solved many issues that have faced our schools, church and community. Without them, I wouldn’t be standing before you tonight.”

 

Aliff said that she strongly feels that faith and church, education and community are all essential for a healthy being.

 

“It’s not always been easy and life is full of setbacks, but that’s when my faith has meant the most,” she said. “As many of you know, when you mention Bridgeport, people often respond in a negative way and I quickly remind them that they totally misunderstand our community. I often remind people that when I was growing up, we were the farm kids. We had a stockyard and a weekly stock sale. And I was from Maple Lake so we were the “lake kids.”

 

What makes Bridgeport special, she said, is the community’s commitment to hard work.

 

“There are no excuses, just hard work – and that’s evident in all areas, including employment, our government, academics and athletics, our faith-based community and everything else in our community,” she said.

 

Aliff said her current job at the free dental clinic in Morgantown has made her realize just how important a quality education is.

 

“Many we see on a daily basis have not nurtured this area and thus have struggled to make their way in life and after multiple setbacks, they often turn to alcohol and drugs to solve their problems,” she said. “Bridgeport instills the virtue of an education and hard work.”

 

Aliff thanked her husband Billy, her daughters Natalie and Stacie, her mom Marian “Mim” Stevens, brother Jeff and other family members in attendance for their avid support. She also acknowledged Carr Parsons, with whom she has worked at BUMC for a number of years, reiterating her fellow honoree’s words that they had come full circle.

 

In his introduction of Carr Parsons, Timms stated that she is the longtime director of music at Bridgeport United Methodist Church and in 1991 formed the Harrison County Children’s Chorus, which later became known as Chanticleer Children’s Chorus of West Virginia.

 

“Sarah built Chanticleer’s programs to supplement and enhance our area school music programs by teaching music theory and musicality to her choristers,” he said. “Sarah has given her choristers a gift that they can share for the rest of their lives.”

 

To broaden and encourage them, she has taken them around the world – to countries including Scotland, Italy and Germany. Recently, she traveled with 30 of the children to Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia; at the latter country where they performed with the Slovakian Children’s Choir on national radio. After 26 years with Chanticleer, she recently retired, but remains director of music at BUMC.

 

Upon taking the microphone, Parsons quickly shared the credit.

 

“Chanticleer Children’s Chorus came into being because of my friend Laura Aliff, my friend Jenny Lawson, my friend Steven Musgrave and many people in this room today,” she said.

 

Carr Parsons formally thanked the Benedum Fellows committee and all who attended tonight’s banquet.

 

“I am so honored to receive this from you,” she said. “When I read the list of persons who have received this in the past, I am humbled. They are all people I know and love and look up to and have aspired to be like – so that is humbling and a great honor. I thank you for that.”

 

Carr Parsons said she is so appreciative for the Bridgeport community and the opportunity it has provided her.

 

“I feel like an adopted daughter of Bridgeport and because of the generosity of many of you, I have been able to fulfill my life’s dream and my life’s vision for offering the gift of singing to children in this community. And because of that generosity from you, I have been able to take them around the world and have them sing for others, so that has been a true blessing for me.”

 

She said she has always believed in the power of music to unite and inspire people and she has always believed in the power of the church to change lives through love.

 

“And I’m fortunate that my calling has mingled those two things,” she said. “I have known joy in abundance through my work and for that I am so truly grateful. I get to make beautiful music, I get to help lead people in worship and I get to teach children to open their eyes to a larger world view. Like I said, that has been a privilege and a blessing.”

 

Carr Parsons also thanked her husband, Larry Parsons, and said she is grateful that they have together pursued a shared passion for music.

 

Tribute was also paid tonight to Eva MacFarland, the recipient of the Benedum Fellows Youth Service Award. Because of her present commitment at the Governor's Honors Academy at Fairmont State University, MacFarland was unable to attend tonight's banquet. Her award will be presented at a July meeting of Bridgeport City Council. 

 

Following the awards, congratulatory remarks were made and photos were taken. Attendees were encouraged to attend this weekend's Benedum Festival activities at Bridgeport City Park and other areas of the city. See more HERE. 

 

Several past Benedum Fellows were in attendance. Following is a list of past honorees:

 

1995

Dwight Fowler and David Johnson

1996

Evelyn Carter, C.E. "Jim" Compton, Margaret Merrells and Leonard J. Timms

1997

Catherine Clark and Carl Furbee

1998

Madge McDaniel and Clyde Strother

1999

Rev. Father Hilarian V. Cann and Annabel Luebbe

2000

Robert V. Allen and Ruth Allen

2001

Edgar Hess and Bea Quigley

2002

Shirley Hadorn and Robert Nichols

2003

Lenore Hinkle and Wayne Jamison

2004 

Dr. Harry Murray, Jr. and Thelma Nutter

2005

Charlotte Cathell and Michael Martin

2006

Betty Jo Jones and Marvin Shelton

2007

Pat Murphy, Annabel Timms and L. Joseph Timms, Jr.

2008

Bradley A. Ford, Barbara M. Judy and Dr. Kelly R. Nelson

2009

Norma Duez, Richard Duez and William Klenk

2010

Marilyn Hess and Stan Kwiatkowski

2011

Paul Whiteman, Evelyn Whiteman and Stephen Musgrave

2012

Mary Ellen Depue, Shirlene Isabella and Harry Nehrig, Jr.

Youth Service Award: Savannah Blythe

2013

Lester J. Filicsky and Dr. Michael R. Hess

2014

LuAnne Bush

 

 

 

Read more about “A Trip Back in Time” this weekend on Connect-Bridgeport. 

 

Editor's Note: Pictured from top are attendees of tonight's Benedum Fellows Banquet, Timms, Aliff and Carr Parsons, followed by more photos of attendees and Aliff giving her remarks while Carr Parsons looks on (right)

 

See a gallery of photos by Tyler Maxwell of Ben Queen Photography HERE.