Present Pillars in Benton Harbor has honored several men who have helped make the community a better place in the past year with its fourth annual Pillar Awards Gala, held on Saturday at the Four Winds Casino.
Present Pillars seeks to support fathers in the community, and communications coordinator Nick Gunn tells us the annual celebration featured food, music, dancing, a review of the past year, and the awards.
“It was an amazing event,” Gunn said. “There was well over 200 people that attended the event. It was packed.”
Gunn says the Pillar of the Year Award went to Charlie Patterson, who works at the Berrien County Health Department as a case manager for teen parents.
“He’s an amazing person. He’s been in a community for a long time. He’s a mentor to many and he truly just supports many fathers in this community with even the work that he does where he’s currently employed.”
Patterson says he just enjoys being a servant, and something he likes to tell young dads he’s working with is, “Dollars Don’t Make Dads.”
Present Pillars also gave its Legendary Pillar Awards to the Reverend Leamon Terrell, Donald Pearson, and Glenn Yarbrough. Trevin Alexander received a Mentor award, Sergeant Reginald Gee of the Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety was given the Community Impact Award, and the Sports Dad of the Year is John Sams.
Gunn says Present Pillars Director James Gunter also gave an address at the awards, announcing that the organization has found a new building. Present Pillars will release details later this week.
