Spectacular Successful 14th Annual HANDS Community Leadership Awards Event

On Nov 14, 2013, HANDS of Orange, NJ held the 14th Annual Community Leadership Awards Event. This annual event kicks off HANDS year end fundraising campaign to assure families of modest means, mission oriented business owners and tenants can afford the rehabilitated housing and commercial spaces in a culturally and income diverse community.

Spectacular Events at a Remarkable Location

Hands Event Also Captured also here on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIj136Cvgx8

Well, it was another spectacular event presented by the HANDS team lead by the HANDS Chairperson Craig Sawyer. The event revolves around celebrating the accomplishments of the community leaders who make a real difference through their personal and community oriented commitments.

It is a wonderful event to attend and if you have never been there, the evening opens with all participants being able to walk, talk and view this newly renovated Firehouse. I found a great way to describe this unique environment as stated by one of its residents Mike Griot on NJ.com.  A former firehouse on Forest Street had been overhauled into a chic art gallery. Inside that same building was a series of apartments designed as artist lofts that, with exposed brick and glossy concrete floors, made you feel like you'd teleported into Brooklyn.

Well, being a New Yorker at heart, this is one of the best descriptions yet. You have to visit it to see and feel it, or as Mike Griot stated at this Hands event. “When folks get here, they get comfortable and you will see a great vibe develop and you will notice that no one wants to leave. They just want to stay late and enjoy the mood.

Live Music, Live Painting and Live Performances

Well the vibe this year was great as it was kicked off by the wonderful and mellow sounds of the really awesome Zoe Obadia Trio. Zoe is a senior at Glen Ridge High School and saxophonist with Jazz House Kids Big Band in Montclair. To her credit ZOE has performed at some really well known concerts in the Northeast (Pittsfield CityJazz Festival hosts Zoe Obadia) and has won outstanding awards in the 2011, 2013 Mingus Competition.  In addition to that, The Jazz House Kids are recognized as Winners of the Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 18th Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival Awards. This is also where   Zoe was recognized as an Outstanding Soloist for Alto Saxophone. If I sound impressed by Zoe, I was and if you like jazz you will love the way Zoe plays.

The evening’s event also featured two emerging artist Laura Campbell and Khari Ricks of ORNG Ink youth arts program, who literally created works of arts as the evening progressed. Its best described as interactive live painting by local artists and it was easy to see they were very talented. This was very evident as the following Saturday they held an event termed TAR Installation at the nearby ORNG Ink Studio.  

Then the Mistress of Ceremony, celebrated and widely renowned actress Suzanne Douglas, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, The Parent Hood, Tap, etc., initiated the formal part of the evening’s activities.  She acknowledged Craig Sawyer, HANDS Chairperson who welcomed everyone and introduced the board members and those who helped make the event the success it was to become this year.

Suzanne Douglas then introduced Actor, writer, producer Trent Armand Kendall who stared in Stephen Sondheim’s Broadway revival “Into the Woods.”.  In London he toured and starred in Smokey Joes café and the Color Purple and stared in a One Man Musical called Picture Incomplete.  Is always amazing to me to watch one person perform a solo song and literally transform a room to become his own magical space. Trent as you will see in attached video lifted his voice to a place where all sat rapt in attention as he belted out a song that was a true delight to all our ears.

Community Leadership Awards

Next up on the agenda was presentation of the Community Leadership Awards to the true stars of the evening. I have to say these folks should be honored a few times a year for the selfless and long lasted work they do on a daily basis.

HANDS Awards were presented as follows.  

• Sharon Bagley - NOT Orange, Inc - anti-violence organization challenges you to strive for excellence and contribute positively to the community.
• Kelley Freeman, Lea Moelk - Sierra House dedicated to rescuing the lives of at-risk youth and promote healthy lifestyles and emotional stability.
• Tracye Johnson - Director Health Family adventure, commitment to empowering volunteers and supporting healthy families.
• Mike Griot - South Orange Blues Festival, North Jersey International Blues Festival and his contribution to increasing access to great music.
• Lorraine Gibbon - Garden State Urban Farms, an inspiring model for the urban farm initiative that collaborates to provide employment opportunities and educational programming as well as low-cost, healthy food in urban areas throughout New Jersey.

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Time to Eat, Mingle, and Enjoy the Vibe

I should also mention that throughout the night, there was lots of wine and some really fantastic tasting food donated by what appeared to a number of local restaurants and bakeries. The food selection was plentiful and I have to say was awesome and I saw a number of people go back for seconds, ok I did too. Yes the food was great.

After the awards, there was more time for mingling, eating and pursuing the works of the various artist displayed upon the walls of the beautifully renovated Firehouse. Yes the vibe was there and folks enjoyed themselves tremendously. 

The event was without a doubt carried off very professionally and I can say that all enjoyed their time during the HANDS 14th Annual Community Leadership Awards Event at the Firehouse lofts. Enjoy the pictures, enjoy the videos and may next year’s HANDS event be even bigger and better.

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Housing and Neighborhood Development Services, Inc. is a nonprofit organization, founded in 1986 to ensure that the neighborhoods in and around Orange, NJ remain good places to raise a family. Protecting the stability and vitality of residential neighborhoods is essential to family and community life. Ensuring that is HANDS’ prime mission. The centerpiece of our strategy is to revitalize neighborhoods through the high-impact development of vacant, troubled properties. http://www.handsinc.org/