• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
The Leader

The Leader

Tipton County's Newspaper since 1886

  • Home
  • News
    • All
    • Business
    • Churches
    • Courts
    • Education
    • Election 2024
    • Events
    • Local Government
    • Local Politics
    • Military
    • Public Records
    • Public Safety
  • Sports
    • All
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Cross Country
    • Fishing
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Soccer
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Wrestling
  • E-Editions
  • Public Notices
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Contact Us
    • Submit News
    • Advertise With Us
  • Where to Buy

Two dozen women honored during Awesome Women luncheon

By Echo Day on March 31, 2017

For the past 30 years, March has been recognized as Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate the accomplishments that women in our society have made to their communities, to their country and to the world. 

Last Friday, 24 Tipton County women were honored during the inaugural Hattye T. Yarbrough Women’s Appreciation Luncheon sponsored by the Association for the Preservation of African-American History and Culture in Tipton County (APAAHC-TC).

The afternoon luncheon event was billed as the perfect opportunity to recognize and celebrate women who make a positive difference in Tipton County.

The 2017 honorees were Conneye Albright, Sheila Barlow, Rev. Sheila Bryant, Morgan Still Davanzo, Barrie Foster, Dr. Tracey Johnson, Youlanda Jones, Rev. J.B. Leverette, Rep. Deborah Moody, Nancy Peeler, Robin Sealy, Helen Tyus, Olean Anderson, Minnie L. Bommer, Dr. Keneko Claybon, Margaret Flemming, Debbie Gordan, M. Jean Johnson, Mayor Gwendolyn Kilpatrick, Adrienne McGarity, Sherri Onorati, Deborah Reed, Catina Stark and Hattye T. Yarbrough.

In additional to the honorees, more than 50 family and friends were in attendance at the afternoon event held at the Tipton County Museum, Veterans Memorial and Nature Center. Honorees and guests were treated to a lunch catered by Old Town Hall.

Each honoree was asked to give self-introductions and to provide three words, which they felt described themselves, of which many in the crowd whole heartedly agreed with.

 The event’s namesake, retired Tipton County school teacher and Black History historian, Hattye T. Yarbrough, was the guest speaker who made an impassioned speech, urging women to never doubt themselves and to never be afraid to make their own path in life.

Special recognition was given to Harriet Cannon for her work in the community and Mason Mayor Gwendolyn Kilpatrick was voted by her peers as the first, #1 AWESOME woman for 2017. Olean Anderson closed out the event giving special thanks and comments of appreciation to those who made the event happen.

Museum Volunteer Kathy Moeller attended and said she thrilled to have been at the event.

“It is very important that we recognize the contributions that women have made in our communities,” said the Atoka resident. “I found it to be very informative and awe-inspiring that we have such gifted women living here in Tipton County.”

The event, a fundraiser to raise money to build an African American Museum in Tipton County, was the idea of APAAHC-TC chairwoman and Covington Alderman Minnie Bommer and serves two purposes, she said.

“These women are considered AWESOME (Accomplished, Welcoming, Elegant, Splendid, Optimistic, Magnificent and Enthusiastic) because they make other people feel special, uplifted and needed without expecting anything in return,” said Bommer.  “Each in her own way has shown all these traits to people they come in contact with, most of them never realizing the positive impact they make each day, by simply being herself. None knew or expected the honor but each of them deserved it. What better way to recognize them and to raise money to build a museum, which will recognize the contributions and history of African Americans who made Tipton County a better place.”

Related Articles:

2021 FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Chargers want to settle things on the field this season January 21, 2021 Hughlett family persevered through some tough times to make their mark on history Artifacts from Hattye Yarbrough’s collection were on display when the Smithsonian’s new museum opened

Posted Under: Black History, Events, News Tags: Adrienne McGarity, Awesome women luncheon, Barrie Foster, black history, Catina Stark, Conneye Albright, Debbie Gordan, Deborah Reed, Dr. Keneko Claybon, Dr. Tracey Johnson, Hattye T. Yarbrough, Helen Tyus, M. Jean Johnson, Margaret Flemming, Mayor Gwendolyn Kilpatrick, Minnie L. Bommer, Morgan Still Davanzo, Nancy Peeler, Olean Anderson, Rep. Deborah Moody, Rev. J.B. Leverette, Rev. Sheila Bryant, Robin Sealy, Sheila Barlow, Sherri Onorati, Youlanda Jones

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search

Featured News

Former Covington, Munford basketball coach Tim Halford inducted into BCAT Hall of Fame

April 8, 2025 By Jeff Ireland

A man known in these … [Continue Reading...] about Former Covington, Munford basketball coach Tim Halford inducted into BCAT Hall of Fame

Brighton midfielder J Kiphut signs soccer scholarship with Dyersburg State

April 1, 2025 By Jeff Ireland

Brighton senior J … [Continue Reading...] about Brighton midfielder J Kiphut signs soccer scholarship with Dyersburg State

Brighton’s Pierce Meacham signs with Cumberland University

March 11, 2025 By Jeff Ireland

In this day and age, … [Continue Reading...] about Brighton’s Pierce Meacham signs with Cumberland University

Munford High School closed Thursday after teacher found deceased

March 6, 2025 By The Leader

Munford High School … [Continue Reading...] about Munford High School closed Thursday after teacher found deceased

Tags

auvic white black history braxton sharp brighton baseball brighton basketball brighton football brighton high school city of covington City of Munford coronavirus covid-19 covington Covington Baseball covington basketball Covington football covington high school Covington HS covington police covington police station Election 2020 events homicide J.R. Kirby Jalen Fayne Jamarion Dowell jeff huffman john edwards Jordan Bell JR Kirby Munford basketball munford football munford high school murder ronnie gorton sex crimes shooting Slade Calhoun tcso Tipton-Rosemark Academy Tipton County Museum tipton county schools tipton county sheriff's office town of atoka town of mason TRA basketball

Footer

The Leader is a weekly newspaper, published on Thursdays, serving Tipton County, Tenn. since 1886.

Contact us: news@covingtonleader.com

Editor’s Choice

Here’s how Home Depot and a team of volunteers helped make over CIAA

December 5, 2019 By Echo Day

Black History Month: Mason’s John W. Boyd went from slavery to the statehouse

February 7, 2020 By The Leader

Search

Copyright © 2025 · The Leader | Legacy Media · Log in