The St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, Inc. will host the Spirit of Hayti Award Gala & Silent Auction themed “COMING HOME”, on Thursday evening February 11, 2010 at the Hayti Heritage Center. The black tie event will begin at 6:00 pm with a wine reception and the awards program starts at 7pm in the historic St. Joseph’s Performance Hall. The Hayti Heritage Center will be transformed for the fundraising event with entertainment on all levels, valet parking, featuring food stations sponsored by 15 of the best restaurants in the Triangle community. Entertainment will be provided by jazz vocalist Lenora Z. Helm, musician Bob Tapp, and harpist Winifred Starks Garrett will perform selected spiritual hymns during the awards ceremony. The event tickets are $75 per person (a portion is tax deductible) are on sale now.
The event was established in 1999 to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the arts and historic preservation, as well as those individuals and organizations that portray excellence in leadership and community service. The honorees have demonstrated a commitment to sharing and creating opportunities for others within their own communities and throughout the country. The Spirit of Hayti Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Foundation.
Honorees for 2010 are Trail Blazer Award, Mr. Ernie Barnes (posthumously); Hayti Legacy Keeper for Corporate Philanthropy, North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company; Hayti Legacy in Arts & Education, Ms Nancy Pinckney, Choreographer and Professor, North Carolina Central University; Hayti Progressive Leadership Award, Mr. Trevor Schoonmaker, Curator of Contemporary Art at Nasher Museum of Art; and Special Recognition Awards to the late Mr. Chester L. Jenkins and late Mr. James (Uncle Bubba) Fields (posthumously).
In honor of the event the Lyda Moore Merrick Gallery will host a special curated exhibition of the works of Mr. Ernie Barnes, originals and prints, which will open on February 11 and run through March 30; and works by C’Omega Barnes, the sister-in-law of Mr. Barnes in the upper gallery. For a limited time prints will be available for purchase of Mr. Barnes work with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation.
A silent auction will be held on the evening of the gala and will feature works from artists across the county including a piece donated by the late Mr. Ernie Barnes.
The Spirit of Hayti Awards Ceremony & Gala is the Foundation’s largest annual fundraising event. It was established to honor individuals and organizations with strong roots in the Durham community that have made significant contributions to the arts, historic preservation, education, and exemplify outstanding leadership qualities. Some of our past award recipients have included: the late Dr. John Hope Franklin, Honorable H. M. Michaux, Pastor Shirley Caesar, Benjamin Ruffin, GlaxoSmithKline, Wendell Tabb, Dr. Linda Kerr Norflett, Anheuser Busch/ Harris Incorporated, WTVD-ABC11, Dr. Charles D. Watts, M & F Bank, as well as Dr. Charles “Chuck” Davis.
For tickets call (919) 683-1709 ext. 28. If you are interested in sponsorship or donating an item for the silent auction contact Janella Sellars, Development Director at jsellars@hayti.org.
