Associate Judge Ericka Sanders, in her keynote address to the Greater Centralia Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet Thursday night, commended the businesses and volunteers for the resurgence of the community she is proud to be from and raise her children.
Sanders says she is grateful for the hard work and grit of business owners for improving the aesthetics, expanding services, providing employment, and giving back to the community. She noted that, “If those with the least in the community suffer, we all suffer.” Sanders is also proud of the new businesses started by women and women of color.
Sanders then spotlighted two programs that are making a difference. She noted the work at the Centralia Youth Center in providing free after-school programs, helping kids to learn how to be kind, and providing them with role models.
“It means escaping a little while longer from the chaos they live in,” Sanders said. “This is necessary to heal children, but it also builds our future workforce.”
Sanders then turned her attention to All Hours of Love and Todd Gilespie, who want to help the homeless get back on their feet. She noted one man she had dealt with in court. Sanders says the system didn’t expect much from him, and he didn’t expect much for himself. But with Gilespie’s help, he became excited about a chance at rehabilitation, getting out of the system, and possibly becoming employable.
“The risks that you take as businesspeople, the perseverance, your never giving up, give that gentleman and many other people opportunities that they would never have,” Sanders said. “On behalf of that gentleman and the countless others who benefit from you, thank you.”
More than 200 were in attendance at the annual banquet held in the Lifelong Learning Center at Kaskaskia College.
Audience in attendance at the Chamber of Commerce banquet at Kaskaskia College. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
