On the afternoon of Feb. 27, the Political Action Committee of the local NAACP organized a visit to Congressman Ted Budd’s office in Advance.

Branches from Davidson, Iredell, and parts of Rowan and area coalitions including Guilford County joined to turn in letters to Todd Poole, Budd’s district director.

About 40 people assembled to ask for a town hall meeting to present letters and to talk about concerns ranging from The Affordable Care Act, immigration, protection of voting rights and a call for living wages.

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A Leadership Strategic Planning Workshop conducted by Cassandra Miller, daughter of Hilda Cain Miller Smith, of CnMe Group, replaced the regular monthly meeting on the Feb. 27. In addition to presentations, residents participated in breakout sessions and group discussions focusing on behavior, cultural and leadership mindsets.

At the annual Membership Tea on Friday, March 3, the education committee recognized the legacy of the late Cliff Cockerham and Eloise Cockerham’s impact on religion, community service and entrepreneurship in Davie County through their offspring.

Pastor Charlene Cockerham Jones, the first Davie African American female pastor to construct a church, shared the early years of her father’s determination to build a better life for his family by starting his own construction business. He forged a way for his children and grandchildren to follow by learning a skill and passing along positive work ethics.

The Cockerham clan has continued this common sense approach to work and community involvement.  There are ministers, barbers, educators, musicians, and workers in construction, manufacturing and banking to name some of the professions.

William Cockerham Jr., co-owner of W.C. Construction, was in attendance.  His Deese Clock Tower on the campus of N.C. A&T State University won the 2016 Pinnacle Award for best building project for North and South Carolina.

The membership committee is in charge of the annual tea where churches decorate tables representing colors of the rainbow.  In addition to providing the music, Cedar Grove Baptist Church was awarded the rotating plague for recruiting the most NAACP memberships this year.