FORMER WNGC/WGAU & WXAG RADIO NEWS ANCHOR INVITES ATHENS TO SAN FRANCISCO Community Leadership Reception & Fundraise honoring Jackie Wright will benefit charities. (San Francisco)-It’s the year of Jubilee for San Francisco community leader, Jackie Wright. Instead of having a self-focused party, Wright asked friends to help plan a party that will benefit the City she loves, that is, next to Athens. The 1984 University of Georgia graduate in both broadcast journalism and drama and former reporter for both WGAU/WNGC and WXAG radio stations, invites the Classic City to join the celebration. A Community Leadership Reception and Fundraiser will be held August 15, 6-8:30 p.m. at Lavash Restaurant, 4 Embarcadero Center, to raise fund for charities Wright has been involved with since her arrival in San Francisco June of 1990. Janice Edwards of KNTV, NBC 11 will be the emcee. Visit www.celebratejackiewright.com for details. “Jackie is opening the celebration to benefit the community,” said Belva Davis, a Bay Area news media icon. “It’s a chance for the friends-old and new, and associates to pause a moment and contribute to organizations they support. The fast pace of life often keeps us from taking the time to write that check. So as Jackie says ‘we’re pausing to party with a purpose.’” Davis went on to say that Wright characteristically finds ways to enhance people and expand projects. As president of the Golden Gate Chapter of American Women in Radio and Television, Wright increased the sponsorship and support level of the organization by setting a fund raising standard that was six times higher than the organizations previous support level. Additionally, she established the AWRT Belva Davis Diversity Scholarship, in recognition of the fact that Belva Davis was the first woman of color in the nation to join the organization. “Some of my best years were in Athens as I worked my way through the University of Georgia, I had the great honor to work with H. Randolph Holder, founder and owner of WGAU/WNGC, Clarke Broadcasting. I won my first two Associated Press awards for best documentary and series writing while working at the stations. When I worked for the stations, I always knew Mr. Holder was a great mountain of a man in physical stature and character, but living and working in San Francisco, I have grown to respect his spirit even more. I really miss the fact that he’s no longer in Athens, but of course his contributions continue to serve the Classic City. Mary L. Betts was the station manager of WGAU. She continues to be an inspiration. I followed her advice to join AWRT and within a year, I was president of the Golden Gate Chapter in San Francisco. Mr. Holder’s promotion of Ms. Betts as station manager in the 70’s shows how avant-garde his leadership was and for that I give him a ‘tip of the hat’.” “I can’t say enough about Athens. I met wonderful people while my daughter went to Athens Academy. The entire community embraced this single mother who was attending UGA raising her daughter Tiffanie Chiles and sister, Phyllis Wright. (Both Phyllis and Tiffanie grew up to complete college and are happily married and very successful business women.) The people of Bethel A.M.E. Church were so caring and giving. I made great friends at the old C&S Bank, my first workplace in Athens. Ed and Pat Wilker were another set of parents for Tiffanie especially when I went on out of town trips for the University of Georgia Television. UGA law professor Larry Blount was instrumental in helping me win a case that was helpful for my family. I don’t want to continue with names because we’d run out of space and time. The University of Georgia is not only my alma mater; the entire community of Athens was a nurturing experience for me.” The organizations benefiting from the fundraiser include: African American Shakespeare Company, Afro Solo Theatre Company, American Conservatory Theatre, American Red Cross, AWRT Belva Davis Diversity Scholarship, Booker T. Washington Community Center, Christian City Church San Francisco Axis Café, Enola D. Maxwell Education Fund, Kamala Harris for District Attorney Campaign, KALW 91.7FM, Leadership San Francisco, Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, Muscular Dystrophy Association, SFUSD Every Child Can Learn Foundation, Sophie Maxwell’s Re-election Campaign or Volunteer Center of San Francisco. Wright a broadcast journalist, who drove cross country in 1990 from Athens, Georgia without a job, landed her first position as a public affairs associate for the American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter during the one-year anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake. She worked her way through the organization ultimately becoming the Executive Officer for San Francisco County and along the way she did radio and TV interviews from places like Kill Devils Hill, North Carolina, Birmingham, Alabama and Salt Lake City, Utah after a tornado or hurricane blew through town. Over her decade of working for the Red Cross, Wright worked with many non-profits. “Jackie says the non-profit arena is also like an alma mater and having this fundraiser is paying tribute to the mom that helped her know herself and grow in ways she could never have imagined. The concept of community leadership was branded for her when she went through the year-long San Francisco Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership San Francisco Program in 1996,” said Bernice Brown, former Dean of City College. The fundraiser is not only for close friends and associates but for anyone who would like to support community, just send in a check to support the organizations. Community Service was a part of Wright’s work in Athens as she served in the Sunday School Department of Bethel A.M.E. Church and on the boards of St. Mary’s Hospital’s Hospice and the Historic Morton Theatre. Wright helped plan the inaugural E.V.E. awards sponsored by the Athens Banner Herald & Daily News and Clarke Broadcasting. The awards honored women in employment, volunteerism, and education. As Community Relations Director/ Radio Announcer, “Jae” at WXAG, Wright created the station’s first community Christmas party, “Having Fun Helping Each Other” sponsored with the Athens Police Department to benefit the Salvation Army and the Athens Emergency Food Bank. Wright also initiated the “WXAG Voter Registration Street Festival.” For any Athenians visiting San Francisco that week or that may take advantage of an internet weekend flight, Wright says you have an open invitation. The Crowne Plaza Hotel Union Square has provided a limited number of rooms for the Community Leadership Fundraiser guest at an incredible rate of $99.00 per night, when most rooms in San Francisco even in tough economic times are over $200 per night. Your presence at the event is preferred, but if not possible, you can send in a present; not to Wright of course. The goal is to generate funding for worthy organizations during these tough economic times. Individuals or companies can give in several ways which include 1) Giving at a sponsorship level by making a check payable to the Community Leadership Fundraiser with net proceeds going to the organization, or 2) checks can be made directly to one of the named charities. All checks should be mailed to Community Leadership Fundraiser c/o Freda Leeper, CalWorks Office, City College, 50 Phelan Avenue, B-609, San Francisco, CA 94112 by August 15th. For more information call 415 705-0557.   Call in advance to confirm, if you are bringing your contribution with you.

 

 Online giving is possible at www.celebratejackiewright.com. Also, on Tuesday, August 12, Wright will be a part of the Muscular Dystrophy Lock Up-Behind Bars for Good at the Sony Metreon. She asks that you put a few dollars aside to help bail her out in that fundraising effort. Call 415 673-7500 for more details about the event. The Community Leadership Fundraiser planning committee members include: Kelly Armstrong, Bernice Brown, Kelly Castagnaro, Belva Davis, Shirley Howard Johnson, Joan Kelley-Williams, Michelle Ortega, Marsha Pendergrass, Cheryl Ward, Marian Wilson Sylvestre. ###