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on February 15, 2017 at 12:05 PM, updated February 15, 2017 at 12:50 PM
SPRINGFIELD – Stone Soul Inc. will present its Legacy Awards on Feb. 25 to four residents that gone above and beyond in their service to the community.
The ceremony will take place at Symphony Hall.
“Legacy awards are for folks in the community who have provided outstanding service at the community level,” said Jay Griffin, program chairman at Stone Soul, Inc.,. “What we want with the legacy programs is to help offset the negatives that we hear when people say, “we’re a sanctuary city” or that Springfield is high on crime and unemployment.”
This year’s recipients include Jessica Henderson, Springfield’s first African-American police lieutenant, alongside WEIB 106.3 FM’s Carol Cutting, WTCC 90.7 FM’s Kenneth Barnett and Robert Jackson, owner and operator of Jackson Security, CEO of Jackson Transportation, a city police commissioner, board member of Springfield Partners Community Action, and co-founder of Harambe and Stone Soul festivals.
“Springfield definitely has a rebound, and we want to highlight these things,” he said, adding that the awards ceremony would be followed by a performance by A Temptations Revue featuring Barrington Henderson at 7:30 p.m.
Griffin said the organization’s first two Legacy Awards will be presented on February 18 at Symphony Hall to a pair of local officials who have gone above and beyond in providing service to the local community.
“At this year’s first ceremony, retired sheriff Michael Ashe will be honored,” said Griffin. “We chose him because he has always been accessible, he’s always trying to provide social services and, he’s always tried to help those who were in his facility.”
Griffin added that in support of Black History Month, Retired District Court Judge George Sheehy will also be honored.
“We do the Legacy Awards in support of Black History for the month of February. Judge Sheehy is the first black judge in Western Massachusetts and we thought it was an outstanding achievement,” he said.
The 2017 Stone Soul Legacy Awards will take place at Springfield Symphony Hall’s Mahogany Room on Saturday, Feb. 18 and Saturday, Feb. 25 at 5:30 p.m.
A Temptations Revue Featuring featuring Barrington Henderson will take place at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range between $24 and $37 and are available by calling the Symphony Hall Box office at (413)788-7033 or visiting www.citystage.symphonyhall.com.