On Saturday July 16, 2022, the Mighty Eta Nu Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., in coordination with the Eta Nu Education Foundation, held its fourth annual Benefit Gala and Fundraiser at the Parkland Golf and Country Club in Parkland, Florida. This year’s scholarship gala, sponsored by Global Wealth Management, had a primary purpose of raising funds to assist qualified high school graduates achieve their educational and professional goals. Eta Nu’s highly acclaimed mentoring program- Q-Unit and Gentlemen of Influence- saw one of its mentees, Dkyle McKinnis, receive a $1,000 scholarship courtesy of Debonair Enterprises owned by Eta Nu’s Johnny Williams. Dkyle plans to attend Broward College in the fall. Ari Christine Rozier, our Scholarship of the Year winner, received a $5,000 stipend sponsored by Global Wealth Management. Ari will attend North Carolina A & T University, fall 2022.
Although designed as a scholarship fundraiser, Eta Nu Educational Foundation chair, Harry Harrell, stated that our organization understood that a nobler cause other than fundraising was of vital importance in realizing our overall objective, thus the creation of The James L. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award. “We realized that we had a pioneer amongst us – Brother Jones – Eta Nu’s last surviving founder, former Blanche Ely High School principal and the ideal person to be honored and modeled,” stated Brother Harrell.
This auspicious award allows the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Eta Nu Chapter and its partners: Global Wealth Management, Holman Honda, Debonair Enterprises, KEITH and Tom Jenkins Bar-B-Q the opportunity to honor community leaders who have made lifetime contributions to the betterment, elevation and uplifting of our beloved Broward community. Fittingly, the initial recipient was the person for whom the award is named, Brother James L. Jones.
Previous honorees include Mr. Johnny Alexander, Dillard Community Activist, Track & Field Coach and Youth Mentor and Famed Football Coach/Educator George Smith of St. Thomas Aquinas High School.
This year’s Lifetime Award recipient is Mr. Lamar Fisher, former Pompano Beach mayor, and a fourth-generation resident of Broward County whose grandfather also served as mayor of Pompano Beach in 1943. During his tenure as mayor, Mr. Fisher championed the completion of the beach area redevelopment and Old Town, solidifying Pompano as a sought-after destination for its current residents and visiting tourists alike. In 2018, Mr. Fisher was elected to represent Broward County as commissioner for District 4 including all or parts of Ft. Lauderdale, Lighthouse Point, Hillsboro Beach, Oakland Park, Pompano Beach and others. And this past November 2021, his colleagues selected him as Vice-Mayor for the year. In addition to his public service career, Mr. Fisher serves as President & CEO of Fisher Auction Company Inc., a thriving Real Estate Brokerage Firm located in Pompano Beach, Florida celebrating its 52nd year in business. He also lends his talent as a professional Auctioneer to multiple charitable organizations raising thousands of dollars each year. Prior to his heartfelt acceptance remarks, Mr. Fisher was introduced by retired Pompano Fire Chief John Jurgle whose unprecedented minority hiring policies literally changed the department, transformational in terms of diversity and fairness.
Gala highlights included remarks by Eta Nu’s Antonio Burgess, candidate for District 5 School Board, and a live auction conducted by Commissioner Fisher in which several items were sold commiserate with his expertise. He was ably assisted by Brother Harrison Jones.
On behalf of the men of the Eta Nu Chapter of Omega Psi Phi and its partners under the astute, esteem leadership of Basileus Bruce Terry Brown, we congratulate you on the occasion of receiving the James L. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award and wish you and family Godspeed as you forge ahead toward making Broward a better place for all its citizens.
