The Princeton Committee of the United Negro College Fund Inc. (UNCF) will host its fourth fund-raising event, "A Serenade in Blue," on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 12:30 to 4 p.m. at the Tournament Players Club of Jasna Polana in Princeton.
Proceeds from the event will be used to fund scholarships for students of the local area as well as to support of the UNCF’s national campaign. In January, during Lou Rawl’s telethon, "An Evening of Stars," a check will be presented to the UNCF on behalf of the Princeton Committee.
The program’s keynote speaker will be Cory A. Booker, former Newark councilman and 2006 mayoral candidate.
In 1997 Mr. Booker rose to prominence by upsetting a four-term incumbent to become Newark’s Central Ward councilman. He was recognized for his contributions by TIME magazine and was named by Esquire magazine as one of the country’s "40 Best and Brightest" in its December 2002 issue. Mr. Booker is a partner in the law firm of Booker, Rabinowitz, Trenk, Lubetkin, Tully, DiPasquale & Webster, and serves as president of Newark Now, a grassroots nonprofit organization.
Also speaking at the event will be Melissa Altheia Mapp, a 2004 graduate of UNCF member-school Spelman College in Atlanta, Ga. Ms. Mapp graduated cum laude with a major in economics. A graduate of Hopewell Valley Central High School in Pennington, Ms. Mapp is a pharmaceutical sales representative for Pfizer Inc. and resides in Charlotte, N.C.
The event will featrure a number of outstanding performers.
Classical pianist Theodore Hendricks-Verdejo, a native of Trenton, has performed throughout the United States, the Caribbean and Japan. Most recently he performed Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto at the Conservatorio de Musica in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Bassist Earl May and his ensemble will provide background music throughout the afternoon. Mr. May has had an illustrious career since 1949 playing with such notables as Billy Taylor, Gloria Lynne, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones and numerous other musicians.
Grace Little, a familiar name in central and southern New Jersey, will sing the blues as she brings "A Serenade in Blue" full circle. Beginning her career with Rodney Blackstone and his four-piece band Fantasy, the two went on to become popular duo, with Rod on the keyboard and Grace singing, for close to 20 years. Ms. Little has a new release on Philadelphia International Records entitled "Amazin Grace."
Artwork will be on display and available for purchase.
The Princeton Committee of UNCF is an all-volunteer committee of local-area residents working on behalf of the United Negro College Fund to raise awareness and provide much-needed funding for the more than 65,000 students and 38 historically black member colleges and universities.
The Princeton Committee thanks the Provident Bank Foundation and Bristol-Myers Squibb, the major sponsors of this event, for their support.
For more information and for tickets to "A Serenade in Blue," call (973) 642-1955.
