DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Cecile Cooper newspaper clippings, 1964-1998 | 1978-01-29 Article: ""Hobby Brings Honor""

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Cecile Cooper newspaper clippings, 1964-1998

1978-01-29 Article: ""Hobby Brings Honor""

QUAD CITY TIMES Sunday, Jan . 29 , 1978 
Quad-Cities, Iowa and Illinois 3A

Hobby Brings Honor 

Volunteer Worker Receives Diana Award

By Shirley Davis
Woman's editor 

It would be impossible to count the volunteer hours Cecile Cooper of Davenport has put in since she was first honored by the major of Chicago for her work at servicemen's centers there in the early 1940s.
   In recognition of her more than 30 years of volunteer work, the Epsilon Sigma Alpha International Sorority honored Mrs. Coopers Saturday night with the Diana Award given to a Quad-Citian who distinguishes herself as a volunteer in her community, 
   The annual award was presented to Mrs. Cooper at a dance at the Moline American Legion, and she will receive the proceeds from the dance to contribute to her favorite charity.
OTHER NOMINEES 
were Dorothy Barchman and and Juanita Scriven, both of Davenport, and Jean McCarthy and Rosemary Motto both of Bettendorf. The judges - a panel of Quad-City business and professional people - recommended all five women be given special recognition for their "fantastic number of volunteer hours. Their contribution to the community is almost unbelievable" a spokesman for the judges said. 
(caption) Cecile Cooper(end caption) 
   Mrs Cooper, 77, is currently on a number of committees, but her past volunteer work played an important part in her selection, the judges said. 
   From the 1950s, when she opened the doors of her home because the National Assn, for the Advancement of Colored People had no meeting place, until last fall when she held a rummage sale in her back yard ass a benefit for Bethel AME Church, Mrs Cooper has given of herself to the community. 
   And she's carried on all her volunteer work without a car, counting on the friendship of associates for transportation.
AS A BEAUTICIAN
Mrs Cooper did hairdos for residents of nursing homes and orphanages. As a " Dial-A-Listener" volunteer, she had a phone installed in her home so that she could encourage people around the country who were in trouble of distress. 
  In 1960 she traveled at considerable risk, with other volunteers to take food and clothing to the Delta region of Mississippi.
  Mrs. Cooper has promoted the Ebony Fashion Fair in the Quad-Cities for several years as a benefit for the Negro Heritage Society, and she was style show consultant for a program at the Moline Health Center. 
  She is on the board of the Iowa and Quad-Cities human rights councils,the Plus60 Club and Lend-a-Hand and is or has been a member of the League of Women Voters, catholic Interracial Council, United Nations Assn of Iowa, Women In Community Service, Red Cross and many non denominational church-related organizations. 
   Mrs. Cooper helped establish the Human Relations Commission and works for fair housing with the mayor's Citizens Advisory Council. 
   The Knights of Columbus honored Mrs. Cooper for her personal leadership in the advancement of brotherhood. 
   She once traveled to San Diego with a group of 60 Iowans in a program to educate people about the Navy, making the trip with her arm taped to her side the result of a fall. I didn't want to miss the trip" the volunteer said laughing.

AS A MEMBER of Bethel AME Church for 30 years, Mrs. Cooper has participated in every phase of its growth. She has organized fund-raising projects for everything from carpets and hymnals to choir robes and drinking fountains. 
   When someone asked why she didn't request that the fountain be donated, friends remember Mrs. Cooper saying " I don't ask fro anything outright begging is wrong." She set up a rummage sale in her back yard to pay for the fountain. 
    She's involved in the Outreach program and has a desk at Lend-a-Hand a club that one refused membership to blacks. A past president of Lend-a-Hand, Mrs. Cooper refers people to the proper agencies, councils them, makes phone calls to shut-ins, visits persons who cannot leave home and follows through to see that their needs are met .
   It;s no surprise that on the Diana questionnaire Mrs. Cooper listed as her hobby " Taking care of people"

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QUAD CITY TIMES Sunday, Jan . 29 , 1978 Quad-Cities, Iowa and Illinois 3A Hobby Brings Honor Volunteer Worker Receives Diana Award By Shirley Davis Woman's editor It would be impossible to count the volunteer hours Cecile Cooper of Davenport has put in since she was first honored by the major of Chicago for her work at servicemen's centers there in the early 1940s. In recognition of her more than 30 years of volunteer work, the Epsilon Sigma Alpha International Sorority honored Mrs. Coopers Saturday night with the Diana Award given to a Quad-Citian who distinguishes herself as a volunteer in her community, The annual award was presented to Mrs. Cooper at a dance at the Moline American Legion, and she will receive the proceeds from the dance to contribute to her favorite charity. OTHER NOMINEES were Dorothy Barchman and and Juanita Scriven, both of Davenport, and Jean McCarthy and Rosemary Motto both of Bettendorf. The judges - a panel of Quad-City business and professional people - recommended all five women be given special recognition for their "fantastic number of volunteer hours. Their contribution to the community is almost unbelievable" a spokesman for the judges said. (caption) Cecile Cooper(end caption) Mrs Cooper, 77, is currently on a number of committees, but her past volunteer work played an important part in her selection, the judges said. From the 1950s, when she opened the doors of her home because the National Assn, for the Advancement of Colored People had no meeting place, until last fall when she held a rummage sale in her back yard ass a benefit for Bethel AME Church, Mrs Cooper has given of herself to the community. And she's carried on all her volunteer work without a car, counting on the friendship of associates for transportation. AS A BEAUTICIAN Mrs Cooper did hairdos for residents of nursing homes and orphanages. As a " Dial-A-Listener" volunteer, she had a phone installed in her home so that she could encourage people around the country who were in trouble of distress. In 1960 she traveled at considerable risk, with other volunteers to take food and clothing to the Delta region of Mississippi. Mrs. Cooper has promoted the Ebony Fashion Fair in the Quad-Cities for several years as a benefit for the Negro Heritage Society, and she was style show consultant for a program at the Moline Health Center. She is on the board of the Iowa and Quad-Cities human rights councils,the Plus60 Club and Lend-a-Hand and is or has been a member of the League of Women Voters, catholic Interracial Council, United Nations Assn of Iowa, Women In Community Service, Red Cross and many non denominational church-related organizations. Mrs. Cooper helped establish the Human Relations Commission and works for fair housing with the mayor's Citizens Advisory Council. The Knights of Columbus honored Mrs. Cooper for her personal leadership in the advancement of brotherhood. She once traveled to San Diego with a group of 60 Iowans in a program to educate people about the Navy, making the trip with her arm taped to her side the result of a fall. I didn't want to miss the trip" the volunteer said laughing. AS A MEMBER of Bethel AME Church for 30 years, Mrs. Cooper has participated in every phase of its growth. She has organized fund-raising projects for everything from carpets and hymnals to choir robes and drinking fountains. When someone asked why she didn't request that the fountain be donated, friends remember Mrs. Cooper saying " I don't ask fro anything outright begging is wrong." She set up a rummage sale in her back yard to pay for the fountain. She's involved in the Outreach program and has a desk at Lend-a-Hand a club that one refused membership to blacks. A past president of Lend-a-Hand, Mrs. Cooper refers people to the proper agencies, councils them, makes phone calls to shut-ins, visits persons who cannot leave home and follows through to see that their needs are met . It;s no surprise that on the Diana questionnaire Mrs. Cooper listed as her hobby " Taking care of people"