Saturday, August 25, 2018, People Staff Incorporated hosted its 2nd Annual All White Affair. The event was held at the Chattanooga Convention Center and celebrated small businesses serving the community. Pro Logo Depot was the Platinum sponsor for the event. Gold sponsors included ChattanoogaBlackPages.com, Dorothy L. Grisham Allstate Agency, Roots Hair and Beauty, Prestige Cars (Greg Toney),WNOO Radio, Taylor Funeral Home of Chattanooga, Key Bonding Company, Mike Jones, Franklin Funeral Home, Gerald Jordan, Herman’s Soul Food and Catering, MRM Wireless, Sports Profiles USA and Uncle Larry’s Restaurant..
Reed Markham once said, “Successful leaders see the opportunities in every difficulty – rather than the difficulty in every opportunity”. Denzel Washington once said, “At the end of the day it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished – it’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.”
The first recipient for the Senior Excellence Award for community service.
Pictured left to right. Casey Clear Webb (VP Station Manager, WNOO Radio), Lee Armstrong Clear (President and CEO WNOO Radio) winner of the 2018 Community Service and Senior Leadership Excellence Award and Gary McClendon (President/CEO, People Staff, Inc.)
Born from a need to give the minority community a voice in 1951 WMFS radio in Chattanooga, TN was established. Not everyone in Chattanooga could tune in to the radio station, but those who did were rewarded with the music they liked and the programming was dedicated to information that was of interest to them. The radio was on from sun up to sun down and reached those within a 15 to 25 mile radius. In 1958 the power for the station increased and it took on a new name "WNOO".
Fast forward to 2006 and a man who grew–up in Memphis, listened to and worked for a radio station where the primary focus was not only to provide a voice, but to give back to the community. This radio station hosted a yearly major events where the proceeds were used primarily to sponsor youth league teams and community events. This man’s vast experience managing radio stations in several cities, including New Orleans, Jacksonville, Florida; Chicago, IL; New York City; and 7 radio stations in St Louis, made a decision to purchase WNOO in Chattanooga. His background, views, and commitment to community is evident by the works at WNOO. The programming is reflective of the community; it focuses on minorities and the secular music is 50% gospel and 50% old school, R&B and blues – targeting a more mature audience.
Within in the last few years the radio station has expanded to include an FM station. And the programming includes “The Steve Harvey Show" and “The Keith Sweat Show" as well as the best in Gospel music. The signal is stronger clearer and serves a much larger audience. At 1260 AM and 107.3 FM. Lee Armstrong Clear, the President and CEO of WNOO is all about community and family. The number of employees at the station is small, but effective. They treat each other like family and the community they serve. In an era where community radio is competing with internet and satellite radio – getting adequate advertising dollars to maintain a station can be challenging; however, Mr. Clear continues to find ways to give free air time 5 days a week for those who otherwise may not be heard.
The second recipient for the Senior Excellence Award for community service.
Pictured left to right. Brother John R. Taylor, Sr. (Taylor Funeral Home Chattanooga and Pastor of East Third Street Church of Christ) winner of the 2018 Community Service and Senior Leadership Excellence Award and Gary McClendon (President/CEO, People Staff, Inc.).
Brother John R. Taylor, Sr. was born the son of a preacher man and was greatly influenced by his Father and Mother. When he was a child he witnessed his Father and family joyously giving to others. Back then ministers took on a more personal role. There weren’t as many services available for people; so if someone needed to go to the doctor, needed counseling, or financial assistance they went to the church – and in most instances that meant the Pastor stepped up and provided these services.
John Taylor has always given back to the community and other, some of his most significant contributions go back as far as college. He and a friend owned a restaurant and at the end of the month when students had very little or no money, they gave away free meals. They also owned a taxi service and during school breaks when students needed to get to the airport – they turned their taxi service into a shuttle service making it more affordable for students (and free for some) to get to an airport 60 miles away.
When John graduated from college. He wasn’t notified that he had been accepted into embalming school until the day before classes started. He didn’t have a place to stay and very little money, but stepping out on faith off to school he went. A local funeral home took him in and another young man and gave them free room and board in exchange for them working in the funeral home. When the owner passed away, he left the funeral home to John and his friend.
Later John moved back to Chattanooga and he and his family established Taylor Funeral Home where he continued serving families in their time of need. John took his level of serving to new heights when he ran for City Councilman. As a City Councilman he fought hard to help push through a grant that started the development of senior homes in Alton Park. In addition, to the grant he and others like him were able to make sure that people working on the development were reflective of the people in the community. As a result there was more than 93% minority participation.
After apartheid, John volunteered to go to South Africa and teach embalming. With the vast majority of the country being Black Africans, they were not allowed to become embalmers or funeral directors. There wasn’t funding for John to go to South Africa, but he felt compelled to go and he paid all of his expenses. John and those with him crammed 2 years of training into the one week. The last day of training, the class received a body and the students embalmed it.
Today, John goes back once a year to provide guidance and his services and now not only do Black Africans work in funeral homes, but they own them. John’s giving doesn’t end here. He continues to stay involved in the community. He is on several committees and boards. He is the pastor of East Third Street Church of Christ, works in the family business where he continues to provide comfort to those who have lost a loved one, has his own radio program and he does it all joyfully.