Epsilon Rho Chapter of the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. will host its annual Teach-A-Rama Awards Luncheon on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Webster Junior High School.
Dr. Tiffany Williams Bates, an assistant Professor at Louisiana Tech University in the Psychology and Behavioral Science Department is the keynote speaker.
Mary Helen Thornton Terrell of Minden will receive a special tribute, the chapter’s 2017 Citation Award, at the Teach-A-Rama for her community service.
Terrell, better known as “Miss Helen” was born in Athens on May 12, 1937. She is the fourth child and oldest daughter of Wiley and Daisy Hampton Thornton. She later moved to Minden with her parents where they reared their eleven children.
She is a graduate of the class of ‘57 from Webster High School. She has seven children, 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Miss Helen loves to sing and cook. She is the matriarch of her immediate and extended family and her home is always filled with family and friends especially on Sundays and holidays.
For Miss Helen, faith in God has been a major part of her life from an early age. She became an active and faithful member of a church founded by her grandmother, Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Athens.
After moving to Minden, she has been a member of St. Rest Baptist church where she continues to worship and serve exercising her heavenly gifts singing in the senior choir.
She extends her sisterly love, additionally, by working in the church’s fellowship hall’s kitchen where she served as its chairperson. She sees her calling as feeding “the least of these” which provides physical nourishment to balance the spiritual nourishment provided by the church. Miss Helen opened her Soul Food Take-Out Restaurant, located at 104 Plymouth Street in Minden, 16 years ago. She always sends food to those who are sick or just hungry. She also caters functions for family and class reunions; for baby showers; and for church and wedding anniversaries.
Miss Helen has organized a National Night Out event annually for over 20 years. It is a fun time for young and old from all sections of Minden to enjoy fellowship, activities, and especially food, that is always in abundance. At these events, she provides children with school supplies, coats and backpacks.
Miss Helen’s favorite hymns, “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow” and “Down through the Years” keep her motivated in her work for the Lord.
Her motto is: If I can help someone along the way, then My Living will not be in Vain.
For additional information about the Teach-A-Rama, call (318) 840-3873 or (318)268-4397 or (318)377-4397.
The luncheon is open to the public.