BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”
Ricky Thompson, Esther B. Kelly, Rebecca Gloria Brown, Charlie J. Brown and Tedrick Brown were honored as being living examples of that Martin Luther King Jr. at the Concerned Citizens of Bradford County’s fifth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major Service Awards Banquet, which was held Jan. 15 at the Gov. Charley E. Johns Conference Center.
“Thank you to all of our recipients tonight for the community service that each of you provides thanklessly,” said Starke Mayor Janice Mortimer. “We at the Concerned Citizens wanted to take this opportunity tonight to let you know that your work is not in vain. We know and recognize and appreciate it.”
The Drum Major Service Awards derive their name from a sermon Martin Luther King gave at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church two months prior to his assassination. King spoke of the day when people would reflect upon his life and described how he’d want to be remembered, using the illustration of a drum major, who is recognized as the leader of a marching band.
“If you want to say I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice,” King said as part of his sermon. “Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness.”
Ricky Thompson
Mortimer was joined by Bradford County Supervisor of Elections Amanda Seyfang in presenting the awards. The night’s first recipient was Thompson, a 64-year-old Starke native who co-owns the Downtown Grill with his wife, Chrissy. He worked 40 years for the city of Starke, including serving two terms as cleark (2013-2020). He also held positions of operations manager, project director, power and gas coordinator, safety director, power broker and power plant mechanic.
“Ricky is also an accomplished musician, playing guitar, mandolin, dobro and most noted for the pedal steel guitar,” Mortimer said.
Mortimer described Thompson as civic-minded, noting that he participates with the Rotary Club of Starke, Relay for Life, the city’s recreation department, Boy Scouts of America and Starke Downtown Merchants as well as Concerned Citizens of Bradford County.
“His heart and soul are definitely in Bradford County and the city of Starke,” Mortimer said. “One quirky fact about Ricky is that Ricky was born in Starke and never left — no more than 5 miles has he traveled.”
Esther B. Kelly
Kelly worked at the Bradford County Clerk of the Court’s office, retiring as finance director and computer programmer. She’s served as pastor at Christ United Methodist Church, Mt. Moriah United Methodist Church and New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, where she’s currently associate pastor.
“Rev. Kelly’s mission is to be a servant of the Most High,” Mortimer said. “Her personal commitment is to continue to do all she can for the glory of God, to help encourage everyone — from the youngest to the oldest — to keep looking up and keep their faith in God, no matter what they’re going through.”
Mortimer also shared Kelly’s personal testimony, which she read in Kelly’s words: “As I battle cancer for the third time, I know that He’s keeping me here for a reason. As such, we all must remember the most important thing we do should be to please God and let His will be done and not ours.”
Kelly’s favorite scripture is Isaiah 40:31: “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
In accepting her award, Kelly challenged those in attendance to be selfless and strive to help others.
“That’s how God will bless you,” she said. “That’s how God will keep you. Selfishness will get you nowhere.”
Rebecca Gloria Brown
Mortimer shared Rebecca Gloria Brown’s approach to life, using Brown’s own words she submitted in writing to express her love for God and people and how her “purpose is my passion, so whatever my hands find to do, I do it with all my heart.”
Brown also wrote: “As I look at the great need for direction for our young adults and our next generation, I try living to be an example of good, helping and sowing love however possible.
Mortimer shared a quirky fact about Brown, saying that when she gets a short nap in, she’s good to go.
Brown took the opportunity to address the crowd, saying, “I just would like to say thank you very much for this recognition. I was surprised when it came my way. I live in the Speedville area, and I’m pretty content out there. When it was sent to me that I was being recognized, it was like, ‘For what?’
“My greatest desire is just to live what I’m about. Just to live it. I’ve come a long way. God is the answer. I’m with Pastor Esther there. God is the way. He is the answer. He’s brought me a long way, and I’m just so very grateful to God.
“I know if He’s brought me where he’s brought me to, He’ll do it for you.”
Charlie J. Brown
Charlie J. Brown was born and raised in Hampton. Mortimer described him as a “hard-working man” who served in the Army for three years and worked at DuPont for 36 years before his retirement.
He coached Lawtey’s club baseball team and has coordinated the team’s annual trips since 1975.
Brown, who’s a member of Mt. Zion AME Church in Lawtey, and his wife, Mary, have been married for 58 years. His goals are to see his grandchildren graduate from college and become productive citizens.
“Quirky fact about Charlie J. Brown: Charlie can tell you about the time and date of any incident in the past,” Mortimer said. “He can tell you the exact location and anyone who was there at the time. Oh, yes — he’s also a human GPS.”
Upon receiving his award, Brown said, “I was born and raised in Hampton. I’ve been a citizen of Lawtey for 57 years. When I came home from the Army, my wife, Mary, was in Lawtey, so that’s where I stopped.”
Tedrick Brown
Tedrick Brown is the brother of Charlie J. Brown. Therefore, he, too, was born and raised in Hampton. He was the nine of 10 children reared by Charlie and Elizabeth Brown.
Brown retired from the Bradford County School District in 2010 after working there for 34 years as a bus driver. He also worked as a custodian at North Florida Technical College when his bus duties were completed.
While driving a bus, Brown had opportunities to drive Bradford’s Special Olympics athletes to events in Tallahassee, Tampa and West Palm Beach.
“During that time, he got to meet some awesome students who were working hard to represent their school and county,” Mortimer said.
Brown has operated his own business — Brown’s Floor Care — for the last 20-plus years. Mortimer said Brown’s business motto is: “No job is too tough for us.”
Brown and his wife, Cynthia, have been married for 55 years. He serves as chairman of the deacon board at Macedonia Baptist Church. His favorite scripture is Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou annointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”
As with most of the other award recipients, Mortimer presented a quirky fact about Brown.
“Some of his former bus riders — and some of you may be in here tonight — joke about him on social media being the bus driver who would leave you the quickest if you were not at the bus on time,” Mortimer said.
After being presented with his award, Brown said, “I thank God for allowing me to be here tonight. I’m having some health issues now, but I still thank God for being here 74 years.”
