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A Marine and a
retired Army
sergeant. One of
the first students of the
Head Start program. A
grandmother and a great-
grandmother.
Nine ladies answered
the call to serve their
community when they
were inducted into the Prince George’s County
Chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. on
August 22, 2015 in Clinton, MD. Before TLOD
founder Lady Ozell M. Dean and National Area II
Director Lady Helena L. Dodson, the “Divine 9” pledged to support the TLOD
mission and were happily welcomed by other Top
Ladies.
The induction of the Divine 9 was followed that
night by the TLOD Prince George’s County
Chapter’s signature event, the 6th Annual
Empowerment in P.I.N.K. (Purposeful-Involvement-
Necessary-Keeping Community Service First!), held
at Martin’s Camelot in Upper Marlboro, MD. The
fundraiser, which has raised over $23,000 for the
chapter over the years, affords the opportunity for
Divine ...
TOP LADIES OF DISTINCTION, INC.
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY CHAPTER “On the Road to Make a Difference”
Fall 2015 Issue
Greetings Top Ladies, Family and
Friends!
The Prince George’s County Chapter is
“On the Road to Make a Difference with
Enthusiasm, Energy and Excitement!” this
program year. We have a lot to be thankful for as we enter into the holiday season
spending time with family and friends. 1
Peter 4:10 states, “As each has received a
gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied
grace.” We all have gifts and talents and I’m grateful that our Top
Ladies and Top Teens use their gifts and talents to serve Prince
George’s County! However, there is more work to be done, so if
you’re interested in joining Top Ladies, please join us on Saturday, January 30, 2016 at the South Bowie Library at 11:00am to learn
more about Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.
We had a great time at our 1st Parliamen-Top with the new
Investing Team Administration under the leadership of our new
National President, Lady Drema Lee Woldman. It was held on
October 1-4, 2015 in St. Louis, MO. Lady Drema laid out her
vision for the next two years along with streamlining the program resource guide for the major thrusts and programs. She highlighted
a few of our new national partnerships with St. Jude Hospital and
the Balm in Gilead organizations. She emphasized the need to
develop comprehensive programs that focus on servicing the needs
of the community. Her new national theme is “Investing in
V.A.L.U.E.S that Support, Enhance and Sustain.” In observance of
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we had a “Celebration of Life”
luncheon that celebrated the Top Ladies who are survivors of the disease that disproportionately kills African American women.
I believe the African proverb “It Takes a Village to Raise a
Child” as our Top Teens are extraordinary and have displayed
their gifts and talents as singers, painters, poets, writers and
leaders, but that is just the tip of the iceberg as they reach their full
potential. At Parliamen-Top, the TTA Executive Board participated
in the Literacy Café and what a wonderful time we had with the performances via dance, song, spoken word and readings. Our Top
Teens are truly gifted and talented! Likewise, the Prince George’s
County Chapter TTA was rewarded and recognized by the March
of Dimes organization for their donation of $3,517.65!
As we enter the holiday season, I’m excited about what the
Lord has done and what He continues to do. We would love to
see you at our 4th Annual MLK Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, January 16, 2016 at Martin’s Camelot. For additional information,
please visit our website at www.tlodpgcc.org. What a privilege and
an honor to serve the Prince George’s County community
alongside the other Area ll chapters under the dynamic leadership
of our National Area ll Director, Lady Helena Dodson. Please
enjoy the newsletter as you discover the projects, programs and
activities the chapter is executing under the Investing Team. Pay
special attention to the TTA Spotlight! The Prince George’s County Chapter is “On the Road to Make a Difference” with
Enthusiasm, Energy and Excitement!
My pleasure to serve, Lady Hope Ruffin
Lady Hope Ruffin, President
Prince George’s County Chapter
President’s Corner
THE
SAPPHIRE TM
Meet the Divine 9.
Page 4
… and Empowered
Continued on page 5
S A P P H I R E T H E 2
Armed with trash bags and litter
picker tools, the Prince George’s
County Top Teens and Top Ladies
marched down Oxon Hill Road in
Oxon Hill, MD picking up debris as
part of TLOD’s “Keep America
Beautiful” program on September 26,
2015.
Approximately 20 Top Teens and
Top Ladies scoured the chapter’s
adopted road, which stretches between
Dallas Drive and Livingston Road,
collecting bottles, papers and other
litter. The Adopt-A-Road cleanup is a
quarterly event for the Prince George’s
County Chapter of TLOD, Inc.
TOP TEENS OF AMERICA
Gorgeous Prince George’s
Where Are They Now: Bria Williams Congratulations to Bria Williams
for graduating from Marymount
Manhattan College! Bria is a charter
member of the Prince George's
County Chapter of Top Teens of
America and served as its first March
of Dimes chair. She’s currently in
Germany performing in the musical
After Midnight on the Norwegian
Escape cruise ship.
The November 8, 2015 meeting for
the Prince George’s County Top Teens
was awash in shades of purple as the
Teens and the Top Ladies donned the
color of royalty in recognition of March
of Dimes Prematurity Awareness
Month. Premature birth is the No. 1
killer of babies in the United States,
according to the March of Dimes.
The Top Teens’ “Purple Out” event
is just one of the ways the Teens
support the March of Dimes. They also
are regular fundraisers for the March
for Babies – this year they raised more
than $3,000 for the event and over
$12,000 in the past six years. In
October, the March of Dimes
presented the Top Teens with a plaque
in recognition of all their help.
TTA Spotlight Teen Stedman Cook
accepted a $24,500 track and
field scholarship in November
from the University of
Connecticut. He was also
inducted into the National
Honor Society at Archbishop
Carroll High School.
Teen Zoe Hayes and Teen
Marley Smith served as
award presenters at the Edith
P. Wright Foundation, Inc.'s
Breast Cancer Awareness
Month kickoff concert at the
Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper
Club in October.
Purple Reigns
Photos by Jake Prater Photography
Teen Stedman Cook with parents Lady Kim Cook and
Lord Dean Cook
Former Teen Jasmyne Smith, Teen Marley Smith, former
Teen Jasmine Hayes and Teen Zoe Hayes
S A P P H I R E T H E 3
London’s Bridge Is Rising Up London Nickols could not fly to
Disney World with her family this
summer because she has sickle cell
disease. She told her aunt, Frances
Dolby, that for her 8th birthday she
wanted a sickle cell walk to raise money
to find a cure. In a fortunate turn of
events, The Prince George’s County
Chapter of TLOD was participating in
the 9th Annual Stomp OutSickleCell
(SOS) on the National Mall on
September 12, 2015, and it was there
that London’s aunt met Lady Roslynn
Garvin, the Sickle Cell Disease
Awareness Chair for the chapter. Lady
Roslynn and the chapter immediately
agreed to help London, and on October
17, 2015, the 1st Annual London’s Bridge
Walk was held at Walker Mill Park in
District Heights, MD. Several Top Ladies
and a Top Teen walked for the cause, as
well as distributed water and bananas
that the chapter donated to the walk.
The opportunity to help London
could not have come had nearly 20 Top
Ladies and Top Teens once again not
answered the call to raise funds for the
Howard University Center for Sickle
Cell Disease and Faces of Our Children
through the SOS Walk. TLOD also
worked behind the scenes to help line up
sponsors for the event. In all, the Prince
George’s County Chapter raised $1,980
for Sickle Cell Disease Awareness during
the month of September. This year,
though, participating in the SOS Walk
held an added bonus for the Top Ladies
and Top Teens: the opportunity to help
a little girl with sickle cell disease fulfill
her dream to raise funds to find a cure.
Healthy Seniors There was no bingo, but plenty of learning
took place for the residents of the Forestville
Health and Rehabilitation Center on October
25, 2015, when the Prince George’s Chapter
of TLOD, Inc. visited during Breast Cancer
Awareness Month. TLOD brought guest
speaker Dr. Sharon Ottey to talk to the
seniors about breast cancer awareness. The
session afforded the 20 residents the chance
to ask questions about their health, and each
resident received a breast cancer ribbon.
Of course, there was still time for fun and
games. The 17 Top Ladies and 5 Top Teens
helped the residents do crossword puzzles
and word
searches, then
passed out prizes.
Residents
celebrating
birthdays that
month also
received birthday
cards.
High Bridge Elementary School in Bowie, MD
needed a little sprucing up, so the Prince George’s
County Chapter of TLOD, Inc. swung into action on
October 17, 2015 through the county’s Clean Up
Green Up beautification project.
Under the watchful eye of High Bridge Principal
William J. Kelly, a team of Top Ladies,
Top Teens and Lords transplanted and
removed flowers and bushes at the
front entrance of the school and added
mulch around seven trees located on
the front lawn.
Going Green
London’s Walk Stomp Out Sickle Cell Walk
S A P P H I R E T H E 4
Lady Joanne Smith
Lady Trishana Ellis Lady Erica James Lady Dorene McKnight
Lady Robin Barber Lady Kimberly Cook Lady Nikki De Vignes
Lady Marlo Paige
The Prince George’s County
Chapter of Top Ladies of
Distinction, Inc. celebrated six years
of service with an anniversary
brunch at SoBe Restaurant and
Lounge in Lanham, MD on August
30, 2015.
The chapter has completed over
100 community service projects
consisting of thousands of
volunteer hours since it was
chartered on August 30, 2009
and will continue to serve the
community with enthusiasm,
energy, and excitement!
Six Years Of Service
Lady Paula Porter
The Divine 9
Inducted on August 22, 2015
S A P P H I R E T H E 5
A Divine Day of Empowerment
The Prince George's
County chapter voted to
rename the chapter Top
Lady of Year
Award to the
Lady
Jacqueline L.
Wilcher Top
Lady of the
Year Award
based on her
numerous
contributions
to chapter to
include
organizing the chapter. At
the Chapter, Area and
National level, the Top
Lady of the Year award is
presented to a Top Lady
that has demonstrated
extraordinary service to
TLOD and within the
community. This year's
chapter award
was presented to
Lady Katina
Robinson-Wright
for her
outstanding
dedication,
passion and
service as the
chapter Top
Teens of America
Advisor. She led
the program as the chapter
inducted 23 Top Teens, the
largest induction group to
date, and attends Area II
and SYN-Lod conferences
with the Top Teens.
Award-Winning Service Loaded down with 360
non-perishable items, the
Prince George’s County
Chapter of Top Ladies of
Distinction, Inc. headed to
the WHUR-FM (96.3) radio
station in Washington, D.C.
to donate to the station’s
Food to Feed drive.
The Top Ladies have
been participating in the annual
drive since the chapter was
chartered in 2009. The food goes
to the Capital Area Food Bank
and Shabach Ministries to feed
families for the holiday season.
The Top Ladies’ and Top
Teens’ donation earned the
chapter an on-air shout-out from
the radio station and gave the
ladies a chance to meet gospel
recording artist and Sunday Best
host Kirk Franklin.
An Appetite to Help
Continued from Page 1
the new Top Ladies to be presented to the community and to thank
those inside and outside the chapter for their service.
This year, the featured P.I.N.K. Crown Award was given to the
Prince George's County Section of the National Council of Negro
Women for all the outstanding service NCNW has performed in the
county. The award was accepted by NCNW Prince George's County
President Dolores Tilghman.
Ladies within the chapter were honored as well. Lady Katina
Robinson-Wright, the Top Teens of America Advisor, received
the Jacqueline L. Wilcher Top Lady of the Year Award for her
work with the Top Teens. Crown Awards went to Lady Renee
Carter, who was the chapter's Senior Citizen Committee Chair
and is the chapter's decorator extraordinaire, and Lady Sheila
Ball, who was the Assistant Top Teens of America Advisor.
S A P P H I R E T H E 6
On October 1-4,
2015, over 285
members of the TLOD
family came to the St.
Louis Renaissance
Airport Hotel for
Parliamen-Top 2015
with Enthusiasm!
Energy! Excitement!
This Parliamen-Top
presented the new
administration’s programs offering institutes
and workshops for officers, aspiring officers,
committee chairs, or aspiring committee
chairs, and for any member who just wanted
to be kept well-informed. Institutes included
Area Directors, Presidents, Top Teens of
America Advisors, and Financial Fitness.
Workshops included Membership Strategies,
Duties/Responsibilities of Officers/
Committee Chairmen, Protocol, and
Parliamentary Procedures.
Our newly “crowned” TLOD National
President, Lady Drema Lee Woldman
provided an inspiring message during the
Plenary Session as she communicated the
State of TLOD. “Investing in V.A.L.U.E.S.
that Support, Enhance and Sustain” is the
theme for this administration as we "Invest"
in our communities to make positive change.
V – Volunteerism representing quality
service, relevant programs, accountability,
documentation, and enhancing our presence.
A – Advocacy representing accountability,
aligning causes,
incorporate into program,
having a seat at the table,
and building partnerships.
L – Leadership
representing training,
succession planning,
increased participation,
membership growth, and
successful chapters.
U – Unity representing
collaboration, advocacy, networking, and
inclusion.
E – Engagement representing
empowerment, calls to action, and raising our
voices.
S – Social Responsibility representing
sisterly concern, traditional programming,
relationship building, and diversity.
Lady Drema also discussed
accomplishments from her first 90 days to
include TLOD partnerships with St. June
Children’s Research Hospital (Walks and
Galas), National Institutes of Health (Bullying
and Clinical Trials), AARP (Because We
Care), Keep America Beautiful, The Balm in
Gilead, Sickle Cell Disease Association of
America and Pfizer Corporation.
Other highlights included discussions of
the 2015-2017 National Program Resource
Guide, Induction Ceremony for 2 ladies of
the Miami Chapter (Area IV), Casino Outing,
Silent/Buy It Now Auction where over
$1,200 was raised, Welcome Reception,
Celebration of Life Luncheon, Literacy Café
and a Bon Voyage 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's party
where Top Ladies, Top Teens, and Lords
adorned their favorite era attire and danced
the night away!
TLOD, Inc. is also “Stepping Up with
Technology.” Lady Natasha Goode, National
Director of Technology, presented
information for relevant and cost-effective
technology solutions to support the vision
and enable the phenomenal growth of Top
Ladies of Distinction, Inc. Please like TLOD
on Facebook at TLOD Inc. National,
Instagram @TLODinc1964, YouTube Top
Ladies of Distinction, Inc., and Twitter
@TLODinc1964. The Facebook page will be
updated regularly with new information as it
unfolds. So be sure to check it often. Also,
the new TLOD National website will launch
in December 2015.
If you missed all of the “Energy,
Excitement, and Enthusiasm” of Parliamen-
Top 2015, no worries! All of the information
can be found by visiting www.regonline.com/
ptop2015 and selecting the tabs for
Presentations & Reports and Institutes &
Workshops. Also, save the date for
Parliamen-Top 2016 that will be held in
Glenview, IL on September 29 through
October 2, 2016 at the Wyndham Glenview
Suites. Until then, as envisioned by our
National President, continue "Investing in
V.A.L.U.E.S. that Support, Enhance, and
Sustain."
Parliamen-Top 2015
Answering the CBC’s Call The Top Ladies of Prince George’s County
continue to support the Congressional Black
Caucus’s Annual Legislative Conference held in
Washington, D.C. each year. This year’s
conference awarded the Top Ladies the
opportunity to attend orientation as well as
registration on September 12, 2015 to stuff
souvenir bags that were issued to the guests. In
addition, the Ladies supported efforts for the
Prayer Breakfast, which featured keynote
speaker Reverend Dr. Otis Moss, III, Senior
Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in
Chicago, IL and Stellar Award-winning gospel
singer VaShawn Mitchell (“Nobody
Greater”). Vice President Joe Biden was also in
attendance.
Lady Jackie
TLOD, Inc. National Presidents and Founder.
Area II Parliamen-Top 2015 attendees.
Top Teens of America National Officers.
INVESTING IN V.A.L.U.E.S. THAT SUPPORT, ENHANCE AND SUSTAIN
December 27, 2015
Kwanzaa Celebration
Forestville, MD
January 9-10, 2016
NBC Health Fair
Washington, DC
January 16, 2016
4th Annual Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.
Prayer Breakfast
Upper Marlboro, MD
January 30, 2016
Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.
Interest Meeting
South Bowie Library
March 5, 2016
Adopt-a-Road
Oxon Hill Library
March 19, 2016
Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.
Interest Meeting
April 7-10, 2016
Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.
34th Annual Area II Leadership Conference
Wilmington, DE
SAVE THE DATE
Lady Crystal Davis, who was named National Assistant Director of Technology for Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.
Lady Janet Rawls-Tull, who
celebrated 30 years of federal
service in August.
Lady Hope Ruffin, who was named National Logistics Chair for Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.
Lady Joanne Smith, whose great-granddaughter, Karter Noelle Davis, was baptized and celebrated her first birthday in September. Lady Jacqueline Wilcher, who was named National Director of Operations for Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.
Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.
Prince George’s County Chapter
Chapter Organizer
Lady Jacqueline Wilcher
President
Lady Hope Ruffin
1st Vice President
Lady Kym Elder
2nd Vice President
Lady Dawna Dilworth
Top Teens of America Advisor
Lady Katina Robinson-Wright
P.O. Box 639
Temple Hills, MD 20748
www.tlodpgcc.org
Facebook.com/tlodpgcc
Facebook.com/ttapgcc
Twitter.com/tlodpgcc
Sapphire Newsletter Editor
Lady Crystal Davis
Chief Information Officer
Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.
Prince George’s County Chapter
Congratulations To ...