Help honor Coach Bolden

There is an event that will be happening in the Village that is very special. It is very special because a black Roanoker is being honored, not by an organization, but by a fellow Villager. This event, sponsored by Minister Lilly Bryant, will honor Millard Eugene Bolden.

Minister Bryant feels "that a person should be honored for his contributions and accomplishments while he is around to see and hear it."

Mr. Bolden is a native of Roanoke. He graduated from William Fleming High School. After graduating from Virginia Union University in Richmond, he returned to Roanoke. He taught driver's education and coached athletics at his alma mater. He earned the name "Coach," the title that most people still use when talking about him.

Coach Bolden's life emphasis has been directed to helping our youth. In an effort to keep kids off drugs, in 1990 he started Top Gun Camp, which is a summer outreach program.

In 1991 he started the Drop In After School program for elementary school age youth who live in public housing and Gainesboro youth to provide tutoring in school subjects.

He started Youth Achiever Program for 100 middle school students to assist in school work.

He started Youth Achievers Mentors Program to provide high school students with positive role models.

Coach Bolden initiated a Lock-In Program where young people come to the YMCA for activities from 7 p.m. Friday until 7 a.m. Saturday. Coach Bolden started Midnight Basketball at Jefferson Center as a means of curbing crime and giving youth something positive to do.

He has been married to Armelle Bolden for 27 years and she has described her husband as being the "most giving and unselfish person I know."

Coach Bolden is being honored on Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m. at Hotel Roanoke. Tickets are $35 and you may call 540-265-7887 or 540-915-3304 for tickets.

Let me encourage the Village to strongly support this event and give back to someone who has given so much to so many.