Greene County Democrat

Tag: Ms. Felecia Lucky

  • Cornelius Blanding, guest speaker at 50th Anniversary

    FOGCE Federal Credit Union holds 50th
    Anniversary Celebration

    Shown L to R: James ‘D’ Powell, Mollie Rowe, Cornelius Blanding, Carol P. Zippert, Carrie Fulghum, Mary Dunn, Jacqueline Allen, Rodney Pham and Darlene Robinson.

    Gathering at FOGCE 50th Anniversary Celebration.

    Dr. Carol Zippert accepts FOGCE celebratory plaque from Cornelius Blanding.

    Mrs. Joyce Pham presents symbol of appreciation to Dr. Carol P. Zippert for 50 years of service to FOGCE Federal Credit Union.

    The Greene County community, along with other friends and supporters, gathered Thursday, December 11, 2025 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Federation of Greene County Employees Federal Credit Union (FOGCE). In August 1975, FOGCE was chartered by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) as a community based financial institution. Subsequently, FOGCE became certified in 2021 as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), with over 800 members and assets of $1.8 million. NCUA continues as its federal security and monitoring agency.
    FOGCE’s 50th Celebration, held at the New Generation Church Fellowship Hall, featured Mr. Cornelius Blanding, 11 years as CEO of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives /Land Assistance Fund, (FSC/LAF), which was instrumental in organizing FOGCE Federal Credit Union as well as credit unions in Pickens, Sumter, and Hale Counties.
    In his keynote address, Mr. Blanding praised the courage, perseverance and dedication of FOGCE membership. “ We are still here after 50 years because you continued to believe in community leadership building community worth, and you would not give up,” he stated.
    Mr. Blanding, as FSC/LAF Assistant Director at the time, was also instrumental in securing a $20,000 grant from the Self-Development of People in 2013 for the purchase of FOGCE’s current facility, located at 112 Prairie Ave., Eutaw, AL.
    Ms. Darlene Robinson, FOGCE Board Vice-President and Chairperson of the Supervisory Committee, served as Mistress of Order at the celebration. Ms. Mary Dunn, Credit Committee member gave a warm welcome. Mr. James Powell, Credit Committee member led the invocation. Dr. Carol P. Zippert, FOGCE Board President and a founder, shared a memorial tribute of the community’s efforts that organized, built and secured the credit union for 50 years.
    She noted that FOGCE began to thrive”… when we realized that our credit union was not a social service organization, but we were a community owned and operated financial institution.”
    Zippert gave special recognition to the late Mr. Willie Carpenter, who served as manager of
    FOGCE for over 30 years and was known as Mr. Credit Union. She also acknowledged two founders who were not able to attend the celebration, Mr. Spiver Gordon and Mr. Bill Edwards.
    Special tribute was lifted for the late Mr. Jonas Smothers who conducted a vigorous membership drive in the early years.
    Ms. Mollie Rowe, Board Secretary, lifted a Memorial Tribute for the foot soldiers of our movement who have passed on. Mrs. Joyce Pham, FOGCE Manager, and Mr. Rodney Pham, Credit Committee Chairperson, through Seniors Helping Hand, gifted 5 guests with $100 each toward a utility bill. Mrs. Robinson and Mrs. Pham announced that the first 10 individuals to join the credit union would each receive a sponsored membership.
    Ms. Jacqueline Allen, Board Member, recognized all FOGCE Board, Credit Committee and Supervisory Committee Members, elected officials, and special guests including Mrs. Bobbie Carpenter, wife of the late Willie Carpenter, Mrs. Carrie Fulghum, FSC Boardmember for Alabama, Ms. Felecia Lucky, CEO of the Heron Foundation, Rev. Christopher Spencer, CEO Black Belt Community Foundation and Alabama State Representative Mr. Curtis Travis.
    Mrs. Lena Watford Hill, Mrs. Mary Dunn and Mrs. Loydleetta Johnson Wabbington, in addition to the founders, were recognized for 50-year memberships in FOGCE.
    Music for the occasion was provided by Mr. Antonio Pearson. Mrs. Loretta Wilson’s artistic decorating skills provided an amazing celebratory atmosphere at the event.

  • In 20 years BBCF provided $100 million in grants to Black Belt with Greene County receiving $880,803

    BBCF holds listening sessions in Black Belt counties

    Participants at Greene County Listening Session and L to R: Darlene Robinson, Carol Zippert, Rev. Chris Spencer, Miriam Leftwich and Johnnie Morning.

    The Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF) conducted a series of county-wide listening sessions across its 12-county service area in Alabama’s Black Belt Region, including Bullock, Choctaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, Wilcox.
    The Greene County listening session, chaired by BBCF staff Rev. Christopher Spencer, was held Tuesday evening, June 24, 2025 at the Greene County Baptist Association facility on Finches Ferry Road in Eutaw. Approximately 40 persons participated, including local groups who are recipients of BBCF grants.
    Greetings were brought by Miriam Leftwich, Greene County Community Associates Coordinator and Co-Coordinator and BBCF Greene County Board Member Darlene Robinson.
    These gatherings were designed to provide a vital platform for residents, community leaders, grassroots organizations, and local stakeholders to come together and share their voices on the pressing issues, opportunities, and needs facing their communities.
    The listening sessions created a welcoming, inclusive space where participants could openly discuss challenges related to education, healthcare access, economic development, infrastructure, cultural preservation and much more.
    In each county the gathering separated into small discussion groups to address the following topics: What are our greatest strengths as a community; What would our ideal community look like if we had no limitations; Based on your answer, what is needed to create your ideal community; What are the most important things we need to focus on in the next 1-2 years to grow our community into the place we would like it to be. The small group responses were listed on charts and shared when the larger group re-assembled.
    Feedback gathered from these sessions will directly inform BBCF’s strategic priorities, investments, grant-making initiatives, and collaborative partnerships moving forward.
    These listening sessions were patterned after the initial community gatherings 20 years ago which were the cornerstones giving birth to BBCF. During that organizing period, a volunteer coordinating committee visited each county to hear from the people what they saw as their community assets. This committee envisioned that the best way for the Alabama Black Belt to capitalize on Taking what we have to make what we need was to determine what we really had. These community sessions led to the formation of BBCF.
    The Black Belt Community Foundation reaffirms its commitment to working alongside the people of the Black Belt — amplifying their voices, honoring their experiences, and investing in the dreams and solutions that emerge from within. Since its incorporation, BBCF has deployed nearly $100 million into the Black Belt through partnerships with more that 200 regional nonprofit organizations throughout the Black Belt.
    From 2005 to 2025, Greene County has received a total of $880,803 in BBCF community and arts grants and in support of other projects relating to healthy food provisions, health care information, storm damage assistance and more.
    Ms. Felecia Lucky, who was a member of the organizing committee for BBCF will leave her position as CEO/President in September to assume a similar leadership role with the F.B. Heron Foundation. Rev. Christopher Spencer, who was engaged in the organizing sessions in Sumter County and worked on the BBCF staff since the early years, has been selected by the BBCF board to serve as CEO/President.
    The session adjourned with the participants enthusiastic with the prospects of new approaches for working together to grow Greene County. Refreshments were shared with all in attendance.