Pastor takes home top award at Springfield NAACP event

A local pastor is among six award recipients recently honored by the Springfield NAACP.

The local NAACP chapter on Oct. 28 held its Freedom Fund Banquet to a sold-out crowd at DoubleTree by Hilton, according to officials with the organization. Board President Kai Sutton provided a list of the honorees to Springfield Business Journal.

Pastor T.J. Appleby of Sanctuary of Praise Church of God in Christ received the Springfield NAACP's top honor: the Drum Major Award.

"Pastor T.J. is active in the community to help bring awareness to the plight of the underserved and under-resourced amongst the Black and brown populations," a Springfield NAACP Facebook post about the award reads.

A member and treasurer with the local NAACP chapter, Appleby has established a ministry to preach to people in prison, served as a member of Missouri Jobs with Justice to ensure fair opportunity and treatment for all races, and led Sanctuary of Praise Church to provide monthly meals to feed the hungry, according to the Facebook post.

Additional NAACP awards:
• Nki Calloway of the Mosaic Arts Collective: Community Service Award.
• Ranae Dyer-Lacio of the Springfield NAACP youth chapter: Marley Diaz Youth Award.
• Community Partnership of the Ozarks Inc.: Myrlie Evers-Williams Business Partner Award.
• Ron Woodard of Springfield Public Schools: W.E.B. DuBois Education Award.
• Joan Gentry, retired science teacher and board member for League of Women Voters of Southwest Missouri and League of Women Voters of Missouri: W.E.B. DuBois Education Award.