MIDLAND, Texas —
The bunco fundraiser held by The Negro Business Professional Women's Club (NBPWC) of Midland does more than just show the community a fun time, it also helps make a difference in the lives of students in the community by raising money for scholarships.
“I think it's important because there are a lot of kids out there that really need the extra help. You know, there's a lot of kids that are going on scholarship, but they always need extra money for books and for other things. And so, I think it's important that we support the kids in our community by, you know, sending them with some money in their pocket,” said Michelle Carrasco, Vice President of the NBPWC of Midland.
The late Shirley Howard served as president in the NBPWC of Midland and was a driving force in the organization and the community.
But her passing didn’t stop the organization from continuing her work to support the community.
“We're moving forward. That's our mission is to move forward with purpose and we're trying to keep that legacy alive and also, we do have a scholarship in her name,” said Monica Jennings, Director of Membership for the NBPWC of Midland.
Carrasco says that Howard’s mentorship is a gift that will keep on giving back to the community for years to come not just through those Howard worked with and called her friends, but also called her family.
“She was a force, and we miss her dearly. She was not only to, you know, especially community, but to me personally. One of my biggest heroes, she prepared us ahead of time. You know, when we were serving under Mrs. Howard, we were taught what to do. We were taught what this was about and to keep that going. So, it's our mission to keep continue with her purpose,” Carrasco continued.