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Gospel brunch set at Davis & Elkins College to focus on peace

ELKINS — An afternoon of interfaith fellowship, live entertainment, special speakers and traditional Louisiana-style fare will come together at the Southern Gospel Brunch: Creating a Culture of Peace. The event, organized by Adjunct Instructor Laurie Goux, Catering Assistant Velma Ragsdale in cooperation with Davis & Elkins College, and partially sponsored by the Black Student Union, will take place at 1 p.m. Sept. 23, in The Joni and Buck Smith Arts Forum in Myles Center for the Arts followed by a presentation in Harper-McNeeley Auditorium.

Tickets are $20 and reservations are required by Sept. 18 by calling Goux at 304-801-4476. D&E students may use a meal exchange.

The is the second year for the Southern Gospel Brunch, an event Goux says she created for people of all faiths who share a desire for peace and want to shed light on the topic of being a good neighbor.

“Bringing people together around a great meal and music is always a good way to open dialogue and celebrate our common desire for a more loving community,” Goux said.

The menu includes creole shrimp and grits, fried chicken and waffles, omelets, catfish nuggets, collard greens, cornbread muffins, sweet potato pie tarts, along with orange juice, coffee, sweet tea and water.

Entertainment, set for 2:15-3:15 p.m., is free and open to the public. Highlighting the performance will be international vocalist Maggie Brown and motivational speaker and vocalist Lee Fuller.

Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, Brown is the daughter of legendary lyricist and performer Oscar Brown Jr. Her diverse repertoire includes blues and jazz which she has performed throughout the United States and in Europe.

Fuller delivers humorous, thought-provoking presentations that inspire and ignite positive change. He has shared his message of discovering vision, overcoming obstacles and meeting challenges with steps found in his core presentation, “Don’t Trip Unless You Fall Forward: 50 Thoughts to Lead You Onward.”

Additional performances will be by D&E adjunct faculty in Creative Arts Seth Maynard, D&E’s Black Student Union Step Team, D&E student vocalist Megan Augustine with piano accompaniment by D&E Instructor of Music Donna Baroudi Huffman, D&E student pianist MacKinzie Smith, the Appalachian Ensemble String Band directed by Emily Miller, solo dance by Adjunct Instructor Laurie Goux and community member Jane Birdsong.

Speaking on the theme of “Creating a Culture of Peace” will be Davis & Elkins College Benfield-Vick Chaplain the Rev. Laura Brekke Wagoner.

Goux says she hopes the Gospel Brunch will continue to be an interfaith, annual event that brings everyone together to continue to improve our beloved community.

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