H*5001 Concurrent Resolution, By L.S. Whipper, Breeland, Dantzler, R.C. Fulmer, 
H.M. Hallman, Harrell, H.G. Hutson, Inabinett, Limehouse, Seithel, Whatley and 
Whipper
 A Concurrent Resolution proudly commending and expressing the appreciation of
 the members of the General Assembly to the Reverend W. H. "Bill" Alston of
 Awendaw, South Carolina, for his generosity and compassion to the citizens of
 his community, county and state.

   05/07/96  House  Introduced, adopted, sent to Senate HJ-19
   05/08/96  Senate Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence SJ-12

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

PROUDLY COMMENDING AND EXPRESSING THE APPRECIATION OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO THE REVEREND W.H. "BILL" ALSTON OF AWENDAW, SOUTH CAROLINA, FOR HIS GENEROSITY AND COMPASSION TO THE CITIZENS OF HIS COMMUNITY, COUNTY, AND STATE.

Whereas, the members of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina note that The Reverend W. H. "Bill" Alston has labored tirelessly and dedicated his life to the helping of all humankind; and.

Whereas, Reverend Bill Alston resides in Awendaw with his wife Minnie; their three oldest daughters Renee, Jewell, and Selena are married; and the youngest daughter Willette is a Junior at Johnson C. Smith University; and

Whereas, Reverend Alston, the eldest of two sons of Mrs. Rebecca Dingle Alston and the late Reverend Warren Alston, was born in Awendaw, South Carolina, and completed his early education in his community's school system; and

Whereas, following graduation from Laing High School, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, Reverend Alston joined the United States Navy and served his country for three years; and

Whereas, having received an honorable discharge from the Navy, Reverend Alston enrolled at Allen University and received a B.S. Degree within three years; and

Whereas, while at Allen University Reverend Alston also received much of his religious training which has been an asset to his pastoral ministry; and

Whereas, following graduation from Allen University, he enrolled in Life Underwriters' School with the Pilgrim Health and Life Insurance Company of Augusta, Georgia and graduated with high honors; within six months subsequent to graduating from Life Underwriters' School he was promoted to Staff Manager; and

Whereas, having a great love for young people Reverend Alston secured a teaching position with the Charleston County School District as Head of the Business Department at Lincoln High School, McClellanville, South Carolina, where he served for six years; and

Whereas, having a burning desire to help the Civil Rights Movement and the cause of education, he resigned from his teaching position twenty days before the school year ended in 1966, and joined forces with the Political Action Committee of Charleston County and challenged the "powers-to-be" in the areas of social and economic justice; and

Whereas, under the leadership of Reverend Bill Alston, the following accomplishments were made in his community: the establishment of an Improved Business Department at Lincoln High School; a strong, viable Parents, Teachers and Students Association; changed the political process in the composition of the Board of Trustee for St. James-Santee School Board from appointing to electing persons to serve; and the establishment of the Headstart Child Development Program, the Senior Citizens Program, a unit of the Charleston County Library System and Information and Referral System; and

Whereas, he served as Chairman of St. James-Santee School District No. 1 Board of Trustees, a member of the Board of Directors of McClellanville Telephone Company, Secretary of the South Carolina Annual Conference of the A.M.E. Church, served as Chairman of the Committee for the Incorporation of Awendaw into a township, served as the first Chairman of Charleston County Headstart Policy Council and responsible for an improved salary guideline and other program benefits, Treasurer of the Office of Economic Opportunity Commission, member of the State Forestry Commission, Secretary of the East Cooper NAACP, and a counselor and member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for the Department of Navy; and

Whereas, Reverend Bill Alston retired from the Charleston Naval Shipyard as a Personnel Staffing Specialist with over twenty-eight years of service and was elected the Town of Awendaw's first Mayor in 1992 for a four-year term; and

Whereas, Reverend Alston is presently the Pastor of Nichols Chapel A.M.E. Church; under his leadership a new Nichols Chapel and the W.H. Alston Life Cycle was built; during his twenty-three years as a pastor he has served nine different congregations; to date he has built three new churches with multipupose buildings; renovated two churches; and purchased 10.5 acres of land for the various churches he has served; and

Whereas, he led his people to complete recovery from the devastation of Hurricane Hugo to the extent of improving the lives of many from Pre-Hugo days; and

Whereas, Reverend Bill Alston is an outstanding individual in every way, a genuine role model for countless persons, and has enhanced and improved the quality of life of others; and

Whereas, for these and countless other contributions and achievements, Reverend Alston exemplifies the best traits of those who give of themselves. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina, by this resolution, proudly commend and express appreciation to The Reverend W.H. "Bill" Alston of Awendaw, South Carolina, for his generosity and compassion to the citizens of his community, county, and state.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to The Reverend W.H. "Bill" Alston.