Celebrity Bowl-a-Thon Continues Raising Scholarship Dollars After 25 Years

Photos by Eva D. Coleman

It was a fun evening for the entire family as veteran journalist Cheryl Smith hosted her 25th Annual Don’t Believe the Hype Celebrity Bowl-a-Thon, Saturday June 22, 2019 at USA Bowl in Dallas.

Walking away with bragging rights were:

High Female Bowler – Queen Indy B of Majic 94.5/97.9 The Beat
High Male Bowler – Atty. Nigel Redmond

1st Place Team – Evans Engraving (Captain – Hon. Derick Evans)
2nd Place Team – Evans Engraving 2
3rd Place Team – Golden Gate Funeral Home (Captain – Carolyn Beckwith Haynes)

Sponsored by Judge Aiesha Redmond, Evans Engraving, Karrington and Company, Heroes House, Comerica Bank, City Men Cook, Hon. Helen Giddings, Atty. DeMetris Sampson, Ramona Logan, CURLS, BBVA, Power Play Radio, Radio Therapy, MOCCA Cosmetics, Black Business Directory, Texas Metro News, Garland Journal, I Messenger, LDE and State Fair of Texas; this year’s event proceeds will provide a scholarship to a student interning with Sen. Royce West’s Dr. Emmett J. Conrad Leadership Program, and Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Journalists students attending the national convention in August in Aventura, FL.

Other Celebrity Captains included: Dallas County Sheriff Marian Brown; comedian Shuckey Duckey; singers Miles Jaye, Brotha Shawt and Yarbrough and Peoples; Sen. Royce and Carol West; Journalists Norma Adams-Wade, Rebecca Aguilar, Andrew Whigham, Chris Arnold, Eva Coleman, Terry Allen, Ester Davis, Ed Gray, Roger B. Brown, Cierra, Hollywood Hernandez, Coka’, Darryl Blair and Vincent Hall; actress Virlinda Stanton; Judges Brandon Birmingham, Monica Purdy, Remeko Edwards, Valencia Nash, Raquel “Rocky” Jones, Lela Mays, Tina Yoo Clinton, Cheryl Williams, Dominique Collins and Sandra Jackson; Cedar Hill School Board Trustee Keisha Lankford; Attys. Sandre Moncriffe and Bobbie Edmonds; Master Deejay Ken Bell; Mocca Cosmetics CEO Kena Baccus Vining, former NFLers Greg Ellis and Bethel Johnson; Dallas City Councilmember Carolyn King Arnold, former Dallas City Councilmember Tiffinni A. Young, former Dallas School board Trustee Bernadette Nuttall, Parkland SVP Vivian Bradley Johnson and BBVA exec Torry Abra.

Highlights of the evening included the singing of the Negro National Anthem by R&B and Jazz sensation Miles Jaye, Brotha Shawt’s rap tribute to Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price, prayer from Sen. West and a moment of silence for the late, great all-around entertainer, health nutritionist, author and activist Dick Gregory, who up until his death two years ago, attended at least 20 of the 23 Bowl-a-Thons held.

There was also a special moment when the summer of 1989 was remembered because it was 30 years ago that the groundbreaking Spike Lee movie, Do the Right Thing and Public Enemy’s song “Fight the Power” dealt with the many societal ills of that era and that many say exist today. And Sherry Christian of Elite News demonstrated the latest dance challenge which is the re-enactment of actress/dancer Rosie Perez’s groundbreaking opening dance in Do The Right Thing.

Plans are already underway for next year’s event, which is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, 2020. Former Dallas County Constable Evans is already issuing challenges to past team winners and anyone would like to take a stab at dethroning Evans Engraving.

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So mark your calendars and get ready to RUMBLE!

ABOUT DON”T BELIEVE THE HYPE CELEBRITY BOWL-A-THON: The Don’t Believe the Hype Foundation was first held in 1995 at the former Don Carter’s Allstar Bowling Lanes with a host of local and national celebrities including then newly-elected Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, Public Enemy’s Chuck D and Malik Farrakhan, comedian/activist/health nutritionist Dick Gregory and Sen. Royce West.