'AFSCME is Loved'
When 14-year-old Melisa Purdy took the Convention podium to read her prize-winning essay in the AFSCME Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Poster and Essay Contest it was a miracle — and she had AFSCME to thank.
At birth, the daughter of AFSCME Local 645 (Council 48) member Cecile-Marie Purdy weighed just 2 pounds 6 ounces. She survived, in part, because of the care of AFSCME nurses at the Milwaukee County Hospital.
“Not only is she a miracle child,” according to her mom, who has been a social worker for 20 years, “her selection as the top essayist is a miracle, too.” Early on, doctors labeled Melisa as learning disabled, yet she has worked hard to excel at school, maintaining a 4.0 grade point average.
Purdy was one of dozens of young people ages 14-17 who participated in the essay contest that honored King on the 30th anniversary of his assassination. A poster contest was held for children age 13 and younger.
The theme of the contest was a line from a speech King delivered to striking AFSCME workers in Memphis in 1968: “Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity, and is for the benefit of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth.”
In her essay, Melisa reflects on the fact that AFSCME workers “touch” the lives of people like herself and serve humanity every day. She wrote, “Like Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., AFSCME is loved.”
Melisa won a cash award and the opportunity to present her essay at the International Convention. She attended the Convention with her mother — who was elected a delegate from her local the night before learning about Melisa’s victory — her father and two brothers. Melisa delivered her speech in a calm, poised manner and left the audience deeply touched.
The winner of the poster contest is 10-year-old Sarah Furman from West Berne, N.Y. She depicts Americans of all races working together collecting trash, gardening and constructing a building. Her message: “King’s legacy lives on through our working together. So join together to serve humanity.”
“Sarah draws a lot, especially after school at the babysitter’s house,” says her mother, Cheryl Furman, Civil Service Employees Association/ AFSCME Local 1000 member who is a secretary with the state’s Department of Labor.
Hoping to someday become an elementary school teacher, Sarah has put her cash prize into a college saving account.
The second-place essay contest winner was Michele Hannah, age 16, daughter of AFSCME Iowa Local 3289 (Council 61) member Cheryl Hannah. Third-place honors went to Beth Gallagher, age 15, daughter of Ann Marie Gallagher, a member of Pennsylvania Local 2584 (Council 13). Taking second place in the poster contest was Tunisia Robinson, age 12, daughter of Anita Robinson of New York Local 1549 (D.C. 37). Two youngsters tied for third place: Dawn Gottshall, age 9, daughter of AFSCME Pennsylvania Local 0609 (Council 83) member Charity Gottshall; and Shawna Mills, age 11, daughter of Helene Mills of New York Local 1549 (D.C. 37).
By Venida RaMar Marshall
