Several prominent members of the Syracuse University campus community, and volunteers in the surrounding city, were honored Sunday night with the Unsung Hero Award.

Unsung Hero Awards are presented annually to people who go beyond their comfort zones and make a difference in the community, but are not widely recognized, said Sylvia Langford, a former Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee chairperson and presenter of Sunday’s awards.

“We seek to honor those who exemplify the spirit of Dr. King’s life,” Langford said. The 33rd annual celebration was held in the Carrier Dome on Sunday.

Chris Burns, who volunteers as a boxing coach at local gyms, was this year’s first winner.

“Coach Chris is a very unselfish person who is dedicated to working with inner city kids,” said Ray Rinaldi, a mentor of Burns, in a video shown at the ceremony. “This is not a job that gets a lot of attention, it’s not a job that makes a lot of money … so I think that it’s appropriate that he is getting some kind of recognition, because he is a very humble guy.”

Ed Beauford and Arthur Harrison, who both worked at the Faith Hope Community Center, which offers boxing and other recreational activities, also won the awards. Faith Hope has become a self-funded center thanks to Beauford, Harrison and other volunteers, according to an SU News release.

Dominique Donnay, a sophomore high school student in the Syracuse City School District, was the first of two student award recipients. As a school leader, Donnay has helped implement healthier lunches in SCSD schools and serves on various district committees.

“I saw the flyer for the award, and I felt that for Dominique, it just described him,” said Jami Freeman, who nominated Dominique for the award, in a video shown in the Carrier Dome. “He works very hard and he’s very dedicated to helping make a positive change”

The other student award recipient was SU’s Keenan Lewis, a student in University College, who has worked on a radio program that focuses on topics such as mental health and education. Lewis also coordinates community events, such as a drive to send cards to military servicemen and their families.

“Keenan is very humble, so he would probably not even call himself a leader,” said Maria Lewis, his wife and radio partner. “He would probably just say, ‘I’m just a helper’ and his radio and TV program inspires and empowers the community.”

The final award recipient was Robert Wilson, SU’s director of student support services, who has worked with first generation students in Syracuse.

“I’m a first generation student, I come from a working family,” Wilson said. “We try to provide an opportunity for students who might not otherwise get this opportunity.”

Published on January 28, 2018 at 11:16 pm

Contact Mateo: mtestlin@syr.edu