ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The Belmont County NAACP will honor three community members and host a “power couple” of speakers during this year’s Freedom Fund Dinner at 6 p.m. Oct. 1 at Belmont Hills Country Club.

The social hour will start at 5 p.m.

Jerry Moore II, president of the Belmont County NAACP, said awards will be given to Abbey Maroon, who is expected to attend, and posthumously to the late Dr. John Mattox and the late Penelton “Tobay” Clark.

“The only living recipient of our awards this year would be Mr. Abbey Maroon. With us being absent for so long, we felt that we needed to go back and honor some of the people that have been passed by because there was no NAACP,” Moore said, adding the recipients have been outstanding in their respective fields of leadership, dedication, service and loyalty to the community.

Mattox, of Flushing, died July 17, 2019, at age 84. He was the curator of the Underground Railroad Museum in Flushing, which he founded it along with his wife, Rosalind, who is also deceased. He was passionate about sharing his love of American history. He also served on boards for the Sargus Juvenile Detention Center, Ohio University Eastern, Harrison Community Hospital, A Special Wish Foundation and Belmont Correctional Institution Reentry Coalition. He also worked closely with the Ohio National Road Association, Friends of Freedom Society Inc., Zion Retreat, Belmont County Tourism Office, and numerous other organizations.

He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1959-62 and was commander of the Flushing American Legion for many years.

Clark was the Belmont County NAACP vice president through the 1990s and assisted in ensuring the citizens of Belmont County were treated fairly and strived for equality and social justice. Originally from the Garfield section of Pittsburgh, he moved to Bridgeport after returning from the Korean War. He served as a police officer for the village and would eventually move to Bellaire.

He also worked with Belmont County Children Services and volunteered his time to promote a safe environment for underprivileged children. Moore noted that Clark spent most of his life protecting and supporting the needs of others.

“He would be very proud of being recognized for all of his hard work. He would be even happier that the local chapter of the NAACP that he had helped start and worked for all those years ago has been reestablished and supporting the community,” Moore said via email.

Maroon, originally of Bridgeport and now a St. Clairsville resident, has six decades of experience in business development, management and entertainment operations. Some of his ventures include the Jolly Roger Night Club, the Roof Garden, the Alamo, the Merrymint Lounge, Tom’s Night Club, Abbey’s Lounge and his current business, Abbey’s Restaurant and Lounge on Wheeling Island. Moore noted Maroon has a long list of regulars who’ve followed him from business to business.

In addition, Maroon is a philanthropist who often donates food from his restaurant to local organizations, clothing to families in need and monetary donations to organizations helping people all around the world. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves for eight years.

Moore said the NAACP is also honored to have Cl�–ment A. Akassi, a professor at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and Monique L. Akassi, the DEI Director and Strategies Coordinator at West Liberty University, as guest speakers.

“We’re having two dynamic speakers that are a power couple, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen anything like this done, where a husband and wife have been so educated, so exemplary and outstanding accomplishments, and they’re willing to speak at the same time,” Moore said, adding both are world-renowned speakers who have taught classes abroad in places such as Spain and Brazil.

Moore said the NAACP has been active and there are many plans for the future.

“We have a lot of things coming up on the horizon in the future,” he said.

At 6 p.m. Oct. 6, the NACCP will host a Meet the Candidates event at the J.B. Martin Rec Center in St. Clairsville, with all area candidates invited.

“We have several other events coming in the near future. A couple to try to bring the community together and stress community unity,” he said. “We welcome everybody.”