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BUILDING OF A HEADQUARTERS
THE GOLD LEAF SOCIETY
From research and educational
scholarships, the Foundation decided it was time to build. The elders
of the National Dental Association Foundation always thought of owning
our National Headquarters. The Jackson’s gave The N.D.A. a home in Virginia
in the early years and saved us an endowment that would allow us to stand
on our own feet. With the proper management, however, that endowment was
used to maintain the Association during the lean years and management
problems.
In 1976, the membership decided
that the National office should be moved to Washington D.C. With the idea
that we would immediately start looking for a headquarters building. In
1978-79, approximately $15,000 to $17,000 was left for the NDA to buy
a building through the Foundation because of its tax exempt status.
In 1986 Dr. Roosevelt Brown,
President of the NDA , reinitiated the idea of a National headquarters.
The NDA raised approximately $3,000 to $4,000 dollars that year, however
this was not enough to get the project off the ground.
In 1989, Dr. William Gibson,
President of the NDA, started a drive to raise money for a building. Approximately
$2,000-$4,000 was raised. However, over the years, the building fund money
was used to carry out the administration functions of the NDA. The NDA
was moving on new fronts with new programs that required the use of the
money.
In 1990, the new board of
the National Dental Association Foundation, under the leadership of Dr.
Roosevelt Brown, revised the idea of a National headquarters that would
house all of our organizations. Dr. Brown noted that the rent at 5506
Connecticut Avenue N. W. had since doubled and noted that the time was
NOW for ownership.
Dr. Roosevelt Brown appointed
a Housing Committee made up of a cross section of NDA family members from
across the U.S. with key members from the Washington D.C. area. The committee
met several times via telephone. Dr. Daniel Howard was the first chair
of the Housing Committee. Dr. Howard was in charge of identifying key
properties in the Washington, D.C. area that might be acceptable to the
NDA. It was suggested that the Housing committee convene in Washington
D.C. to view some properties.
MEMBERS
1. Dr. Daniel Howard DC
2. Dr. Robert Ayers Pittsburgh, PA
3. Dr. S. A. Boucree DC
4. Dr. G. Jerome Smith MD
5. Dr. Eugene Jordan Ohio
6. Dr. St. Elmo Crawford DC
7. Dr. Roosevelt Brown AR
During the period, Dr. Brown
was putting together a proposal to carry to the Foundation’s BOT and the
NDA House and Board.
Early in 1995 the Committee
met in Washington, D.C. and put together several properties with a real-estate
agent for observation. On Saturday morning July10, 1995, the committee
convened to view the properties.
Dr. Howard informed us of
several buildings and showed the same to the Committee. In the afternoon
that very day (12 noon), Dr. Stanley A. Boucree introduced the Committee
to Ms. Jessie Bank a real-estate agent (who happened to be a patient of
his). Dr. Boucree asked Ms. Banks to show the members some of the properties
that she had listed. After showing us several properties we were introduced
to the building on 16 th Street (3517 16 th St. NW). The building had
been occupied by the owner for many years and vacant for at least four
years. The owner was removed from the house because of an illness and
at this point in her life was unable to manage her own affairs. After
viewing the building, and reviewing the other properties, the entire Committee
came to the conclusion that this building was one of character and potential
but needed lots of work. The Committee recommended putting a hold on the
building immediately.We immediately made Ms. Banks an offer and asked
Dr. Boucree to follow up on the disposition of our offer in that the building
was in the hands of the court. The court was managing the affairs of the
property and owners.
In 1993 and 1994 the Foundation
asked the NDA to release the twenty-five thousand dollars it owed to the
Foundation from the building fund. $15,000.00 had been left as a bequest
and $10,000 to $12,000 was collected between the years 1985 and 1989 for
a building. We were informed that due the finances at this time they could
not repay the money.
In 1995, President Winthrop
Holder of New York, made a recommendation to the Executive Committee that
the NDA give the Foundation $50,000: $25,000 for the housing fund which
it owed and $25,000 for interest and donations. However, Dr. G. Jerome
Smith, the treasurer, could only pay $25,000 at this point in time, because
of our financial condition.
The check was written to
the NDAF and the money was deposited. $15,000 was paid as good faith money
on the property located at 3517 16 th Street N.W., Washington, D.C. After
making a good faith deposit, the questions of how we were going to pay
for this location surfaced. The committee instructed Dr. Roosevelt Brown
to try to get the building financed through a bank.
Dr. St. Elmo Crawford introduced
Dr. Roosevelt Brown to a Mr. William O’Brien, Vice President of Commercial
Loans. Mr. O’Brien expeditiously loaned the Foundation $145,000 to pay
for the property.
Dr. Brown left Washington,
D.C., en route to Philadelphia, PA, for the annual meeting of the NDA
(August 1-5, 1995). Dr. Brown reported to the Foundation Board and House
& Board of Trustees of the NDA about the building venture and immediately
put forth an effort to raise the money to pay for the building, by having
the membership contribute to the Building Fund. A special society was
formed (The Gold Leaf Society) which will consist of those donors who
donate $1,000 or more to the fund. $45,000 was raised at that initial
meeting $19,000 cash and $26,000 in pledges.
The initial donors at the
Philadelphia meeting were: Drs. Eddie Smith, Roosevelt Brown, Hugh McKnight,
Howard Pointer, Cheryle Baptiste King, Gladstone D. Davis, Ronald Tolson,
C.E. Hodge, Joel Turner, Valerie C. Andrews, Leslil Grant, Joseph Oliver,
Gregory A. Stoute, H. R. Primas, G. Jarome Smith, Jefferson Jones, Stanley
A. Boucree, National Dental Hygienist Association, Joffie Pitman, Harrison
Parker, Melvin Wright, Winthrop Holder, Robert Ayers, Leonidas
Hall, Z.F. Poindexter, Verner J. White, Thomas L. Tucker, Maryam m. Suluki,
Roy L. Irons, Edward D. Williams, Robert J. Grace, M. Guy Bragg.
From the initial donors in
Philadelphia in 1995 the GOLD LEAF SOCIETY was formed. The Gold
Leaf Society are those individuals who donate one thousand ($1,000.00)
or more to the housing fund.
A cumulative and or gift
of $1,000.00 will give you membership in our Gold Leaf Society. "Gold
Leaf Society" member names will be placed on the wall in our foyer
in the new headquarters building.
Please join the Gold Leaf
Society, make your contribution today. It will help us pay the mortgage.
Be a part of this history-making
event, be a Gold Leaf Society member or be a donor, your name will be
placed on the donor’s board in the reception room.
Note
There are 110 Gold Leaf
Society Members. We need 300 (three hundred) more. BE IN THAT NUMBER.
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