Title
To honor and celebrate Mrs. Charlotte A. Bell on the occasion of her 80th birthday.
Body
WHEREAS, Mrs. Charlotte A. Bell (Wilson) was born in Wheeling, West Virginia to Allen and Viola Wilson where she spent her formative years and graduated from Jefferson Union High School; and
WHEREAS, she moved to Columbus to live with her sister and later married Mr. Edward Bell; and
WHEREAS, together with her husband, Mrs. Bell raised 4 children and became an active member of the Chicago Avenue Elementary School PTA; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Bell was one of the founding members of the Columbus Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, an organization that fosters the principles of equal rights and equal opportunities, promotes awareness of Black culture, and strives to develop its members as effective civic leaders; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Bell continued to be a leader in the community by participating in training on how to help women with lupus learn about their illness and support others, and by starting an Urban Lupus Support Group in the City of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Bell's advocacy led her to testify before the Ohio House of Representatives about the impact of Lupus on African American women of color, and with the assistance of Cheryl Boyce, the former director of the Ohio Commission on Minority Health, Ms. Bell successfully secured state funding for lupus programs in the Commission's budget; and
WHEREAS, through personal tragedy she was inspired to start the first and only support group for people of color dealing with the pain of suicide in the State of Ohio; and
WHEREAS, in early 2000, the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health (ADAMH) Board of Franklin County renamed the Therapeutic Residential Facility on Bryden Road, The Bell Center, in honor of Mrs. Bell's work in the area of mental health and addiction disorders; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Bell always has a warm smile and welcoming arms, and faithfully attends Christ Memorial Baptist Church, where she encourages the well-being of the community; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That this Council does hereby honor and celebrate Mrs. Charlotte A. Bell on the occasion of her 80th birthday.