The Philadelphia Inquirer - January 2008

"The Elio Villafranca Quintet in an Exclusive Valentine's Day Engagement"

Link to online article.

The Philadelphia Tribune - April 3, 2007

Candidates Snubbed Experts on Crime - By Linn Washington, Jr.

Raymond Gant expected to hear information and insights when he went to the meeting in North Philly last week for a forum featuring mayoral candidates.

However, Gant left the forum feeling insulted because most of the major candidates seeing the Democratic mayoral nomination didn't show up.

Sponsors of the forum said all candidates had received invitations and confirmed their attendance.

Gant and others attending this forum were there to dialogue with mayoral candidates on the issue each is making a center-piece of his campaign: fighting crime.

Gant and many others attending the forum present unique perspectives on the crime problem and "solutions" proposed by the candidates.

(Click for full article.)

The Westside Weekly - November 12-18, 2004

Earth Angels in the City

There are indeed "Earth Angels," people who have dedicated their lives to helping others.

On Friday, November 19th from 6 - 10 pm at the Beautiful View Banquet Facilities located 800 N. Broad Street (the former Traffic Court Building), 11 Philadelphia-area "angels" will be honored at the Harvest Fest Recognition Dinner.

In the West Philadelphia/Yeadon area the honorees include Minister John Brown and his wife Lynise (youth mentors), Rev. Lorraine Custis (Prison Ministry), Ronald Ford, retired coach of Overbrook High School, Elvira Pierce and Jaki Mungai (Scholarship Fund for Overbrook High School Students), Gloria V. Prescod, Professional Fundraiser for major groups including Mercy Hospital and Evelyn Robinson, Missionary with Wayland Baptist Church.

Volunteers with the Ray of Hope Project are also being honored: Janice Kenney, Desmond Neligan, and Robert Wilson.

The Ray of Hope Project provides structural damage repairs to homes of senior citizens and low-income families for the cost of materials or free.

The hosting organization, Seeds for Needs, Inc. will be presenting the prestigious Presidents Volunteer Service Award as well as the Earth Angel Award...

Commentary - Sunday Rock Climber Ascends to a Higher Calling in N. Phila.

He found religion, sort of, in helping make poor people's homes more livable.

From The Philadelphia Inquirer - December 5, 2003
By Tom Krattenmaker

My friend Willard Bostock used to devote his Sundays to high-adventure sports -- kayaking, snowboarding, ice and rock climbing. When he wasn't using the time in pursuit of action, Sunday was his chance to work on home improvement projects at his house along the Delaware River in Yardley. From September through January, of course, Sunday was for watching the Eagles.

But nowadays Will is occupied with something else on Sundays. You might be guessing that he found religion and dedicates the seventh day to church. In a sense, you would be right.

Will, along with Raymond Gant of North Philadelphia and a handful of fellow volunteers, spends more than eight hours every Sunday in dilapidated homes in North Philadelphia. You'll find them screwing drywall into walls and ceilings, shoring up caved-in walls and collapsed floors, installing tubs and sinks, and doing whatever else needs to be done to make a poor person's home liable. None receives a cent in return.

(Click for full article.)