Ted “Golden Voice” Williams is the featured speaker at the Inaugural Community in Action Reception of The Alice Varnado Harden Center for Service and Community Engaged Learning on April 2.
In 2011, Williams was homeless and living on the streets in Columbus, Ohio. A videographer with The Columbus Dispatch discovered him panhandling at a highway intersection, with a sign informing everyone, “I’m an ex-radio announcer who has fallen on hard times.” (See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rPFvLUWkzs)
A recording of Williams performing a voice-over was viewed more than 20 million times on YouTube, and suddenly, Williams became a celebrity. He appeared on several late-night talk shows, as well as the TODAY show, where Matt Lauer asked how he planned to cope with the sudden fame.
“I have a God of understanding in my life,” he said at the time.
“This reception allows us the opportunity to honor/award those students/agencies for their outstanding service,” according to Kimberly R. Harris, the Center’s Service Learning/Community Service Resource Specialist/NSE Coordinator.
The reception will be held at 6 p.m. in the Convention Hall at the Mississippi eCenter at JSU, 1230 Raymond Rd.
All attendees must RSVP and present a ticket at the door in order to enter reception, Harris said.
For more information, contact Harris at 601-979-4156.