More than 300 Democrats attended the fifth annual Yongue-Purcell Dinner at the Highlands on Oct. 24 to recognize service and leadership to the community and neighbors, both locally and in the North Carolina legislature. This year, honorees were former county commissioner Carol McCall and current commissioner John Alford.
Courtesy photo
LAURINBURG — More than 300 Democrats attended the fifth annual Yongue-Purcell Dinner at the Highlands on Oct. 24.
The keynote speaker this year was North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall who was introduced by Representative Garland Pierce and gave an analysis of current business and economic factors.
Past speakers of the dinner included N.C. Attorney Generals Roy Cooper (now governor) and Josh Stein. Other notable portions of the evening included the posting of the colors by the Scotland High JROTC, recognition of elected officials, candidates, and prominent leaders as well as various awards.
The first dinner in this series was hosted by the Scotland County Democratic Party in 2015 to honor two members of Scotland County’s distinguished legislative delegation, Representative Douglas Yongue and Senator William Purcell.
The goal was to recognize service and leadership to the community and neighbors, both locally and in the North Carolina legislature. Representative Yongue has since passed on, but his daughter and former Sen. Purcell were present.
Since then, the event became known as the Yongue-Purcell Dinner, named after the initial honorees, and has been held about every other year just before the November election.
The custom was developed to honor other noteworthy Democratic leaders: Representative Garland Pierce and J. Robert Gordon; Commissioner Betty Goldston and Judge B. Craig Ellis; and John Dougald Stewart and Dr. Johnny Gorham.
This year, honorees were former county commissioner Carol McCall and current commissioner John Alford.
Chairman of the local Democratic Party, Walter T. Jackson, III, said he was “delighted how well the event was attended and the enthusiastic positive energy which filled the room.”