Biography: Mrs. Alice Payne

Unsung Treasures Honoree Alice Payne was born, raised and educated in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. As a young person she was always involved in serving and making a difference in the community. As a high school upperclassmen she was very active in her school's volunteer efforts in teaching the less fortunate. She attended a finishing school in Chicago while living with her grandmother, where she learned to work with people of all racial backgrounds. This later proved to be invaluable experience. She attended Antioch University and later received her Master's Degree from Cheyney University. Alice married and moved into getting borough and became the mother of three children. She worked as an effective educator for the Philadelphia School District.

While living in Yeadon Alice served  her community as block captain, and works with people in the community as part of the Yeadon Civic Association. she was also the first African American woman to be a school board administrator in Yeadon Borough. even more notably in 1973 Alice Payne founded an organization called the Optimistic Senior Citizens. She noticed that there were many older senior citizens with various skills and abilities who had no place to go to utilize these talents. She set out to solve this problem and faught through much opposition due to the racial climate in Yeadon during the 1970s. with the help of an Episcopal priest and several other ministers, Alice Payne went before the Yeadon Borough Court and was granted authorization to operate her organization from Borough Hall. The Optimistics grew in popularity and membership began to increase at the point of relocation. The organization moved to 936 Church Lane, desegregating this area of Yeadon. Alice Payne's organization still operates at this location, and consists of 73 older citizens rendering medical and educational services to the community.

Now as an older citizen with music training, Alice Payne has developed programs to help enrich both the young and the old she created the piano program which teaches seniors the basic skills they need to play the piano. she also established the Sister to Sister program. This much needed program teaches etiquette, personal health and hygiene, appropriate dress and grooming cooking music and foreign languages to girls ages 12 to 18 to prepare them for their future. In addition to actively serving these members of her community, Alice Payne is also a board member of the National Council of Negro Women and sits on the executive board of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Yeadon and Darby, Pennsylvania.

Biography: Mrs. Barbara Ruffin

Unsung Treasures Honoree Barbara Ruffin has resided in Yeadon for 30 years. She has nurtured for children. They are Terri Ruffin, David Ruffin, Sheila Ruffin Johnson, and Murianda Ruffin. She is quite proud of her children's accomplishments. Barbara is a retired LPN who served with dedication for 32 years, at various hospitals including the University of Pennsylvania Hospital, the Inglis House and the Delaware County Memorial Hospital. She has earned certification from Delaware County Community College and areas of: Phlebotomy and EKG Technician. She also specializes in providing home care services to residents in the Yeadon community. Her tireless efforts have been appreciated by many families. She is a proud member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Yeadon Branch.

Mrs. Ruffin loves living in Yeadon. in fact her love for Yeadon is the motivator for her service to the community. Her main goal is to get the neighbors involved in keeping Bell Avenue beautiful and safe for all. As Block Captain for the Concerned Neighbors of Bell Avenue, she partners with others to accomplish these goals. For example, Barber attended council meetings at Yeadon's Borough Hall in order to update residents about events ordinances and political activities. She connects many with obtaining needed services from the United Highway and Streets Department. She has been instrumental in getting two dangerous trees removed, along with getting Bell Avenue repaved. Mrs. Ruffin has always advocated for her neighbors. She provides leadership for the block. She had the Sunshine Committee which welcomes new families to the neighborhood with flowers. Barbara reminds the committee to send sympathy graduation and get well cards, with the collective donation on the block. The encouragement and support is appreciated. She always offers to check in on the sick and shut in, and she is ready to help out, if needed, during an emergency. She sincerely reminds neighbors that she is there for them and their families. Even when the young men and women on the block go away to college, Mrs. Ruffin is willing to write letters of recommendation. She encourages them to get involved, when home, by distributing information flyers. She even joins them when they pick up trash and sweep the pavements as needed.

When reaching out to others in Yeadon beyond Bell Avenue, Barbara has always desired to unite her block with other blocks interested in safety and beautification. Thus, when asked, she joined the 21st Century Yeadon Civic Association. She cherished providing assistance for the Association's Annual Awards Luncheon, celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mrs. Ruffin also enjoyed participating in the annual block and home beautification awards program. She praised the 21st Century Yeadon Civic Association's beautification project immensely. Even though the association is inactive, she continues to provide leadership for block beautification awards for Bell Avenue. Barbara also reaches out to help people benefit from medical advancement. She has raised donations from neighbors to support the American Institute for Cancer Research for the past 10 years. She is a member of the 48th Street Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. there she serves her church family as a member of the Nurses Ministry.

Barbara Ruffin has been an outstanding block captain for Bell Avenue. Her service and leadership truly demonstrate her commitment to the Yeadon community. Even while facing health concerns, she encourages everyone to “get involved" in helping to develop safety and beautification on their blocks. She wants Yeadon residents to continue to show their “Yeadon Pride."