The Rose City Chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. (TLOD) is gearing up to celebrate its 60th anniversary on Saturday with an event that will host over 400 guests, who will be transported by bus from Dallas. (Contributed Photo)

From Staff Reports

The Rose City Chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. (TLOD) is celebrating its 60th anniversary Saturday with an event that will host over 400 guests, who will be transported by bus from Dallas to arrive in Tyler.

The seven-bus community pilgrimage will feature Tyler’s W.T. Brookshire Conference Center, Rose Stadium, Rose Garden, Half Mile of History, the hospital district, and Miles Chapel CME Church. Then the guests will arrive at Glass Recreation Center for a press conference at noon with national president and CEO Lady Eddie Lee Marsh.

“As we celebrate 60 years of TLOD, we’re excited to introduce the ‘Stewards of Tomorrow’ community service project — a special initiative aimed at giving back to the community where our legacy began,” Marsh said.

For this milestone event, members of the Rose City chapter and over 400 TLOD guests will assemble care packages for all 1,000 students at Texas College.

“We believe in empowering the next generation, and these care packages will provide essential resources to support their academic journey,” Marsh added.

TLOD is a nonprofit organization founded in 1964 at Texas College. Its mission is to enhance community standards, ideals and welfare through service by encouraging, promoting, and facilitating activities that contribute to the betterment of people.

Since its inception, TLOD has grown into a leading organization committed to community service and empowerment. Its focus now spans several areas, including supporting youth through Top Teens of America, advancing the status of women, serving senior citizens, beautifying communities, and fostering partnerships. Nationwide, TLOD chapters support the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), and provide national scholarships in each of TLOD’s six geographic regions. Additionally, TLOD’s initiatives include a collaborative peer education program with Top Teens of America and the National Foundation, March of Dimes.

With more than 125 chapters across the country, TLOD has a membership of over 7,500 individuals, including approximately 3,500 teens. The organization’s mission is to enhance and enrich the lives of both youth and adults through national programs, projects, and partnerships.

To commemorate its 60th anniversary, the event will feature the theme ‘A Step Back in Time – Pilgrimage to Tyler, Texas.’ This celebration will allow attendees to trace the organization’s origins, walk in the footsteps of TLOD’s founders, and experience the birthplace of TLOD.

The event will honor the founding members of TLOD, with a special focus on four founders from Tyler: Franchell Boswell, Ozell Dean, Willie L. Glass, and LaVerne Madlock.

The service project will not only include the assembly of care packages, but tree planting, bench placement, and a visit to the home site of Willie Lee Glass.

President of the Rose City chapter, Mae Johnson, will greet and dine the 400 guests at Quality Inn Tyler, 2843 W NW Loop 323, with food provided by A Taste of North de Light. Before the guests depart to head back to Dallas, there will be a memorial ceremony to “Speak the Names” of TLOD’s founders at Evergreen Memorial Park & Cemetery.

For more information about the organization, visit www.tlodinc.org/.