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Local Activist is First NBC ‘Morning Glory’
By PATRICK COBBS
Staff Writer
If you live near Chew Avenue and Washington Lane you may very well know Reverend Chester Williams, block captain of the 6200 block of Chew Avenue, founder of the Chew/Belfield Neighborhood Association and Democratic committee leader for the 59th ward.
He holds community meetings in a living room crowded with overstuffed furniture and he has a knack for getting top government officials sitting on the sofa next to local residents. At a recent meeting, representatives from the City Commerce Department, the chief of staff for State Representative John Myers, and City Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller herself packed into the house to give local updates before diner was served.
In Germantown, at least, a lot of people know Reverend Williams and soon the rest of Philadelphia will know him too. He will be the first person featured on NBC 10’s new Morning Glory segments – personal profiles hosted by News Anchor Terry Ruggles meant to honor local residents who go above and beyond for their neighborhoods.
“How many people do you have lined up, Chester?” said Ruggles in mock exasperation. As he and his camera operator were setting up to tape the segment the doorbell kept ringing with people who wanted to be a part of Williams’ TV tribute.
Sitting down with Ruggles near the foot of Williams’ staircase, in his living room and in his kitchen these friends and colleagues talked about what made the reverend so special.
“He deals with other people to help them with their needs and he’s very good at it,” said Richard Moody.
Bishop Richard Rooker, pastor of Spirit of Pentecost Church in Germantown, was equally enthusiastic.
“If you ever want to meet a man that always has a word of encouragement, that’s who he is,” he told Ruggles.
And Ashley Schmid of the nearby Toocany/Tacony Frankford Watershed Partnership tried to sum it all up.
“Reverend Williams spends all of his time talking to people and making sure they have access to the services they need,” she said. “I think one of the problems that we have now is that people are losing touch with one another, and Reverend Williams brings people together.”
When it finally came time to interview Williams, Ruggles made sure to do it in the place he would feel most at home, along the street that he walks every morning to talk with residents and keep the neighborhood clean.
Look for the Morning Glory segments to start airing on NBC 10 in the next few weeks.
