Kesler Chapel A. M. E. Zion Church selects Woman of the Year 2022

WADESBORO — Kesler Chapel A. M. E. Zion Church proudly salutes and congratulates Dr. Takeda LeGrand as their 2022 Woman of the Year.

Each year a woman at Kesler Chapel is selected and voted on by the women of the church as the Woman of the Year. This individual is usually someone who has worked tirelessly in a variety of ways in support of the church’s ministries. This year, LeGrand’s outstanding commitment, faithfulness, and selfless devotion to her church make her a most suitable candidate for this recognition. LeGrand is an active member of Kesler Chapel. She has served as the Director of the Christian Education Department, Assistant Class Leader, Youth Choir, Youth Delegate, Children’s Hour Leader, Usher Parish Nurse Ministry, and Co-Chair of the 140th Anniversary Committee. She is also a member of the Stewardess Board and Woman’s Home and Overseas Missionary.

The theme for the Woman’s Day program is “Godly Women: 50 Years of Healing and Hoping!” The program will be held on Sunday, March 13, at 9:45 a. m. at Kesler Chapel A. M. E. Zion Church, which is located at 708 Salisbury Street, Wadesboro, N. C.

Minister Barbara Thomas of Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church of Wadesboro will be the speaker for the program. Thomas has been employed as a Deputy Clerk for the Superior Court system of Anson County since 2008 and became Assistant Deputy Clerk on December 2018. She became a licensed minister on August 30, 2015. Thomas is married to the Honorable Judge, Deacon Weaver Thomas and they are the parents of four, and grandparents of eight children.

LeGrand is a professional educator with over eighteen years of experience in education at the classroom, building, district, and State levels. She holds a Doctorate of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Gardner-Webb University, an Executive Juris Doctorate in School Law from Concord Law School at Purdue University Global, a Master of Arts in Teaching from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Health Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Currently, LeGrand serves as the Superintendent for Scotland County Public Schools, as an Adjunct Professor of Education, and as Contributing Editor for the Journal of the Alliance of Black School Educators. Upon starting her tenure at Scotland County Schools, she became the first African-American female to serve in the post. She was formerly the Chief Operations Officer at Diversified Comprehensive Solutions (DCS), LLC an education development-focused company that she co-founded in 2013. LeGrand is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

LeGrand is the daughter of Pamela Knotts Rorie and Roger Rorie, Sr., and the late Horace Huntley, Jr. (Madie). She is the proud wife of Thomas LeGrand, Jr., an Anson County native and Town Commissioner for the Town of Wingate, and mother of Trinity, a Junior Biology/Pre-Med major at Wingate University and Taylor, a 5th grader at Fairview Elementary.

LeGrand is a life-long member of Kesler Chapel A. M. E. Zion Church where her pastor is Reverend Rodney O. Moore. Her favorite Scripture is Isaiah 26:3: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusts in thee.”