Robert Delancy

After the cemetery task was completed, Robert convinced his family members to join him in the physical renovation of Saint Peters CME Church. It had been over 60 years since any major work had been done on the building. The bathrooms were not ADA compliant in terms of handicap accessibility and the entire electrical system was outdated and in violation of county building codes. Robert was able to have the project a friend’s contractor’s license after agreeing to be responsible for all the paperwork. Once again, Robert jump-started the project by using his own money to purchase material and pay for the permits. As the project moved along, people from all over Martin County made donations without being asked. Many were surprised when told that the church was not abandoned, but fully operational every Sunday. Almost $20,000.00 dollars was raised for materials and supplies, and the donated professional labor was estimated to be valued at $75,000.00 or more.

Robert recently served as Bethune-Cookman University’s National Alumni Association President. He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors for First Choice Credit Union, a position he has held for the past five years.

Robert has always been committed to helping others and giving back to the community.

In the early 1980 he formed the Concern Citizens of East Stuart, a non-profit community-based organization that provided mentorship for young men and women, enticed community engagement, combat drug use and sales in the East Stuart Community, and created open dialogues with City officials.

After retiring in 2007 he became the volunteer Program Administrator for Building Bridges, a non-profit program for at-risk kids in the East Stuart Community. Using his organizational and marketing skills, he was able to elevate the organization such that it was recognized as a viable program worthy of County grants and public support.

His work in the East Stuart community caught the eye of the Director of Martin County’s Children Services Council. He was asked to serve on the board of Whole Child Connection, a community service organization created by the Children’s Service Counsel but being “spun-off” as separate entity. After two years on the Board of Directors he was elected Vice-Chair. After serving an additional three years he resigned to devote time in the community where he was raised, Mars Hill in Jensen Beach, Florida.

The first thing Robert did for the Mars Hill community was to turn an abandoned playground into an award-winning community garden. He jump-started the project by donating his own money and getting the community to join in the project, which was a first of its kind on the Treasure Coast. The County was so impressed they got involved and donated $50,000.00 in the form of building a pavilion, garden boxes, several grill stations, and donating other park items. For this unique project, Robert was presented with the Martin County Environmental Steward Award. The public recognition of the Community Garden resulted in Robert being asked to make presentations to several cities on the Treasure Coast.

After completing the Community Garden, Robert turned his attention towards George Washington Memorial Cemetery, the historical Black Community Cemetery. Even though the 85 years old cemetery was operational, over 50 years of neglect and sporadic maintenance gave it the appearance of being abandoned. Using his personal funds to purchase chain saws and rent two Bobcat excavators, along with other equipment, Robert, his brothers, and several nephews began the arduous task of cleaning, clearing, and repairing. Women from Saint Peters CME Church solicited help from other women in the community and spent weeks locating and documenting many of the unmarked graves. The women created a grid map and developed a set of rules and regulations for the operation of the cemetery, including issuing documented certificates of ownership when a grave site was purchased. A non-profit organization, Mars Hill Community Center, Incorporated, was created to serve as the administrative overseer for the cemetery and the community garden.