This January of 2009 is a special time to embrace unity and encourage one another to fulfill dreams. A major event, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day will occur just before the presidential inauguration of Barak Obama who embodies the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, upstate South Carolinians can look forward to phenomenal events that are detailed below.
MLK Dream Weekend: Diversity Banquet and Day of Dreams
The MLK Dream Weekend is series of events, to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., that began in Greenville, SC in 2006. It is organized by the MLK Dream Team whose founder is Pastor Curtis Johnson. The first event of this series, the Diversity Banquet, will be held on Friday, January 16 at 7 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency located at 220 N. Main St, Greenville, SC 29601. Tickets are $60 individually and $550 for a table of 10. They may be purchased online with major credit cards at www.mlkdreamweekend.com. The main speaker will be Les Brown, a motivational speaker, author, TV personality, and CEO of Les Brown Enterprises, from Miami, FL. He will speak on the process of evolving from average to great.
Part 2 of this series, Day of Dreams, will be held on Monday, January 19, 2009 between 9 a.m. to 1p.m. at Greenville High School located on 1 Vardry St, Greenville, SC 29601. This event will include a General Assembly; workshop sessions for children, teens, and adults; and lunch. There will be guest speakers of various ages who will share their successes that began with a dream. The workshops will focus on the theme “All together. Now” and will include activities that encourage everyone to pursue their dreams. Further information about both events of MLK Dream Weekend is available on http://www.mlkdreamweekend.com.
Martin Luther King Luncheon
The Martin Luther King Luncheon will also be held on January 19, 2009 in the noon at the Greer City Hall located on 301 E. Poinsett St, Greer, SC. The tickets are $5 and will be sold until January 12, 2009 at the Greer Recreation Dept, 446 Pennsylvania Ave., Greer, SC. The speaker of this ceremony will be Dr. Ken Peake, assistant superintendent for school accountability for the Greenville County School District. Also as part of this event, the Recreation Department is hosting a contest with the theme “What King Means to Me.” Submissions may include poems, stories, and artwork that may be submitted in person or by mail to the Recreation Dept by January 12 , 2009 (Lundeen). For further information, individuals may contact wharbin@cityofgreer.org.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Week Celebration: Walk As One, Day of Service, and Unity Celebration
The first of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Week Celebration three-part-event, held in Spartanburg, SC, is Walk As One. This event will be held at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church on Saturday, January 17, 2009 at 10 a.m. Then on Monday, January 19, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Day of Service will take place at the Hangar in Spartanburg. This will be followed by the Unity Celebration on January 19, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. in the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium. Further details about this event can be found on http://mlkunityweek.com.
There is definitely something for everyone to participate in with upstate SC as a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Most of the events will be held on the official holiday, Monday, January 19, 2009, when students are off from school and adults are off from work. Above all, in witnessing King’s dream come alive, all will be inspired to fulfill their dreams.
Sources
Lundeen, Nan. “MLK Celebration Links to Obama Presidency.” Greenville Online website.
“MLK Unity Celebration.” MLK Unity Week website.
“MLK Dream Weekend.” MLK Dream Weekend website.
