The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
King to be honored by NAACP in event
For the second consecutive year, the Lake County Branch of the NAACP plans to hold its annual Martin Luther King Jr. program in Painesville.
The MLK Day of Service & Celebration program is scheduled for 6 p.m., Jan. 15, inside Morley Hall on the campus of Lake Erie College, 391 W. Washington St., a flier for the event shows.
Last year was the first time in recent memory the event took place in Painesville, as it had been held for a number of years in the Dr. Wayne L. Rodehorst Performing Arts Center on the main campus of Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, confirmed branch President Albert Jones, who said at the Jan. 16, 2017, event that it had been at least a couple decades since the organization’s MLK Day event happened in Painesville.
He added that, while Lakeland has been a wonderful partner over the years, it seemed a good time to bring the event back to Painesville, as many in- volved with the Painesville-based Lake County Branch of the NAACP live close by.
As he gave his own in- troduction as emcee of last year’s event, the Rev. Melvin Motley, who is Lake County NA ACP religious affairs committee chairman, concurred with Jones.
“It’s close to home, so many of you can partici- pate,” Jones said. “And it’s close to home, so you can come, even in inclement weather. So, Lake Erie Col- lege has made this possible... And I want to say it’s a privilege to be standing on this stage once again.”
Along with the change of venue, organizers of the 2017 event switched up the program a bit, too. That tribute featured performances by a variety of Praise Dancers, renditions by the Harvey High School Gospel Choir and two speakers: then-Lake Erie College seniors.
Some highlights of the 2018 program are set to include an invocation by Pastor Jeff Sivyer from THe Grove Church of Lake County, performances by the Harvey and Riverside Combined High School Choirs, A Poem by a Fairport Harding High School representative, a talk entitled What Dr. King Means to Me by Lake County Branch NAACP board member Marsita Ferguson, along with remaks from Lake Erie College President Brian Posler, LAke County Branch NAACP President Albert Jones and a benediction by The Rev. Girard Mirbel from Miracle Revival Ministries, the event’s program confirms.
The event is free and open to the public.