Cincinnati Enquirer’s Sue Kiesewetter reports:
The noon March for Unity in Our Community will kick off the Jan. 16 Martin Luther King Jr. observances for West Chester and Liberty townships.
The noon march begins at Union Day School, 8735 Cincinnati-Dayton Road and heads south about a half-mile to the West Chester Presbyterian Church where all marchers will be given a free lunch, donated by area restaurants.
“It is not a parade; it is a participation event that represents what those who marched for civil rights experienced,’’ said organizer Gail Webster. “Bring a banner or poster in honor of MLK Day if you so desire.”
Families with children, school and community groups, scouts and others are encouraged to participate in the march.
The Live the Dream: Our Declaration of Unity program begins at 6:30 p.m. at Cornerstone United Methodist Church, 7600 Princeton-Glendale Road, in Liberty Township. The lobby display featuring the submissions to the Why Bother contest for students opens at 6:30 p.m.
A community choir will perform songs from King’s era during the program. Senior citizens will answer the question, Why bother with this holiday?, from their perspective.
The keynote speaker will be Rev. Dr. Brian Brown, the district superintendent for the Ohio River Valley District of the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church. Refreshments will follow the program.
Two related events have been scheduled in connection with the MLK observance, Webster said.
“Martin Luther King Jr. often spoke of the ‘beloved community’ – an ideal in which everyone got along with each other and helped each other out,’’ Webster said. “There is a true story about one man who eventually did experience this kind of community.”
His story, Waddie Welcome and the Beloved Community, will be read out loud Jan. 26 at the West Chester Library, 9363 Centre Pointe Dr. Attendees over the age of 10 will take turns reading the story during a program facilitated by Jack Pealer, retired ombudsman for the Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
A second presentation at the library will be held at 7 p.m., Feb. 29. Historian and patent attorney Eric Guttag will present the program, The Black Edison: Granville T. Woods. Guttag will talk about Woods many inventions.
All the programs are free and open to the public.
