Getting ready for MLK events

Members of the Destiny Leadership Academy march together with hundreds of other people during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. March on Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala on Jan. 15, 2024. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission, Inc. will again host a number of events in recognition of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This year’s activities have a theme of “Mission Possible II – Uniting the Nation; Building a Future.”

The third Monday in January is a federal holiday to remember the slain civil rights activist, who served as pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, from 1954 to 1965, before he rose to international prominence as the leading voice for equality and social justice in America and around the world until he was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

All of the activities taking place in Ocala, ranging from Jan. 10 to Jan. 19, are organized by the commemorative commission. Proceeds will help fund scholarships for local high school students. The commission has issued a call for members of the public to join in, as well as an appeal for vendors, entertainers and volunteers. Below are details about each activity and who to contact to learn more.

• 10: Food Drive, 9 a.m., 2nd Bethlehem Association NW 4th Ave. Ocala; contact Ire Bethea at (352) 208-0819 or Rev. Eric Cummings at (352) 804-6871
• 17: Prayer Breakfast, 9 a.m., Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place,1821 NW 21st Ave. Ocala; contact Loretta Jenkins at (352) 351-0824 or Paula Leahmon at (352)426-8028
• 17: Wreath Ceremony, noon, Martin Luther King Jr. Park 500 SW MLK Jr. Ave., Ocala; contact Cassandra Boston at (352) 209-2973
• 17: Youth Day, 1 p.m., Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place, 1821 NW 21st. Ave. Ocala; contact Dwanette Dilworth at (352) 207-6036 or Trellis Hagin at (386) 451-1973
• Jan 18: Ecumenical Service, 6 p.m., New St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 2251 NW 2nd St., Ocala
• 19: MLK March, 8 a.m. lineup in downtown Ocala, march steps off at 9 a.m. and goes to Webb Field at the Martin Luther King Recreation Complex, 1501 W. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala; transportation will be available at 7 a.m. from the racquetball court at the complex; contact Ire Bethea at (352) 208-0819
• Jan 19: Day in the Park, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Webb Field; for activities/vendors, contact Dwanette Dilworth at (352) 207-6036, for stage entertainment, contact TeSha Jackson at (352) 426-0861

Maxi Rodriguez of Interfaith Emergency Services, Eric Cummings and Ocala City Councilman Ire Bethea unload donated food from a pickup truck during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day food drive in Ocala on Jan. 18, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]

In a spirit of teaching younger generations new life skills, the Youth Day event on Jan. 17 will include activities such as health and wellness, with a court skills academy for basketball and volleyball, body mechanics for training with purpose and the art of healthy living. Personal development offerings will include polished and poised style and etiquette, cybersecurity and social media, and your future after high school. Music and arts presentations will include an artistry workshop, face painting and line dancing.

According to the commission, participation in the Dr. Martin Luther King Day March has grown considerably over the years and is now attended by a thousand patrons from all over the area, as well as hundreds who participate as entries with churches, civic groups, businesses and community groups.

“Our one-mile route through Ocala is lined from start to finish with enthusiastic and ethnically diverse crowds, enjoying the entertainment and sharing the experience while honoring a great American hero. Opportunities abound to sell food, refreshments, souvenirs and other merchandise and the costs to participate are minimal at the end of the march,” the news release noted.

To learn more about the overall event, call Paula Leahmon at (352) 426-8028.

James Henningsen, president of the College of Central Florida, lays a wreath as Officer Malaya Woods and Sgt. Richard Tuck of the Ocala Police Department stand at attention during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Wreath Memorial Ceremony in Ocala on Jan. 15, 2022. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]