An annual celebration will again provide various opportunities to serve the community and participate in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy.

An expanded series of events will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Milford. The Huron Valley MLK Day Committee is offering multiple opportunities to get involved by hosting a series of events open to everyone that celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Committee Chair and Lakeland High School Teacher Isaac Perry tells WHMI a series of events are tied to the various themes related to the holiday and they try to offer community service opportunities because the holiday is intended to be a national day of service. He says they are always looking to expand events and every year they get people from surrounding communities who take part. The 14th annual March on Main Street begins at 1pm this Sunday, with attendees encouraged to line up around 12:30pm. Perry says Main Street in downtown Milford is closed down momentarily to allow for the large scale community march through the street in which Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech plays through the loud speakers.

This year’s theme is “Let Love Unite!” Committee Chair and Lakeland High School Teacher Isaac Perry tells WHMI the nice thing about Dr. King’s legacy is that the topics he spoke about and the themes he incorporated were very pertinent to the time period and the struggles people faced during the Civil Rights movement. He says those things endure and the theme was one everyone on the committee agreed upon. Perry says the struggle for equality, the struggle to maintain an atmosphere of non-violence and a culture of equality and justice is an ongoing struggle and these themes endure. He says people can talk all day about the political environment and what their told about how divided the American society is but it’s not all that hard to look at the words of Dr. King and find something that still feels so important in the moment. Perry noted the theme wasn’t chosen to address anything in current society, but does feel that’s a testament to the timelessness of Dr. King’s words in that you don’t have to look very far to find something that feels current and relevant.

As for activities, an annual art/writing and multimedia contest has been ongoing and submissions were recently judged. Submissions and winners will be on display at the Suzanne Haskew Arts Center, known as The SHAC, located at 125 South Main Street. That’s also where Sunday’s March on Main Street will end with the concluding ceremony, music performance, entertainment, hot food and beverages, a presentation of awards for contest winners and information on local volunteer opportunities. Activities will continue on Monday with a meal assembly event is following a soup food drive that has been ongoing. Community members have been encouraged to purchase the canned goods needed for a Southwest Chicken Soup recipe that will create a soup bag for families in need. Volunteers are being sought to help assemble the meals from 4 to 7pm at The SHAC on Monday. Complete details about the March on Main Street and other activities are available through the link and attached information. (JM)