Charles Cotton is shown performing a Kenny G song on the saxophone at the MLK Jr. celebration event Monday, Jan. 16.

Text And Photos
By Caleigh Byrer
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Many joined local nonprofit One Warsaw in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. at Courthouse Coffee Monday, Jan. 16.

Members of the community, along with the One Warsaw board of directors, didn’t feel right about MLK Jr. Day coming and going without holding a celebration.

According to Sara Strahan, they managed to coordinate this event in a little over a week to give everyone a chance to come together, celebrate King and his message. One Ten Craft Meatery also pitched in by catering the event free of cost.

Strahan welcomed everyone and offered a prayer before the program began, which was carried by speeches from MLK Jr. Committee Founder Joe Banks, numerous community members and a live performance by jazz artist Charles Cotton.

“We have so many great needs in this community,” Strahan said. “What I want you guys to think about tonight is, how is it that I can help? How is it that I can be of service and end up utilizing what Dr. King’s real message was about — service.”

Joe Banks, founder of the Committee to Commemorate Martin Luther King Jr., spoke about many of the trials that King faced during his life.

She hopes attendees took away a sense of “community togetherness,” clarity on local issues and the ways they can help out as they reflected on King’s legacy.

Strahan noted it has not been that long since King was spreading his message of service and that while things have certainly changed in the time since his passing, it is important to still act with regard to his cause.

Banks, a military veteran of 26 years and founder of the Committee to Commemorate Martin Luther King Jr., recounted some of the trials King faced during his life and recited a few quotes that he was fond of.

Banks highlighted the violent opposition that King faced and the strength that he showed when he was wrongfully incarcerated and threatened.

He also noted that King consistently showed restraint and opposed with love no matter how he was approached, which is what won him the Nobel Peace Prize of 1964.

In King’s 1963 ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, he said, “Let freedom ring. Let freedom ring from the mountaintops of Georgia. Let freedom ring.”

Banks said, “Pray for the day that freedom rings across the borders of the United States; either the man-made land borders or the man-made ethnic borders.”

Travis McConnell, owner of Courthouse Coffee, thanked everyone for coming and stated, “I was happy to help out and I’m glad we were able to have an MLK event; wouldn’t want the day to go by without one.”

McConnell and Strahan were both pleased by the turnout as the room was filled for nearly the entire duration of the event.