1 of 13

Pastors/Ministers/Laymen Prayer Breakfast participants made a short march for unity in front of the Currituck YMCA building. Philip S. Ruckle Jr. photo

Courtney Gallop provided an opening welcome. Philip S. Ruckle Jr. photo

Peggy Bogues blessed the food. Philip S. Ruckle Jr. photo

Local NAACP Chairman William Dade. Philip S. Ruckle Jr. photo

Savannah, left, and Holland Hill performed a short stage praise dance at Monday's Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration in Currituck. Philip S. Ruckle Jr. photo

Savannah, left, and Holland Hill performed a short stage praise dance at Monday's Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration in Currituck. Philip S. Ruckle Jr. photo

Savannah, left, and Holland Hill performed a short stage praise dance at Monday's Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration in Currituck. Philip S. Ruckle Jr. photo

South Hampton Roads YMCA president and CEO Anthony Walters talked about the barriers Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. broke down while transforming a nation. Philip S. Ruckle Jr. photo

South Hampton Roads YMCA president and CEO Anthony Walters talked about the barriers Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. broke down while transforming a nation. Philip S. Ruckle Jr. photo

Bridge Church Pastor Eric Fretz offered a prayer for unity. Philip S. Ruckle Jr. photo

Currituck Family YMCA executive director DJ Kophazy invited the audience to participate in a short march for unity. Philip S. Ruckle Jr. photo

Pastors/Ministers/Laymen Prayer Breakfast participants made a short march for unity in front of the Currituck YMCA building. Philip S. Ruckle Jr. photo

Pastors/Ministers/Laymen Prayer Breakfast participants made a short march for unity in front of the Currituck YMCA building. Philip S. Ruckle Jr. photo

While much of our nation’s attention focused on inauguration events in Washington Monday, a crowd of more than three dozen locals gathered at the Currituck Family YMCA in Barco to honor the memory and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The morning event, a partnership between the Currituck County NAACP Branch and the Currituck Family YMCA, was billed as the initial Pastors/Ministers/Laymen Prayer Breakfast and opened with a welcome from board member Courtney Gallop and blessing of the food by Peggy Bogues.

Following comments from local NAACP Chairman William Dade, praise dancers Savannah and Holland Hill wowed the audience with a short stage dance.

The heart of the gathering included comments from South Hampton Roads YMCA president and CEO Anthony Walters, who talked about the barriers King broke down while transforming a nation. Pointing out a number of King comments printed on posters in the room, Walters encouraged everyone to carry forward King’s vision for unity and peace and pointed out three lessons from Dr. King:
– King taught the power of love;
– King demonstrated courage and perseverance;
– King taught us to be bridge builders.

Walters then concluded his comments with a question for the group: “What are you doing for others?”

The next speaker, Bishop Joe Powell, read an excerpt from one of Dr. King’s speeches and Bridge Church Pastor Eric Fretz provided a moving prayer for unity.

In a closing call to action, Currituck Family YMCA executive director DJ Kophazy invited the audience to participate in a short march for unity. While some elected to walk on the facility’s indoor track, the more adventurous gathered outside in defiance of the frigid winter weather conditions and walked together in front of the YMCA building.

Event organizer Anita Dade said she was pleased with attendance for the initial Pastors/Ministers/Laymen Prayer Breakfast, noting that the weather may have impacted the numbers a bit.

“This was our first one,” said Dade. “It was a learning experience for us this year because it was the first one and we hope to have another one next year.”

Dade went on to say that next year the menu might change and there might be more speakers, as well as an effort to include more youth.

“We have a lot of talented kids here in Currituck County,” Dade added. “We want our youth to know about Doctor King because it’s all about our youth getting what they deserve, which is a great education. We don’t want any of them slipping through the cracks and not being able to fulfill their destiny in the world.”

Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister and advocate for equality. Born January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Ga., King was a prominent though controversial figure in the civil rights movement in America who advocated nonviolent protests until his assassination in 1968 in Memphis, Tenn.

Although individual states recognized holidays in honor of Dr. King as early as 1973, according to an article by Zach Yanowitz, recognition at the federal level was held back due to “worries over cost and – in some quarters – lingering concerns surrounding his political associations” as well as what some called King’s “‘anti-American’ opposition to the Vietnam War.”

Finally, on November 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill into law which paved the way for Martin Luther King Jr. Day to be celebrated as a federal holiday on the third Monday of each January.

READ ABOUT MORE NEWS HERE.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE COASTLAND TIMES TODAY!

More Currituck

Free tax preparation services available for Currituck County residents

Corolla school’s lottery open for new students

Currituck Opioid Advisory Board to meet Thursday

Hands-on tree and shrub pruning workshop set