COVINGTON, Ga. — Newton County’s 37th Annual Commemorative Celebration of the Life and Legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is set for Sunday, Jan. 16, at 3 p.m. and broadcast live via YouTube and Facebook Live.
Due to COVID-19, this year’s event will again be a virtual celebration with music, song and words of inspiration consistent with the National Theme, “Shifting Priorities to Create the Beloved Community.”
A key feature of the event remains the recognition and celebration of individuals — adults and youth — and organizations that contribute to advancing peace and unity in the Newton County community, a news release stated.
Awards will include the I Have A Dream Award, the Trailblazer Award and the Young Dreamer Award.
Organizers sought award nominees based on the following criteria:
• I Have a Dream Award: The nominee must have given at least two years of service to the Newton County community; must be a registered voter; is affiliated with a church/synagogue/worship center; made contributions to the community that are not for profit and visible to the community; made nondiscriminatory contributions; models a spirit of peace and unity; is one who will initiate and support change; must be endowed with a humble spirit; must be steadfast in his/her convictions; and must be one who fosters and supports education on all levels.
• Trailblazer Award: The nominee must be a longtime resident of Newton County; must be a registered voter; must be a creator of change in the community and follow through to implementation; change facilitated by the nominee must be a benefit to the community; must be resourceful and committed to all aspects of the county; and the nominee must foster a cohesive spirit of “peace, unity, diversity and love.”
• Young Dreamer Award: The nominee must be a resident of Newton County, enrolled in one of the public schools of Newton County in grades K-12; must have demonstrated interest in fostering peace, unity, diversity ad love among his or her peers; and must have made a difference in the lives of others who may have otherwise been overlooked, ignored or disadvantaged.
Watch the event on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/newtonmlkcelebration.
To watch on YouTube, search for Newton County Martin Luther King Celebration at youtube.com.
The 2021 winners were Newton County Chairman Marcello Banes, I Have a Dream Award; sisters Felicia Tuggle Harris and Chandra Tuggle Mitchell, Trailblazer Award; and Meredith McCrorey, Young Dreamer Award.
