COVINGTON, Ga. — Organizers are seeking nominations for Newton County’s 37th Annual Commemorative Celebration of the Life and Legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  

Due to COVID-19, the 2021 event will again be a virtual celebration with music, song and words of inspiration consistent with the 2021 national theme of "Shifting Priorities to Create the Beloved Community."

A key feature of the event remains the recognition and celebration of individuals — adults and youth — as well as organizations that contribute to advancing "peace and unity in the Newton County community," said organizer Gail Reid Slaton.

Awards include the I Have A Dream Award, Trailblazer Award and Young Dreamer Award. Award nominees are solicited for each award 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; affiliated with a church, synagogue or worship center; made contributions to the community that the individual did not profit from financially and were 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 hi or /her convictions; and must be one who fosters and supports education on all levels, the release stated.

• Trailblazer Award — The nominee must be a longtime resident of Newton County; must be a registered voter; must be resourceful and committed to all aspects of the county; must "foster a cohesive spirit of peace, unity, diversity and love; must be a "creator of change in the community and follow through to implementation"; and the "change" facilitated by the nominee must be a benefit to the community.

• Young Dreamer Awards — The nominee must be a resident of Newton County enrolled in one of the public schools of Newton County; must be in grades kindergarten through 12; must have demonstrated "interest in fostering peace, unity, diversity, and 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." 

Each nomination should include:

• The name, address, and contact phone number of the person making the nomination; 

• The name and address of the nominee (include school and grade for Young Dreamer Award nominees);

• A typed statement of 250 to 500 words explaining how the nominee meets or exceeds the criteria for the award.

Nominations may be submitted directly online using the link https://forms.gle/cqdfZWmH4DtV7ZBi9 or mailed to:

MLK Awards

c/o Mrs. Josephine Brown, 

P.O. Box 185

Covington, GA 30015  

All nominations should be received by Jan. 9, 2022, at 6 p.m.