COVINGTON, Ga. — Nominees are being sought for the three major awards to be given during Newton County’s 38th annual Commemorative Celebration of the Life and Legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The event will be a virtual event "with music, song and words of inspiration to compel our Newton County community to be relentless in advancing the ideals of peace, equity, unity and love," organizers said in a news release.
The event annually recognizes and celebrates adults, youth and organizations "who contribute to advancing peace and unity in the Newton County community," the release stated.
Awards include the I Have A Dream Award, Trailblazer Award and Young Dreamer Award. Nominees for each award should meet 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; be affiliated with a church, synagogue or worship center; made contributions to the community that are nonprofit and visible to the community; made nondiscriminatory contributions; and "models a spirit of peace and unity," will initiate and support "change," have a "humble spirit," be "steadfast in his or her convictions" and "fosters and supports education on all levels."
Trailblazer Award: The nominee must be a longtime Newton County resident, a registered voter, and "a creator of change in the community and follow through to implementation.."
The "change facilitated by the nominee must be a benefit to the community"; the nominee "must be resourceful and committed to all aspects of the county," and "must foster a cohesive spirit of peace, unity, diversity and love."
Young Dreamer Award: The nominee must be a Newton County resident enrolled in one of the county's public schools; 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 phone number of the person making the nomination;
• The name and address of the nominee (including 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://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe7-VQyHBQSQyIFCt5HY_g5u1e7D30ACHkN0px2UygW51h6Rg/viewform?usp=embed_facebook.
They also can be mailed to: MLK Awards, c/o Mrs. Josephine Brown, P.O. Box 185, Covington, GA 30015.
All nomination submissions should be received by 6 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2023.
The awards will be announced during the virtual event which will be broadcast via YouTube and Facebook Live on Jan. 15, 2023, at 3 p.m.
