Morris County honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Commissioner Offers a Message of Hope at Annual Remembrance
MORRISTOWN, NJ (Morris County) – Clerics, community leaders and public officials came together in song, prayer and words of inspiration during the 54th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Celebration held yesterday at the Calvary Baptist Church in Morristown.
The annual service, hosted by the Martin Luther King Observance Committee in collaboration with the Morris Area Clergy Council and the African American Clergy Association, has become a staple in the Morris County community. Among the attendees this year were Morris County Commissioners John Krickus and Deborah Smith, state Sen. Anthony Bucco, Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, County Administrator Deena Leary, Sheriff James Gannon, Prosecutor Robert Carroll, County College of Morris (CCM) President Anthony Iacono and Kellie Doucette, District Director for U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill.
Commissioner Krickus spoke at the event and found a connection in this year’s theme, “Strength of the Dream: Moving Forward with Hope,” to educational initiatives in the county. In October, Morris County and CCM in partnership with the Morris County Vocational School District (MCVSD) launched the Morristown College Promise, which provides free assistance to motivated, low-income middle and high school students and their families to prepare for college.
“I am filled with hope this morning, because if you are or know someone in grades seven to ten, they can take advantage of our Morris Vocational School District, either full-time or part-time,” Krickus said. “I am filled with hope, because if you are a junior or senior in high school, or want to go down a different career path, you can attend CCM, where in October we broke ground on a new entrepreneurship center and expansion of our culinary program. … These are your schools, welcoming all students to amazing opportunities at these elite schools. Let us honor Dr. King’s legacy by turning hope into action. Thank you and God Bless.”
Rev. Dr. David A. Hollowell, Chair of the Martin Luther King Observance Committee, provided the welcome remarks, followed by an invocation from Rabbi David Satz of the Temple B’nai Or of Morristown.
The event included songs from the Calvary Baptist Praise Team, a keynote address by Pastor Jerry M. Carter, Jr. of the Calvary Baptist Church and a benediction by Rev. Luana Scott Cook of the United Methodist Church of Morristown.
Monday marked the 39th year that the birthday of Dr. King was commemorated as a national holiday. Following the service there was a series of panel discussions that were also available virtually through the Observance Committee website.
