Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: Services and events in the Fox Valley

A great leader deserves to be honored and remembered. Here's where you can find Martin Luther King Jr. events in and around the Fox Valley.

Saturday, Jan. 16

Prayer breakfast at ECC

The city of Elgin Human Relations Commission's 31st annual prayer breakfast takes place from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 16, at the business conference center of Elgin Community College, 1700 Spartan Drive.

A diverse group of faith leaders and community members celebrate Dr. King's legacy through prayer, song and spoken word. Joyce Fountain will be the keynote speaker. Bruce D. Strom and Helen Lopez Strom of the Gospel Justice Initiative will receive the 2016 Dr. King Humanitarian Award for their life work of service. Tickets are $15; to purchase, visit city hall or call (847) 931-5607.

Sunday, Jan. 17

King program at Hemmens

At 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, Elgin's Human Relations Commission holds a Dr. Martin Luther King Public Program at the Hemmens, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. This event is youth-oriented and celebrates area young people and their families.

The Dr. King Scholarship will be presented to three high school seniors: Nadine Toussaint of South Elgin High School, Alecia Elam of St. Edward High School and Brittany Neloms of Larkin High School. The scholarship criteria considers scholastic achievement, school/community involvement, a video essay and future plans.

In addition, the winners of the city's art and essay contest are recognized and their art work is displayed; winners are Roshonsa Edwards of Ellis Middle School, Orlando Marcano of Channing Elementary School and Jacki Diaz of Nature Ridge Elementary School. Elgin School District U-46 has created the MLK Scholar Award, a new initiative that allows all students from the district to participate and be recognized during the public program.

There will be tribute videos along with music from the citywide community choir. Admission is free. Details: www.cityofelgin.org/mlk/.

Monday, Jan. 18

Interfaith Prayer Breakfast

Larry Greenfield, executive director of the Parliament of World Religions and executive minister of the American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago, is keynote speaker at the seventh annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Interfaith Prayer Breakfast from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 18, at D'Andrea Banquets, 4419 Route 14 in Crystal Lake.

His topic and this year's theme is "Staying Awake," inspired by King's homily on "Sleeping Through a Revolution."

Local faith leaders will be joined by children and musicians from many traditions contributing to the program.

The program will include a Call to Prayer and group prayer with participants including Islamic, Hindu, Jewish, Buddhist, various Christian traditions and New Thought. There will also be the reading winning essays, as it is often difficult to narrow it down to only one winner by a local middle school student addressing the theme: "Awake: How Do You Wish to See the World in 20 Years? Remember You Are An Active Participant in These Changes."

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students and can be purchased at First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake, the Blue Lotus Temple in Woodstock, the McHenry County Jewish Congregation in Ridgefield, the Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church, the Center for Spiritual Evolution in Crystal Lake, Bethany Lutheran Church in Crystal Lake, the Department of Mission and Spiritual Care at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, and the American Muslim Community Organization in Algonquin. Tickets also will be available at the door and online at www.faithbridgeinterfaith.org.

Youth Day of Service and food drive

Elgin's Youth Day of Service and Leadership Conference begins at 9 p.m. at The Centre in Elgin. Keynote speaker Dr. Dwan Prude, a graduate of the Illinois Math and Science Academy, will lead workshops on a variety of topics.

Food collected from the communitywide MLK Food Drive will be distributed. Collection sites are at churches, business, food stores, City Hall, Elgin Police Department and the firehouses within the city of Elgin. Details: www.cityofelgin.org/mlk/.

Guest speaker at Judson

As has been tradition for the past dozen years, the choir, musicians and pastor of Second Baptist Church of Elgin will lead worship during Judson University's Martin Luther King Jr. Day chapel service at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 18, in Herrick Chapel, 1151 N. State St., Elgin. The service is free and open to the public.

The Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Edmond is a member of the Judson board of trustees. He will serve as the guest speaker for this program that will also welcome prospective students who are participating in an overnight Preview Day event on campus.

"The MLK chapel will be a high-energy praise party," promises Pastor Edmond. "Most of chapel will be music from one of the best choirs in the Fox Valley. I will bring a few remarks that will center around our church celebrating our 150th anniversary. We were founded by a group of ex-slaves from Franklin County, Alabama. We look forward to the celebration."

Poet Nikki Giovanni in Aurora

Aurora's MLK Planning Committee, in collaboration with the city of Aurora and Aurora's African-American Heritage Advisory Board, hosts the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18, at East Aurora High School, 500 Tomcat Lane in Aurora. Admission is free.

Honoring the life and legacy of Dr. King, the event will feature performances from students and student groups, special awards for youth who serve the Aurora community and a keynote address by the poet Nikki Giovanni.

From her early writings during the Civil Rights Movements of the 1960s to her contemporary work that led her to become a nominee for a Grammy Award and finalist for the National Book Award, she is an author and professor who is rooted in the dream.

High school and middle school students are encouraged to participate in Aurora's Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 18, at a participating service location. Every student who participates will receive a special award at the MLK Celebration with Nikki Giovanni in the evening of MLK Day.

For information, contact the City of Aurora Community Relations Division at (630) 256-3360 or MyAurora@aurora-il.org.