Martin Luther King Jr. event returns to Wheaton

After several years in Elmhurst, the DuPage County Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration is returning to Wheaton where it began 26 years ago.

The free event, which draws hundreds of people of different backgrounds from throughout the county, is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Gary United Methodist Church, 224 Main St. Planning committee member and Second Baptist Church of Wheaton administrator Rose Clark said it celebrates King's life and legacy by reminding people to look past cultural and racial differences and focus on loving one another.

"It's about love," she said. "I think the more programs we have like this, to just continuously get the word out to people that it's all about the love, that's what God expects of us. I think that's what we need to be about."

The event was started by the leaders of Second Baptist Church and DuPage African Methodist Episcopal Church in Lisle, after a pastor from downstate Illinois visited and asked why there was no countywide celebration of King.

Celebrations were held at both churches until it grew big enough to be moved to Wheaton College. In 2012, the event moved again, to Elmhurst College. Clark said organizers are thrilled to bring it back to Wheaton because it is a more central location.

This year, the keynote speaker is Tracy Malone, district superintendent for United Methodist churches and former pastor of Gary United Methodist Church. The Second Baptist Church Mass Choir and Gary United Methodist Church Choir will perform, along with the Second Baptist Church Praise and Dance Team and the Waubonsie Valley High School Diamond Steppers.

Scholarships for at least 10 high school students are typically awarded at the celebration, but Clark said this is the first year organizers agreed to take a break from the scholarships, in hopes of raising more money to grow the program.

Currently, the scholarships are $500 each. Clark said the new goal is to either increase the amount of money that is given to students or increase the number of students who receive scholarships. A collection for scholarship funds will take place at Monday's celebration.

Clark said the atmosphere at the event is "full of joy" and "everybody is on the same page when it comes to sharing the love that Dr. King had."

"You come out to hear a good message," she said.