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Elgin's annual MLK prayer breakfast becomes online celebration

For reasons that certainly need no explanation, the city of Elgin's annual Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. prayer breakfast is moving online this year.

Now called the MLK Annual Celebration Event, the program will be broadcast on the city's Facebook page Saturday, Jan. 16, from 9 to 10:45 a.m. It is open to the public and donations are encouraged to support the committee's community food drive and youth scholarship programs.

The event will feature music, speeches from community leaders, a panel discussion, prayers for peace and unity, and the humanitarian award and scholarship presentations.

Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee co-chair Janice Hare said King's lessons and works are important today in peacefully addressing and resolving social justice issues.

"I encourage all to tune into this year's program to learn, to be inspired and to have hope for the future," Hare said in an email.

The prayer breakfast is annually part of the Human Relations Commission's weekend of activities celebrating King, with this year's theme being "Let the bright day of justice emerge." The celebration committee, which is a branch of the commission, organized the event and other programs to carry on King's legacy, including a youth scholarship program, food drive, youth day of service and the prayer breakfast. These events have been altered this year due to the pandemic.

Previously, the prayer breakfast was a ticketed event held at Elgin Community College, and any proceeds would go to its food drive and scholarship programs. In lieu of that option for raising money this year, the committee is selling merchandise and has set up direct donation websites.

MLK merchandise, such as hats and masks, can be purchased at cityofelgin.org/mlkmerch. Proceeds go to the MLK food drive and the scholarship fund.

Direct donations for the food drive and scholarship fund can be made at cityofelgin.org/mlkfooddonations and cityofelgin.org/mlkyouthdonation.

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