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Join in honoring Martin Luther King Jr. at special events

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. Communities throughout the Fox Valley area are pulling together to hold celebrations of his life and to honor his legacy - with a special focus on community service.

Aurora

The city of Aurora, in collaboration with the Aurora MLK Committee, honors the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on his birthday with "Aurora MLK 2018 - Remembering Martin" from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 15, at West Aurora High School, 1201 W. New York St. The breakfast is open to the community.

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of his assassination April 4. The celebration will focus on his legacy as remembered by his sister-in-law, Naomi King. She was married to his younger brother, Alfred Daniel Williams King. The 2018 Day of Service also takes place Monday, Jan. 15. For details on the participating organizations, visit www.aurora-il.org/1899/MLK-Day. After participating in the Day of Service, volunteers will be recognized at the annual ceremony.

Crystal Lake

The 2018 Martin Luther King Jr. Interfaith Prayer Breakfast will be at 7:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 15, at D'Andrea's Banquets, 4419 Northwest Hwy., Crystal Lake. The keynote speaker will be the Rev. Zina Jacque of the Village Church of Barrington. The winner of the essay contest for all sixth- to eighth-graders in McHenry and Lake counties will be announced.

Tickets are $20 or $10 for students. Buy your tickets for the breakfast at www.faithbridgeinterfaith.org.

Elgin

• The 33rd annual Elgin Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast, with the theme "Creating the Beloved Community: The beloved Community is the Framework of the Future," will begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, at Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way. It will feature Secretary of State Jesse White as keynote speaker. Tickets, $15, are available at city hall, 150 Dexter Court. For information, call (847) 931-6001 or visit www.cityofelgin.org/mlk.

• The community is invited to the "Live Love, Stop Hate Symposium and Dinner" from 5 to 7 p.m. Sundays through February at First Congregational Church of Elgin, 256 E. Chicago St., Elgin. It will feature a free dinner and keynote speaker. On Jan. 14, the Rev. Nathaniel L. Edmond of Second Baptist Church of Elgin will speak on "Civil Rights in America: Where Do We Go From Here?" To register, call the church office at (847) 741-4045 or visit the Eventbrite.com event page. To learn more, visit www.fcc-elgin.org.

• The seventh annual MLK Day of Service and Youth Leadership Conference will be 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 15, at The Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way. This free event helps Elgin to unite with the rest of the country in bringing people from all walks of life together to make a difference in their communities. People of all ages are invited to participate. Individuals or groups may register at www.cityofelgin.org/mlk.

• Second Baptist Church of Elgin will continue a rich tradition on Monday, Jan. 15, when gospel choir members join the Rev. Nathaniel L. Edmond in leading worship during the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration. The event, which is free and open to the public, begins at 10 a.m. in Herrick Chapel, 1151 N. State St., Elgin. For details, visit www.judsonu.edu.

Naomi King, Martin Luther King's sister-in-law, will speak at the Aurora's MLK: Remembering Martin celebration on Monday, Jan. 15.
Secretary of State Jesse White will be the keynote speaker at Elgin's Martin Luther King Breakfast Saturday, Jan. 13.
The Rev. Zina Jacque, pastor of the Community Church of Barrington, will speak at FaithBridge's Martin Luther King Jr. Interfaith Prayer Breakfast on Monday, Jan. 15.
The Rev. Nathaniel Edmond, pastor of Second Baptist Church of Elgin, will lead Judson University's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration on Monday, Jan. 15.
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