Elgin's MLK prayer breakfast to be held online Saturday

Though organizers of Elgin's 37th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. prayer breakfast would prefer holding this year's celebration in person, they took King's words to heart when deciding to make the event virtual.

King's words as well as this year's theme is, "The time is always right to do what is right," which resonated with organizers trying to put attendees' safety first while the threat of the easily transmittable omicron variant of COVID-19 remains.

"To us, it's what's right," said co-chair Janice Hare. "We are living in a time of change and we have to accept change."

The event will be broadcast on the city's YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/cityofElgin, from 9 to 10:45 a.m. Saturday. It is open to the public and donations are encouraged to support the organizing committee's community food drive and youth scholarship programs.

Last year's celebration also was held online and broadcast on the city's Facebook page.

"It was fantastic, our feedback was so positive," Hare said. "Having the blueprint already established makes it easier this time."

The event will feature prayer offerings from several local pastors, recordings of singing and dancing performances by local groups and a keynote speech from Dr. Toya Webb, Elgin Community College's chief marketing and communications officer.

"She's a bright, brilliant helper and supporter," Hare said. "To me she's all that and a bag of chips.

The event will include presentations to the annual MLK Humanitarian Award and scholarship winners. This year's Humanitarian Award recipients are Jay Wittmeyer of Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren, John Sutton of State Farm Insurance, and the Elgin YWCA.

Scholarships of $1,200 each were awarded to Jonathan Aguinaga of Larkin High School, Gabrielle Stephen of Bartlett High School and Janalis Harrison of Elgin High School.

The prayer breakfast is part of the Elgin Human Relations Commission's weekend of activities celebrating King, though the pandemic has altered most of the schedule.

Hare said the annual Youth Day celebration is postponed until February and a date will be announced soon.

For the 11th year, more than 30 churches will conduct food drives as part of the celebration. To donate money, visit lf-forms.cityofelgin.net/Forms/MLK-Food-Drive. Each dollar donated can purchase 8 pounds of food, organizer Joe Wars said.