King holiday events begin

OZARK — Deliarra Grider had a dream that came partially true on Sunday. Children she said she hoped would find fulfillment in Jesus instead of drugs, sex and bullying gathered together at the Ozark Civic Center to celebrate the beginning of events in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday next week.

Kids ranging from 2 years old to young adults participated in choir, dance and speeches. Grider stood behind the majority of them and smiled.

MLK events in Fort Rucker and Ozark
■ 7 p.m.Wednesday Shiloh Seventh-day Adventist Church Mid-Week service, Ozark
■ 10 a.m. Thursday Fort Rucker Service of Tribute, Fort Rucker Post Theater
■ 1:30 p.m. Thursday MLK Memorial Tree-Planting with Birthday Party, Ozark-Dale County Seniors Center
■ 7 p.m. Thursday MLK Education Forum, Perry Recreation Center
■ 6 p.m. Friday Annual Unity Dinner, Perry Recreation Center Tickets $20, contact (334) 445-4040
■ 8 a.m. Monday, Jan. 19 Memorial Prayer Breakfast, Perry Recreation Center Tickets $8, contact (334) 237-1158
■ 10:20 a.m. Monday, Jan. 19 MLK Memorial March from the Dale County Courthouse to Ozark Civic Center
■ 11:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 19 Ozark Civic Center
MLK Service Projects — The public is asked to bring non-perishable food items to each Ozark event. The non-perishable foods will be distributed to Ozark area food pantries.

“I have dreams that the Ozark community will join hands and come together as one ... that everyone accept Jesus into their hearts,” she said. “Then and only then will all of these other dreams come true.”

The “Fulfilling the Dream” ceremony at the civic center was put on by a variety of Ozark churches. Participants and their parents believed the program was more monumental this year than it had been.

“I hadn’t been here in a long time, but this is the most important day in history for a child to take part in fulfilling the dream and really know. We have a black president, something I never thought I’d live to see,” retired educator Smithie Brew said.

Fatima Miles of St. Mark AME Zion Church said the ceremony showed the children and adults what it meant to dream.

“Our people are here together, interacting … oh, I love it,” she said. “This shows they can do anything they want to do.”

Eighteen-year-old Josh Walker served as an usher at the event.

“Even this is inspiration,” he said. “You see our president and that inspires you to see somebody else who was inspired by Martin Luther King.”