20th MLK Day awards Dream Keepers

(left) The new mural of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to be painted on the wall of the MLK Park building was revealed at the MLK Day Event.

We Shall Overcome at the conclusion of the 2007 MLK Day Event are (l-r) Arielle Riposta, master of ceremonies; Durham Carter, chair of MLK Foundation Committee; Cathleen Cleary, chair of the Harvest Hope Food Drive Committee; Rev. Mollie L. Mame, Trenholm Road United Methodist Church; Reginald I. Lloyd, US Attorney for SC; Dr. Allen Coles, superintendant of Richland One; Samuel Richardson, retired educator; E.W. Cromartie, Columbia City Council; and Mayor Bob Coble.

By Warner M. Montgomery

Warner@TheColumbiaStar.com

Four students were given Dream Keeper Awards Monday at the 20th MLK Day in the City of Columbia to honor their work with the community:

+ Benjamin Allgood, Crayton Middle School, $100;

+ Adolfo McQueen, A.C. Flora High School, $200;

Singing

+ Jessica Stephens, Irmo High School, $500; and

+ Megan Fulks, Spring Valley High School, $1,000

The awards were donated by Nate Spells, Construction Dynamics; Tom Jackson, Palmetto Candy and Tobacco Company; and E.W. Cromartie III, The Cromartie Law Firm.

In 1987, a committee suggested to Columbia City Council that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. be honored in Columbia. As a result, Valley Park was renamed for King and the Stone of Hope was placed in the park, an annual event was scheduled, and scholarships were initiated.

Arielle Riposta, WACH- TV, served as master of ceremonies for the program held at MLK Park. After music by the Columbia High School Band and the Keenan High Singers, invocation by Rev. Mollie Bame, and welcome by Mayor Bob Coble, Richland One Superintendent Dr. Allen Cole reflected on King's approach of serving young people.

Cathleen Cleary, chair of the Harvest Hope Food Drive Committee, announced the winners of the school collection project: Sanders Middle School, Arden Elementary School, and Hyatt Park Elementary School.

Winners of the 2007 MLK Day Dream Keeper Awards are (l-r) Megan Fulks, Jessica Stephens, Adolfo McQueen, and Benjamin Allgood.

Reginald I. Lloyd, US Attorney for SC, was the keynote speaker. The graduate of Camden High School, Winthrop University, and the USC Law School spoke to the theme, Realizing the Dream: Nonviolence or Nonexistence. Quoting Robert Kennedy's speech following King's assassination and King's Letter from the Birmingham Jail , Lloyd iterated, "The messenger can be killed, but the message will never die."

Durham E. Carter, chair of the MLK Memorial Foundation, recognized members of the original MLK Committee present: David Day, Jim Leventis, Jesse Washington, and Cathleen Cleary.

The event closed with the singing of We Shall Overcome .