By Sarahrose Ministeri
Beacon staff writer

posted Jan 15, 2013 - 12:09:40pm

West Volusians are getting ready for a feast of events to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., including two breakfasts, a march, a candlelight vigil, a traveling museum and a big-screen broadcast of President Barack Obama’s inauguration, which coincides this year with MLK Day.

“Being aware of where we came from, not forgetting the past, the strength it took us to get here and especially our faith in God are all part of honoring Dr. King’s legacy,” Arvia Shanell Hall said.

Hall, who graduated from high school in 1990 as Arvia Bruten, is DeLand High School’s only

African-American valedictorian. She went on to earn an engineering degree, and now works in Georgia, where she lives with her family.

Hall said she is honored to give the keynote address at the seventh annual Deltona DreamKeepers’ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast, set for 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, at New Hope Baptist Church, 2855 Lake Helen-Osteen Road in Deltona.

Tickets for the breakfast cost $10, and can be purchased at the door or by contacting event organizer Mike Williams at 386-804-6136.

The theme of this year’s breakfast is “What would Dr. King say if he were here today?”

In addition to Hall’s speech, the breakfast will feature live entertainment.

The DreamKeepers have also planned a Gospel Program to take place at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, at Deltona Alliance Church, 921 Deltona Blvd. The concert is free and open to the public, and will be followed by a candlelight vigil.

Gospel praise

In DeLand, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebrations begin with a Gospel Praise Service at 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, at Mount Calvary Baptist Church, 710 W. Cincinnati Ave. Adult and youth choirs will perform, and the concert is free and open to the public.

MLK Day in DeLand

A full day of events is planned in DeLand for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 21, including a chance to join others to watch the swearing-in of President Barack Obama to his second term in office.

Breakfast and more

The day begins in DeLand with the annual MLK Jr. Commemorative Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 21, in Stetson University’s Rinker Field House, 602 N. Bert Fish Drive.

Attendees will be treated to a full buffet and a program of speakers, prayer and music. The guest speaker will be the Rev. Melvin Dawson, and Greater Union First Baptist Church member Elizabeth Durant, who will celebrate her 104th birthday this month, will be an honored guest.

Breakfast tickets cost $5, and will be available at the door, from members of Greater Union First Baptist Church, or by calling Mario Davis at 386-469-8678. For more information, call Greater Union at 386-734-5329.

Unity march

After breakfast, a unity march will proceed from the Stetson campus through Downtown DeLand to Chisholm Community Center at 520 S. Clara Ave. in DeLand, where a youth program starts at 10:30 a.m. The program will feature youngsters displaying various talents.

Spring Hill Boys and Girls Club Director Althea Chavers looks forward to the series of events each year.

“It’s inspiring seeing the community come together in a positive manner,” Chavers said.

Obama inauguration

From noon to 2 p.m., the big-screen television at Chisholm Center will broadcast the swearing-in of President Obama to his second term, and the inaugural parade.

Because the usual Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, is a Sunday this year, the swearing-in was moved to Jan. 21. This will be the second time in history that a presidential inauguration and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day have coincided.

The event is sponsored by the MLK Planning Committee, Greater Union First Baptist Church, and the Democratic Club of Northwest Volusia County.

Vendors at Chisholm Center will offer hamburgers, hot dogs, drinks, barbecue, T-shirts and more for sale.

Day of service

Back on Stetson’s campus, the university’s Center for Community Engagement is encouraging people to make MLK Day “a day on, not a day off,” by helping neighbors through service.

From 1 to 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 21, Stetson students, faculty, staff and alumni will help those in need by volunteering at several locations around West Volusia, including The Neighborhood Center, the Halifax Health Hospice Center, United Cerebral Palsy, the MainStreet DeLand Association and the Chisholm Community Center.

Freedom Rider, museum exhibit

Stetson University’s celebration of the King legacy will continue through the week with guest speaker and Freedom Rider Dr. Ernest “Rip” Patton coming to campus.

The university will also host guided tours of the Sanofka African American Traveling Museum.

The museum exhibit will be on display 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22, and 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23, in the Stetson Room in the Carlton Union Building.

Patton will speak at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22, also in the Stetson Room.

The museum and Patton’s talk are free and open to the public. For more information, call Stetson University at 386-822-1400.

— sarahrose@beaconlinenews.com

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