Community Comes Out for MLK Day Celebration; DHS Senior Wins Scholarship

 (Ab0ve) District 118 Board Member Elder Tyson Parks, Jr introduces this year’s MLK Celebration Committee Scholarship winner; Danville High School Senior Mackenzie Blanden.

A rainy day did not slow down Danville’s commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s legacy one bit on Monday (January 16th).  There were those who bravely walked the parade route, and cars were lined up for that 10:30 AM parade at MLK Drive and Logan, with Danville Police Chief Christopher Yates leading the way.  He told us that this time of year, he’ll always take rain.

AUDIO: I can’t recall ever having good weather for any of these.  Usually it’s the street is covered in ice.  So, yes, we’ll take the rain this time.  It’s not so bad; not nearly as dangerous for the walkers, and the cars getting into traffic.

The parade gets ready at MLK Drive and Logan, the parade walkers and drivers stop at the MLK Memorial at Jackson and Williams, the music begins at St. James United Methodist Church.

Then there was the usual stop at the Martin Luther King memorial northwest of Jackson and Williams next to the old District 118 Administration Building.  Danville High School football coach Marcus Forrest was there with some DHS students, and very pleased with their participation.

AUDIO: Martin Luther King was someone who stood up for so many things, in so many ways, and so many people.  I was extremely happy because all the kids I mentioned it to about coming out, and about being active, and about being a part of it, were more than happy to do it.  It gives you an idea that if you give kids an opportunity to do something and to be a part of something, they’re more than happy to do it.

Rev. Randall Robinson welcomes everyone to St. James United Methodist Church.  Danville’s Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. addresses the crowd, and then assists scholarship winner Mackenzie Blandon to the stage.

From there it was on to the community wide service at St. James United Methodist Church.  That’s where DHS Senior Mackenzie Blanden was presented as this year’s winner of the MLK Celebration Committee’s $4,000 Scholarship.  She told us after the ceremony that her winning essay came to her when she had some extra time while under the weather.

AUDIO: Actually I just so happened to be sick right before the day that it was due.  So I worked about three hours the night before; probably about three or four hours.

Scholarship winner Mackenzie Blanden delivers her winning essay after being greeted by Elder Tyson Parks, Jr; Rev. Dr. Jerry Wilson, Senior Pastor at St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Cahokia Heights, delivers his message on “listening to the dreamers.”

Blanden plans to major in psychology, and go to work helping those in underprivileged areas get better access to mental health care.

AUDIO: A lot of people in less fortunate communities, they don’t really know about mental health.  And they go through a lot, but they really don’t know why they feel the way they feel.  So I want to be able to educate people in those communities about their mental health; and that it matters.  

Blanden has been accepted by five schools, and is still considering her options.

On the way out of St. James Church we ran into Pastor LeStan Hoskins from the Mosaic City Church.  He was very happy with the crowd on this special day.

AUDIO: Great turnout today; we’re still celebrating Martin Luther King’s legacy, and bringing unity to our community and to the world.  And so I think we just have to continue what Martin Luther King talked about; unity, loving one another, and making the world a better place.

Danville mayor Rickey Williams Junior addressed the crowd about confronting others when you have to with truth and love; and honoring others above ourselves.  And the main message from Danville native Rev. Jerry Wilson, talked about Martin Luther King being the dreamer, the messenger, that the world needed in his time to have a “challenging, long overdue conversation.”  The Reverend Wilson says the needle has been moved significantly; but that more work needs to be done, and more dreamers are needed.