Elgin’s 40th annual Martin Luther King Jr. prayer breakfast will be held at Elgin Community College on Saturday, Jan. 18.
Courtesy of Janice Hare
For 40 years, volunteers in Elgin have worked to keep the memory and teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. alive with their annual prayer breakfast, which will be held on Saturday, Jan. 18.
Chair Janice Hare, who has helped organize the event for nearly 20 years, said she was eight years old when King was assassinated and remembers her mom reinforcing his lessons during her childhood.
“She used to say you can’t listen to everybody, but you need to listen to the people making a difference and a positive effect on your community and in your life, and that’s what Dr. Martin Luther King did,” she said. “This (event) has become a staple in my life.”
The program, themed after the King quote, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope,” will be held at Elgin Community College All 250 tickets for the event have been sold.
Janice Hare speaks during Elgin’s 38th annual prayer breakfast honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at Elgin Community College in 2023.
Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com, 2023
Hare said that after 40 years, the mission of the breakfast remains the same.
“Let’s keep his dream alive, and let’s continue to honor his legacy and that dream because we need it in today’s society,” she said.
McKinley Elementary School principal Jeron Shelton will serve as emcee of the event, and the Rev. Ratisha Bolin from Second Baptist Church of Elgin will be the keynote speaker.
The winner of the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award, which recognizes Elginites whose work reflects the teachings and life of King, will be announced at the event. The Gail Borden Public Library staff and organization were last year’s recipients.
DeSean Coleman Jr., a senior at St. Charles North High School, will do a reading.
“He’s an inspiration to others in his youth programs,” Hare said. “We need to put these young people to work.”
Nine Elgin Area School District U-46 seniors also will be awarded $1,000 MLK scholarships to further their education. The awards are given annually to students who have demonstrated an active interest and meaningful involvement in the areas of human rights, civil rights, social justice and world peace.
The annual food drive, now in its 12th year, aims to collect 80 tons of food for local pantries.
Canned goods and household items can be dropped off at the Gail Borden Library, Elgin police and fire stations, city hall, the Elgin YWCA and most local churches. While food donations are appreciated, cash donations are preferred.
Every dollar collected can purchase about 8 pounds of food. Donations can be made at lf-forms.cityofelgin.net/Forms/MLK-Food-Drive.
