Martin Luther King Jr. Day Activities Begin this Weekend

Myrah Lykes, MLK Committee ChairpersonPhoto byKim McKinney

Myrah Lykes said when she moved to Iredell County ten years ago, one of the first events she attended was the Martin Luther King Jr. Day breakfast.

It inspired her to the point that she went up afterward and said “I volunteer. This is something I want to be a part of.”

The past three years Lykes has been chairman of the Iredell County MLK Planning Committee. She has led the committee through some difficult decisions throughout the pandemic. After two years of the celebration being virtual, she is excited this year’s events will be in person.

The 28th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Breakfast Celebration will be held on MLK Day, Monday, January 16, 2023, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Doors will open at 6 a.m.

The event will be held at the Statesville Civic Center, 300 South Center St., in downtown Statesville.

The 2023 theme is Moving Forward: No Turning Back.

The guest speaker will be Dr. Kenston J. Griffin, founder and CEO of Dream Builders Communication, Inc., a best selling author, and a top performing trainer and coach.

Griffin, Keynote SpeakerPhoto byKim McKinney

Youth day for kindergarten through high school students will be held at the Unity Center, 1145 Salisbury Rd., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 14, 2023. A light lunch will be served. Arts and Crafts, Spoken Word, Singing, and Cross Cultural Activities wire planned for the students. Guest speakers will encourage and teach youth the messages of Dr. King.

Sunday afternoon a worship service will be held January 15, 2023, from 4 - 6 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 815 Davie Avenue. The service is a musical event including talent from our local area.

All events are free and open to the public.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities are organized by the Iredell County MLK Planning Committee, which is a 501-c3 charity. They are supported by the City of Statesville, area businesses, churches, and individuals.

For more information, contact Committee Chair Myrah Lykes at 704.873.9727, e-mail mlkcommittee19@gmail.com or see the Iredell County MLK Planning Committee Facebook page..