Wakulla County Christian Coalition Celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with Road Clean-Up

{sidebar id=3}Members of the Wakulla County Christian Coalition celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by cleaning up the portion of Lower Bridge Road known as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Highway.  The group met at 10:00 a.m. under beautiful blue skies to begin the clean-up project, and by 11:30 a.m. close to 10 bags of litter, consisting mainly of bottles, cans, paper, and a suprisingly large number of cigarette butts, had been collected. 

After the hard work was done, the group enjoyed fellowship and a lunch of hot-dogs, chili, baked beans, chips and drinks at  the home of participants Hugh Taylor and Mary Cortese. 

The next event planned for the Christian Coalition (in conjunction with the Wakulla County Public Library) is the National African American Read-In Chain being held for the 3rd year from 3-5 pm, Sunday, February 1, 2009 at the Wakulla Public Library.  This is event that is held each February during Black History Month.  It has been successful in making reading a traditional part of Black History Month celebrations throughout the country.  Sponsored nationally by the National Council of Teachers of English and Endorsed by the International Reading Association, the intent of this national literacy campaign is to popularize reading as an essential, fun, and productive practice that will last a lifetime.  Local authors are invited to display their writings while individuals may read selected passages from African-American authors. 

A special area is set aside for children where a reader/story-teller entertains youngsters.

Especially significant this year is the Doris Hargrett Clack collection.  Dr Clack, a world renowned librarian who had influence on Library of Congress procedures was a native of Wakulla County and the Wakulla Library has created this collection in her honor.

Also, the Christian Coalition will host the annual African-American Heritage Celebration on Saturday, February 21 at Hudson Park in Crawfordville.  The event will include a parade in downtown Crawfordville at 11:00 a.m., followed by food, entertainment, vendors and exhibits throughout the afternoon in Hudson Park.  The event will actually kick off the night before, Friday, January 20,  with a banquet to be held at the Wakulla County Senior Citizens Center.  The keynote speaker will be Dr. Ossiefield Anderson from Florida A&M University.  For banquet tickets, or to participate in the parade or as a vendor on the 21st, please contact Bossie Hawkins at bossieh@earthlink.net .

The Wakulla County Christian Coalition meets monthly at 7:00 p.m. on the second Monday of the month at a different location each month (TBA).

Christian Coalition members who came out for the clean-up event were (pictured above from left to right):  Bossie Hawkins, Lawrence McMillian, County Commissioner George Green, Mary Cortese, Jackie Green, Leo Smith, Kerry Cotton, Alyssa Cotton, Jennie Jones, Barbara Rosier (not pictured) and Joe Shingles (not pictured).

Click here for a Wakulla.com photo gallery of the event!

Photos by Mary Katherine Westmark

This article originally published on January 20, 2009.

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