Tribute to Charleston church shooting victims, parades planned for Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend
The 36th annual commemoration of slain civil rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., will include a weekend of events across Horry County beginning Jan. 15 at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church at 1111 Grainger Road, Conway.
Coordinated by the Conway-Horry County Planning Committee, the events will kick off at 6 p.m. with a Youth Out Loud Rally. Special guest will be motivational speaker U.S. Marine GySgt. Lawrence “Life” Dean of Conway, philanthropic poet and founder of L.Y.F.E. 3, (Leading Youth Forward through Education, Expression and Empowerment). The rally will include announcement of essay, art and poetry contest winners.
A “Day of Service” is set for Jan. 16, with the committee asking county residents to schedule projects with their churches, nursing homes, shelters or to perform other community services they feel would represent the spirit King, according to committee member April Garner.
Garner said anyone planning a Day of Service project should contact Margie McIver at (843) 902-1406 and take photos during their activity to document the communitywide effort.
Closing out the three-day commemoration at 11 a.m. Jan. 18 will be a tribute to the slain members of Emanuel AME Church in Charleston who died June 17 when a gunman entered the church and killed nine people. This tribute has a personal connection and special meaning to the members of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, because McIver’s sister was one of the individuals killed that day. Also, church member Ronnie Johnson, whose cousin was also killed, spoke at the nationally publicized funeral.
For information on any of these activities, contact Garner at 843-457-5308.
Residents of Georgetown County will also observe the King holiday with a parade beginning at 11 a.m. Jan. 16. Parade lineup is set for 10 a.m. on Church Street at the Belk Recreational Center field and will follow a route south on Merriman Road to the Howard Adult Education Center campus at Butts Street. Parade entry fee is $25 with proceeds supporting The Mitney Project, a nonprofit providing programs for area youth and adults.
Businesses, churches, civic groups and other community organizations are encouraged to participate in the parade and to set up as vendors at the center’s campus where the parade will culminate in a communitywide memorial celebration of the civil rights leader. To participate, call 843-546-7900.
This story was originally published January 7, 2016 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Tribute to Charleston church shooting victims, parades planned for Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend."