News

News Release: MLK Lebanon to host virtual Earth Day events

For Immediate Release: April 15, 2021, Lebanon, Ohio –

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Coalition of Lebanon will host a virtual 5K fundraiser to benefit the Little Miami River. On Sunday April 18 – Saturday April 24, 2021, MLK Lebanon will sponsor the week-long MLK Earth Day Virtual 5K. A “virtual 5k” is a running/walking event where the community participates individually and shares this virtually through social media while running in their neighborhoods while social distancing or running on their treadmills in the comfort of their home. Proceeds to benefit the Little Miami Conservancy.

The 5K will kick off on Sunday April 18th with daily educational social media posts to highlight Earth Day and environmental topics from water conservation, birding, the 3-R’s (recycling, reuse, reduce), history of Earth Day, and native plants. MLK Lebanon will share daily posts on Facebook to bring light to important issues affecting our world.

There is still time to sign up to run, walk, bike, skate, canoe, or kayak the 5k. Visit https://runsignup.com/Race/OH/Lebanon/MLKEarthDayVirtual5k.

In addition, on Saturday April 24th, MLK Lebanon will host a virtual Earth Day Fair. This online event will feature over 12 virtual booths of local, regional, national, and global organizations. Due to the ongoing concern of Covid-19, it was decided a virtual event would be the best way to support organizations that promote Earth Day, conservation, ecology, nature, and the environment.

To sign up your organization for a FREE virtual booth, please visit https://www.mlklebanon.org/earth-day-5k.

The MLK Earth Day Virtual 5K is sponsored by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Coalition of Lebanon, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, The Black Barn, Buckeye Eco Care, Miami Valley Council of Native Americans, ArtScape Lebanon, Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, and Thimble Gardens.

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About Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Coalition of Lebanon (MLK Lebanon)

About The Little Miami Conversancy (LMC)

The Little Miami Conservancy (LMC), formerly known as Little Miami, Inc. (LMI), was founded in 1967 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the restoration and protection of the Little Miami National Wild & Scenic River.

For more information: Raye Kimberlin, MLK Lebanon coordinator, 513-258-1017, mlklebanon@gmail.com.

News Release: 36th Annual MLK Celebration in Lebanon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Saturday, January 16, 2021 – Lebanon, Ohio MLK Lebanon plans to unify our community by standing up to hate with love. From humble beginnings, the day has grown to include multiple service projects and an evening celebration. It plans to carry on this tradition for many years to come in the spirit of service and unity, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. and for the Lebanon community. The mission of the MLK Community Coalition of Lebanon, Ohio is to honor Dr. King’s vision of justice by building an inclusive network of individuals and organizations that work toward empowerment for all people.

Join us for a virtual presentation of our annual event beginning at 7 pm on Monday January 18, 2021. We will have musical performances by the Voices of Warren County, Mass Choir of Bethel AME Church Middletown, Rev. Phyllis Clemons - Bethel AME Church Lebanon, and Ms. Carmen Dyer -United AME Church Xenia.

The event will feature community leaders, students, and area churches in an uplifting service to honor and celebrate the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

MLK Lebanon will also recognize community leaders with the Drum Major for Service awards.

RSVP to receive event reminder and link:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/36th-annual-mlk-celebration-in-lebanon-ohio-tickets-136015587283

2021 MLK Day of Service

Virtual Art workshop presented by ArtScape Lebanon

Learn about Dr. King's philosophy through art. ArtScape Lebanon will host a virtual art workshop using black out poetry. To participate you can stop by Mulberry Street Books, 46 E. Mulberry St., to pick up a copy of Dr. King's speech to use to create your own black out poetry work of art. To keep up to date about ArtScape Lebanon, follow them on Facebook.

MLK Lebanon Volunteer Orientation

Monday January 18th - 11 AM via Zoom

Would you like to help plan the MLK Celebration, join a committee or help with a project? MLK Lebanon will host a volunteer orientation that will provide an overview of the current activities and projects of the organization. To register, visit https://www.mlklebanon.org/mlk-day

Earth Day Virtual 5K planning meeting on MLK Day

Monday January 18th - 2 pm via Zoom

MLK Lebanon will host the kick off planning meeting for the MLK Earth Day virtual 5k. If you are interested in volunteering or helping to make this a successful event, you are welcome to attend this Zoom meeting. To sign up, visit https://www.mlklebanon.org/mlk-day

National Day of Racial Healing – Community Discussion about the documentary 13th

Tuesday, January 19, 2021, Register deadline January 18th, space is limited

OSU Extension, Warren County and the MLK Community Coalition of Lebanon invite you to a virtual Community Discussion on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, as part of the National Day of Racial Healing. The National Day of Racial Healing is a time for contemplation and collective action on #HowWeHeal from the effects of racism. The Day is an opportunity to bring ALL people together in our common humanity and inspire collective action to create a more just and equitable world.

In Warren County, we are hosting a facilitated Community Discussion based on the documentary 13th directed by Ava DuVernay. The documentary combines archival footage with testimony from activists and scholars, to examine the U.S. prison system and how the country's history of racial inequality drives the high rate of incarceration in America. This Oscar-nominated film won Best Documentary at the Emmys, the BAFTAs, and the NAACP Image Awards.

We encourage you to watch this award-winning documentary and come prepared to listen and learn from your fellow community members. We look forward to a thought-provoking and inspiring conversation. The documentary is available to watch for free on Netflix YouTube Channel. The movie is an hour and 40 minutes long. Please note, the film contains graphic and disturbing images and is rated TV-MA (for mature audiences).

The Community Discussion is limited to the first 15 participants. To register, visit https://warren.osu.edu/program-areas/family-and-consumer-sciences/healthy-relationships/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-0

For more information contact, Laura Stanton, OSU Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Educator, at stanton.60@osu.edu or call 513-807-9864.

Get involved and make a difference in our community. For a list of volunteer opportunities in the City of Lebanon and surrounding area, visit https://www.mlklebanon.org/volunteer

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About Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Coalition of Lebanon, Ohio

The mission of the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Coalition of Lebanon, Ohio is to honor Dr. King's vision of justice by building an inclusive network of individuals and organizations that work toward empowerment for people. The MLK Community Coalition of Lebanon is to be a proud community partner with local, regional, and national organizations such as Service for Peace, Serve Ohio and MLKDay.gov. The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Coalition of Lebanon is a group of individuals that are working to create change in our community through education, strategic planning, volunteer work, and awareness.

Press contacts:

Raye Kimberlin, MLK Coordinator, 513-258-1017, mlklebanon@gmail.com

Renee Forrester, Co-Chair of MLK Celebration, 513-265-5150, mlklebanon@gmail.com

Karen Schaeffer, MLK board member, 513-305-8295, mlklebanon@gmail.com

News Release: MLK Weekend of Events in Lebanon

For Immediate Release: April 15, 2021, Lebanon, Ohio –

There is still time to sign up to run, walk, bike, skate, canoe, or kayak the 5k. Visit https://runsignup.com/Race/OH/Lebanon/MLKEarthDayVirtual5k.

To sign up your organization for a FREE virtual booth, please visit https://www.mlklebanon.org/earth-day-5k.

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About Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Coalition of Lebanon (MLK Lebanon)

About The Little Miami Conversancy (LMC)

For more information: Raye Kimberlin, MLK Lebanon coordinator, 513-258-1017, mlklebanon@gmail.com.

News Release: MLK Lebanon presents the Drum Major Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, January 18, 2021 – Lebanon, Ohio - Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Coalition of Lebanon awarded the Drum Major for Service awards at the 36th Annual MLK Celebration in Lebanon during a virtual program. These awards are designed to recognize the contributions of those who exemplify the ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as described in his sermon on the Drum Major Instinct. Specifically, MLK Lebanon highlights three (3) categories of winners: Youth Leaders of Tomorrow, Adult Community Leaders, and Organizations. MLK Lebanon recognizes individuals and organizations in our community whose contributions promote social justice, diversity, and inclusion. The Drum Major for Service Award recognizes excellence in leadership, service, dedication, and compassion.

Youth Leader of Tomorrow – Christiana Hardie

Christiana is a 17-year-old senior at Lebanon High school. During this past election cycle, Christiana was a member of the League 46 Incubator Program, a branch of Joe Biden's campaign which helped to engage young voters across the country. Christiana also interned with Morgan Showen for Ohio, a statehouse congressional campaign, and volunteered weekly at the Warren County Democratic Party headquarters. Currently, Christiana has been working to update our current district mascot, the Warrior, to be more sensitive to indigenous cultures and peoples. She also serves as the Vice President of the Ecology Club at the high school, a group dedicated to making our school and community more sustainable with such initiatives as procuring recycling bins in downtown Lebanon and creating an ongoing bottlecap drive. In her free time, Christiana also serves as the concertmaster for the Lebanon Symphony Youth Orchestra, works at her part-time job, and is a member of the Lebanon Singers Showchoir.

Youth Leader of Tomorrow - Sahiba Salmon-Rekhi

Sahiba is a junior at Springboro Schools. She was sent a racist picture Christmas Day 2019 (her sophomore year). This picture shook her to the core and pushed her into action. She had enough of hearing the ‘n’ word, seeing the overtly racist acts and microaggressions that were in her daily environment. She went to her principal, informed him of the picture, told him there was a problem in his school and he needed to do something about it. She asked to be part of the solution. Sahiba started developing a presentation to discuss bias and racism, especially how it manifests in the school setting. She worked with a classmate to refine the presentation and presented to all 600 teachers in Springboro Schools. They have also presented to the Warren County Career Center Teacher Academy. Sahiba has worked on this project even though she was ostracized and bullied by her former friends, dealt with isolation due to COVID-19 and had mental health issues. Her project has kept her going. She wants to educate teachers on how racism and biases impacts a person and negatively effects learning.

Adult Community Leader - Renee Forrester

When you first meet Renee you will be impressed with her kindness, her altruistic spirit, and her commitment to the community of Lebanon. In 2017, she learned that some students in the Lebanon City Schools were not able to purchase a school lunch because they had not paid off their school debt. She immediately decided to do something about this. She initiated the "Lunch on Us" program, raising enough money by sharing her concern, making others aware, working closely with the school board and superintendent, fund raising, and applying for and receiving local grants to wipe out all student debt by January, 2020. The program was put on hold in March because of the Covid pandemic and subsequent quarantining. The “Lunch on Us” initiative which Renee led and championed is just one example of her dedication and caring deeply for others. In addition, she has given her time and talent over the years by donating handmade baby blankets and by adopting at-risk high school students during Christmas, providing hand-made gifts and love to them. She made and donated over 400 masks to friends, family, businesses, and strangers to help keep them safe during the Covid-19 pandemic. Renee’s motto is …”if you have something you love to do with your hands and mind you will always have something productive to do. You can help others and that to me is success.” Renee retired in September, 2019 after 30 years of service at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. She is an active member of the MLK Coalition of Lebanon, of Bethel AME Church, and is an advocate to the City of Lebanon to support the black community, speaking out for equality and fairness for all citizens.

Adult Community Leader – Elizabeth Kimberlin (posthumously)

The late Elizabeth Louise Kimberlin was the ultimate servant for the Lebanon community. One of her first achievements was organizing and leading the first Black Girl Scout Troop in Warren County. Black girls were not welcomed to join the Girl Scouts at that time. She later helped organize Lebanon Community Services and was one of the founders of the Lebanon Food Pantry and was it’s first coordinator. She was the Secretary for the National Cancer Association, President of the Black Ladies Elks, and very active at Zion Baptist Church in Lebanon and Bethel Baptist Church in Dayton Ohio. Her moto was “God has no other hand, no other feet then ours”. She served so many in Lebanon through all the racial challenges she faced. She had to work outside the city because work for Black women was housekeeping or taking on ironing for white families. She retired from Wright Patterson Air Force Base as a Procurement Analyst traveling all over the country purchasing airplane parts.

Organization – Lebanon Food Pantry

The Lebanon Food Pantry was established over 40 years ago and operates today as a partnership of 15 local churches and works alongside the free clothing ministry to be a resource to community members in need. During the pandemic, the Pantry has expanded services to enable families to access food multiple times each month when the need arises. The Pantry’s goal is to ensure that families can cope without worrying about food on their tables. Incorporated as a charitable organization in 1985, the Pantry serves on average 2,000 client families each year. The clients represent approximately 3,000 adults and 3,000 children who require nutritional support, personal care items, and household goods. Last year, hundreds of volunteers donated thousands of hours to serve at the pantry by transporting and unloading food, sorting donations, stocking shelves, and packing grocery bags. The Pantry gets 60% of its financial support from private donations and distributes food donated by Walmart and Kroger. The Pantry works in partnership with Shared Harvest Foodbank to rescue food. Together they bring monthly “pop-up” pantries to Warren County to serve residents who earn less than 230% of the federal poverty level.

MLK Lebanon is currently accepting nominations for the 2022 Drum Major awards. Deadline for applications is November 10, 2021. For more information, visit https://www.mlklebanon.org/drummajorawards.htm.

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About Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Coalition of Lebanon, Ohio

Press contacts:

Raye Kimberlin, MLK Coordinator, 513-258-1017, mlklebanon@gmail.com

Renee Forrester, Co-Chair of MLK Celebration, 513-265-5150, mlklebanon@gmail.com

Karen Schaeffer, MLK board member, 513-305-8295, mlklebanon@gmail.com

News Release: 35th Annual MLK Day Celebration

35th Annual M.L.K. Day Celebration in Lebanon

For Immediate Release: January 15, 2020 – Lebanon, Ohio

The MLK Community Coalition of Lebanon plans to celebrate the King Holiday with a weekend of M.L.K. Day events in Lebanon January 19th and 20th. In the spirit of service and in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., the mission of the MLK Community Coalition of Lebanon, Ohio is to honor Dr. King’s vision of justice by building an inclusive network of individuals and organizations that work toward empowerment for all people.

This year’s theme: 2020 Focus on What Matters

SUNDAY JANUARY 19, 2020

MLK Community Stories

Following the march, MLK Lebanon will host desserts and conversation while highlighting personal stories of community members. This event will be held at Lebanon Presbyterian Church, 123 N. East Street, Lebanon from 2 pm - 4 pm. Hosted by Emiko Moore, this gathering offers the community a chance to listen to one another and learn that we have so many things in common while we are a diverse community.

MONDAY JANUARY 20, 2020

MLK National Day of Service Events

On Monday January 20th, MLK Lebanon celebrates Dr. King’s holiday as a DAY ON – not a day off. Community service projects will be held during the day to support many organizations in the area. Volunteers are needed at all locations. For more information or to sign up, log onto www.mlklebanon.org.

MLK Art Workshop

The MLK Art Workshop, sponsored by the Resurrection Lutheran Church Art Ministry Team, will once again be held at the Countryside YMCA, from 12 pm - 2 pm. The community is encouraged to participate in arts and crafts where children and their families can learn about Dr. King’s dream through art. These projects will be featured as part of the MLK student art exhibit at the MLK Evening Celebration.

Musical Celebration

The 35th Annual MLK Day evening celebration will take place at the Countryside YMCA Event Center in Lebanon at 7 pm with special musical guests, the Voices of Warren County. MLK Lebanon plans to honor outstanding community leaders and organizations as the 2020 Drum Major of Service Award recipients.

The Voices of Warren County Choir

The Voices of Warren County is a choir group comprised of adults with disabilities who receive services from the Warren County Board of Developmental Disabilities. There are more than 30 individuals in this group. They attend choir practice once a week on Thursday nights from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. They perform two concerts per year at the Warren C. Young Center in Lebanon, and perform many other shows at area schools, churches, festivals and retirement communities. All performances are free and open to the public and the choir does not charge a performance fee to perform in the community. The choir welcomes new members twice a year to join their group.

Student Essay Winners

The MLK Community Coalition of Lebanon conducted a student essay contest in Lebanon City Schools. This contest was sponsored by Lebanon Optimist Club. The first place winner is Paige Hensley and second place went to Kendell Baker.

Drum Major of Service Award

MLK Community Coalition of Lebanon is proud to announce the 2020 Drum Major of Service Award honorees. This award is designed to recognize the contributions of those who exemplify the ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as described in his sermon on the Drum Major Instinct - excellence in leadership, service, dedication, and compassion.

Adult Community Leader: Stephen Brady

As a 4-H Extension Educator in Warren County for the past 19 years, Steve Brady focuses the majority of his work around the 4-H camping program, school enrichment, and leadership / diversity training. He has a passion for expanding and challenging the minds of youth, especially when it involves cultural learning and immersing youth in diverse settings. Brady attended Appalachian State University in North Carolina and holds a B.A. degree in Sociology. After college he served two years in Brethren Volunteer Service and worked in Northern California in a homeless shelter. Brady was a case manager who helped residents of the shelter find employment, housing, as well as other needed services. Following his time as a volunteer, he attended Bethany Theological Seminary to pursue a Masters of Divinity (M.Div.). While most of his classmates went on to become pastors of churches, he worked in local non-profits and governmental agencies conducting diversity training. Following seminary, Steve served in the AmeriCorps*VISTA (Domestic Peace Corps) program and worked as the Education Coordinator at the National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington, DC. He travelled throughout the US educating youth and adults about the issue of homelessness. At each location, he would ask local persons who were homeless/formerly homeless to accompany me and share their stories. After his time in Washington DC, Brady moved to Ohio (April of 2001) and started his work as a 4-H Extension Educator in Warren County. His hobbies include travel (visited 24 countries) and play a variety of sports (mainly Tennis and Basketball). He has a passion for working with youth in the areas around diversity and multi-cultural awareness. His wife is from Germany and they have two young daughters (12 & 14) and live in Lebanon, OH.

Youth Leaders of Tomorrow: Francesca Dishueme and Hope McCarren

Francesca is a 17 year old junior at Lebanon High School. She is one of the founding members of Lebanon's Teen Advisory Group (TAG), an emerging youth-led initiative hosted by the Lebanon Public Library. It focuses on ensuring that the community is reflective of teen identities and interests and stands as a much needed invitation to be part of the development of library programming. With her leadership, TAG increased circulation of literature among young adults and patron attendance in its' first two years of operation. Francesca is also passionate about raising awareness on the instability of the Democratic Republic of Congo, calling upon leaders for reform and perking the ears of Congolese journalists and UNICEF with her social media platforms.

Hope McCarren is a lifelong member of Resurrection Lutheran Church, RLC. She serves at the Lebanon Community meal and Food Pantry as part of the RLC Servant team. Hope is a junior at Lebanon High School, At Lebanon she is a 3 year member of AFJROTC she has numerous service hours with the Corp and she has served as the inspection team commander on the drill team. She is a member of the National Honor Society and Hope Squad. Hope Squad is a group of students nominated by their peers and selected by teachers as leaders other students trust and respect to seek out for support. She has been a Lifeguard at Countryside YMCA for 2 years. Hope is also a full-time College student at University of Cincinnati, Blue Ash as part of the High School College Credit Plus Program. She hopes to continue her education in healthcare or biomedical engineering where she can continue serving others.

Organization: Elks #422

This Fraternal Order was founded "To promote and practice the four cardinal virtues of Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love and Fidelity." And they have been living these virtues. In recent years, the Elks of Lebanon have welcomed their first African American members to join their organization. The members of the organization have a heart for our community and those underserved under protected populations in a variety of ways throughout the year. Examples include the Groom Closet which stocks toiletries and basic essentials for the Lebanon City School Social Workers to provide to students in need. The chapter has also applied for a grant to start and support a Kinship designed for non-parental family members who are taking on the care of a child in their family when parents are no longer an option. Additional child focused efforts include donations to The Giving Tree, providing all gifts for an entire family at the holidays, preparing 20+ meal boxes for local families and paying off school fee balances at the Warren County Career Center. The Elks live their Charity value consistently throughout the year since Poverty is a constant. Elks Care. Elks Share.

For more information, please visit www.MLKLebanon.com or find us on Facebook.

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Contacts:

Karen Schaeffer, Coordinator, (513) 932-7919, katms@cinci.rr.com

Raye Kimberlin, Publicity, (513) 258-1017, rayekimberlin@gmail.com

News Release: MLK Lebanon pays off school lunch debt for graduating seniors at Lebanon High School

For Immediate Release: May 21, 2019 – Lebanon, Ohio – Formed in 2018, Lunch On Us has been fundraising to help provide lunch to students and alleviate the lunch debt incurred in Lebanon City Schools. To date, Lunch On Us has raised $5,000 to help students at Bowman Primary School in addition to supporting the Class of 2019.

Renee Forrester, Lunch On Us Project Leader, stated “We were inspired by the recent news story about Philando Castile’s mother continuing his charitable work by paying for the lunch debt of graduating seniors in Illinois. Lunch On Us decided to help our Lebanon High School seniors erase their lunch debt so they would be able to receive their diplomas on graduation day. We truly wanted to make a difference and give our graduates a fresh start as they completed high school.”

This fundraising milestone would not have been achieved without the support of the community and the employees of Lebanon Ford. Jeremy Harrison of Lebanon Ford decided to challenge his fellow co-workers to make donations to Lunch On Us. Harrison remembers his humble beginnings as a student. The mission of Lunch On Us was something he felt strongly about and wanted to make sure students were being feed and not feeling shamed.

The need to assist families and students with lunch has grown in recent years all across the country. Here in Lebanon this campaign is a way to ensure all students have lunch. Lunch On Us believes that students should be focused on doing their very best by getting good grades and participating in activities, not worry about lunch debt. The donations to Lunch On Us will fill the gap and give their families some relief. The goal of this campaign to make sure each and every student receives lunch.

Forrester said "I think of all the activities I've enjoyed over the years; the music, the plays, the art shows and the sports. These students put their heart and souls into their learning and activities; we need to be there for them. With everyone giving what we can, the Lebanon community can eliminate school lunch debt and all students can receive free lunch on us! It's the least we can do!"

Donna Davis, President of the Lebanon City School Board of Education, stated “Our district and our students have been truly blessed by the generosity of Lunch On Us. They have provided $5,000 for student lunches, benefitting so many of our kids! Thank you is hardly enough to tell the lunch on us group how grateful we are for their generous gift of providing lunches for our students, as well as for caring about our kids and community.”

There are 2 ways to support Lunch On Us:

1) Donate Online at www.mlklebanon.org/lunch-on-us

2) Mail a check made payable to MLK Lebanon, memo section – Lunch Debt Program, PO Box 1671, Lebanon, OH 45036.

For only $13.25 one student will receive lunch for a week - a little goes a long way. And $26.50 feeds a student for two weeks; $79.50 feeds a student for a month; and $251.75 to feed a student for the rest of the school year (19 weeks).

Lunch On Us is sponsored by the MLK Community Coalition of Lebanon, in partnership with Bethel AME Church and Resurrection Lutheran Church.

The mission of the MLK Community Coalition of Lebanon, Ohio is to honor Dr. King’s vision of justice by building an inclusive network of individuals and organizations that work toward empowerment for all people.

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For more information contact:

Renee Forrester, Lunch On Us Project Leader, (513) 265-5150, forresterreneegigi@gmail.com

Karen Schaeffer, MLK Lebanon Coordinator, (513) 932-7919, katms@cinci.rr.com

Raye Kimberlin, Publicity, (513) 258-1017, rayekimberlin@gmail.com

Pictured (l-r): Jeremy W Harrison, Karen Schaeffer, Renee M Forrester, Bonnie Whigham Kasik, Raye Kimberlin

News Release: 31st Annual MLK Day Celebration

For Immediate Release: January 9, 2016 – Lebanon, Ohio

To celebrate our 31st M.L.K. Day in Lebanon on Monday January 18th, the MLK Community Coalition of Lebanon plans to unify our community and light the way to peace. From humble beginnings, the day has grown to include multiple service projects and an evening celebration. We plan to carry on this tradition for many years to come in the spirit of service and unity, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. and for the Lebanon community. The mission of the MLK Community Coalition of Lebanon, Ohio is to honor Dr. King’s vision of justice by building an inclusive network of individuals and organizations that work toward empowerment for all people.

National Day of Service – Make it a DAY ON – not a Day off

The Day of Service will be held at Lebanon Presbyterian Church, 123 N. East Street, from 12 noon - 6 pm.

The community is encouraged to participate in one of our collection drives:

1. New and gently worn winter coats for area organizations such as the Super Bowl of Caring, Warrior Closet and other organizations.

2. New and gently used children and adult books for the Girl Scouts Literacy Program sponsored by Troop #41055 and Troop #46246.

3. Non-perishable food items for the Lebanon Food Pantry

4. Personal hygiene products for those in need.

Other activities include:

· MLK Artwork Shop, sponsored by Resurrection Lutheran Church Art Ministry team

· Face Painting

Clergy Appreciation

This year, the 2nd Annual Clergy Appreciation Dinner will return to Bethel A.M.E. Church from 4:30 pm – 6 pm. It was created to celebrate and thank the clergy in our community. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a minister and the coalition decided to provide this service to area clergy in honor of King’s legacy. Sponsored by Prodigal Sons Ministries. This dinner is free and open to all area clergy, pastors, and ministers. Please RSVP by January 11th by calling 513-932-7919.

Lighting The Way To Peace MLK March

The march was created to show solidarity with other communities across the country that honor the King Holiday with a traditional civil rights march promoting unity, justice, and peace. The “Lighting the Way to Peace” march will kick off at 6 pm at Bethel A.M.E. Church and travel down Warren Street around Broadway east on Mulberry Street to north on East Street to the Lebanon Presbyterian Church, where the evening musical celebration will begin at 7 pm.

Musical Celebration

The 31st Annual MLK Day event will be a musical celebration featuring the Voices of Warren County Choir, the national anthem by Maia Osborne, a classical performance by Peg Pandorf and Jan Rydalch, music by Pastor Tom Giron, a piano solo by Riley O’Brien, and dance performances by Street Angelz, a Christian urban dance group. Students will be honored for their participation in the MLK Multi-media Photo/Video Essay Contest sponsored by the Lebanon Optimist Club. Also, the 2016 Drum Major of Service Award recipients will be recognized.

Drum Major of Service Award

Two adult leaders along with a student organization and a freshman at Lebanon High School were selected for the 2016 Drum Major of Service Award sponsored by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Coalition of Lebanon. This award is designed to recognize the contributions of those who exemplify the ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as described in his sermon on the Drum Major Instinct. Their dedication and tireless work over the years as leaders in the community has been a blessing.

MLK Community Coalition of Lebanon hosts a Candlelight March

MLK Community Coalition of Lebanon host candlight march

Contributed By: Sue KIESEWETTER | Enquirer contributor | Jan. 2015

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A candlelight march is being added to the 30th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance in Lebanon on Jan. 19.

"We invite the community to gather at Bethel A.M.E. Church to participate in our first MLK March as we light the way to peace,'' said Raye Kimberlin, spokesperson for the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Coalition of Lebanon.

The march will leave the church, 111 N. Cherry St., at 6 p.m. The group will march down Cherry to E. Silver, south on Broadway, east on Mulberry and south on East Street to St. Patrick's Episcopal Church.

At St. Patrick's, there will be a musical program that begins at 7 p.m. It features the Middletown Mass choir, a classical performance by Peg Allen and Jan Rydalch, music by Pastor Tom Giron and dances by the urban dance group, Street Angelz Christian.

Students of the Lebanon City Schools will be honored for their participation in the MLK Essay Contest sponsored by the Lebanon Optimist Club. The coalition will also announce its Drum Major of Service Award recipients to community leaders and organizations.

In conjunction with the celebration, hunger will be the focus of the 30th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day service project.

Community members are being asked to donate canned goods and other non-perishable food items at three locations to benefit the Lebanon Food Pantry, Kimberlin said

Food can be dropped off at the following Lebanon locations:

*Bethel A.M.E. Church, 111 N. Cherry St., 3-6 p.m.

*St. Patrick's Episcopal Church, 232 N. Main St., 6-8 p.m.

*Liberty Tax Service, 726 E. Main St., 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Information: www.mlklebanon.org

Lebanon honors MLK through service and programs on Jan. 21

Contributed By: Sue KIESEWETTER | Enquirer contributor | Jan. 2013

Focusing on service and military families is the theme of the Jan. 21 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. activities organized by Lebanon’s MLK Community Coalition.

Rev. Dr. Wendell K. Rome will serve as the keynote speaker for the 7 p.m. program at Lebanon Junior High, 160 Miller Road. He serves in the Air National Guard as the wing chaplain for the 132nd fighter wing in Des Moines, Iowa. His most recent deployment was to Iraq as the senior hospital chaplain at Joint Base Balad.

Along with Rome’s presentation, the evening program will feature the Drum Major for Service Award recipients, the essay contest winners and an art show featuring the work of Lebanon third and fourth graders.

Besides the evening program, organizers are encouraging community members to honor King’s legacy by assisting those in need. Two separate activities will take place for those who want to volunteer time, donate goods, learn about King.

The American Legion Post 186 hall will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There, volunteers are needed to clean, paint and repair the hall. Donations of supplies and paint are needed and can be brought to the hall.

From noon to 4 p.m., several activities will be held at Lebanon Junior High:

*Coupon clipping: Volunteers can drop off unwanted or expired coupons (up to six months) for military families overseas. Stay to help clip and trim coupons.

*Valentine Day cards: Families can drop off or make cards for members of the military. Donations of gifts, toys and candy for military families will also be accepted.

*Fresh Start Kits: Donate personal hygiene items including soap, toothpaste, tooth brushes, shampoo, deodorant, shaving cream and razors for Warren County homeless and other shelters.

*School supplies are needed for students who participate in the after school Homework Zone project. Individually wrapped snacks are also needed.

*Coloring books and crayons for the Hospice Center of Butler/Warren Counties are needed. The centers use more than 200 coloring books a month.

*Donations of new stuffed animals, juice boxes, individually wrapped snacks, art supplies and paper products can be brought in for the Child Advocacy Center of Warren County.

*Nonperishable food items are needed for the Lebanon Food Pantry

*Donations of Diamond brand pet food, blankets, towels, flea shampoo, plastic cat toys, paper towels, plain milk bones and other items are needed by the Humane Association.

*Volunteers are needed to help with sorting, packing and transporting items collected. Shifts are available from noon to 2 p.m. or 2-4 p.m.

*Exhibit area: There will be a children’s area where children can have fun and learn about King. There will be face painting, arts and crafts. Lebanon police will be on site to offer free Internet safety software for parents and free child identification kits.

“It’s getting bigger and bigger every year,’’ said Raye Kimberlin, member and spokesperson for the Martin Luther King Coalition of Lebanon. “We’re getting different organizations and churches involved. It’s really nice.”

There will be several boxed lunch sessions at the junior high from noon to 1:30 p.m. Each will examine information gathered from the Community Needs Assessment complete by the Family and Children First Council of Warren County.

Sessions are: Continuing Dr. King’s Vision, Increasing Employment; and Educational Excellence. Call 513-305-8295 to register.

Information: www.mlklebanon.org