Area events celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday

Each year, every third Monday in January is a day set to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. and his dreams of freedom and equality for all people, his goals of service and his message of change through nonviolence. This year the theme for Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, set for Jan. 17, is "Remember! Celebrate! Act! A Day On, Not A Day Off!"

The following is a list of activities by date taking place in the D.C. region in honor of Dr. King:

Jan. 15

Wheaton Woods Baptist Church, Dr. Neal Walker, Pastor in partnership with Bauer Drive Community Center, and Montgomery County National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) are hosting "Martin Luther King Celebration – A Day on not a day OFF," at the Bauer Drive Community Center in Rockville at 2 p.m.

The free event will feature personal reflections about Dr. King, a reenactment of his "I Have a Dream" speech, a creative dance and a short skit. Also, New Life Ministries is scheduled to perform several musical selections.

Bauer Drive Community Center is located at 14625 Bauer Drive, Rockville.

For more information, contact Charles Thrasher at 240-606-7366 or email him at thrasher_charles@bah.com.

The D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission is holding its 20th Annual King Holiday Celebration at the University of the District of Columbia in Building 46 at 4 p.m.

The "Living the Dream Award," presented annually, will be given to The Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton and The Phyllis Wheatley YWCA. According to http://os.dc.gov, the recipient for the award is selected based on his or her dedication and commitment to fulfilling Dr. King's dream, effective community involvement, quality of work and uniqueness of endeavor.

Elaine R. Jones, Esq., the former president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and Walter E. Fauntroy, Civil Rights Activist and Pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church, will speak at the event.

For more information about the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday celebration, please contact the D.C. Office of the Secretary here or call 202-727-6306.

DC Habitat for Humanity (DCHFH) is holding a week-long Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration titled "Remembering the Dream: Building Hope in Our Community," volunteer program in Northeast D.C.

Over the course of the week volunteers will get together to build homes for low-income, working families. According to DCHFH,on Jan. 15, Dr. King's birthday, "we will bring together students from five local universities to serve the community by building affordable homeownership options."

For more information about the project, contact Adam Arends at 202-882-4600 x 224 or email him at adam.arends@dchabitat.org.

Jan. 17

Epworth United Methodist Church in Gaithersburg is hosting its annual "Martin Luther King Prayer Brunch" at 10 a.m. The cost is $10.

Forest Stith, the church's retired Bishop, will speak at the event. Music will be provided by The Promises of God ministry.

For directions to the church or for more information, visit http://epworthsteeple.org or contact Rita Green via phone at 301-926-0424 or email at rita.green@eumc-md.org.

Montgomery County is holding its free Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Day Celebration at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel, located at 5701 Marinelli Road in North Bethesda, at 3 p.m.

Reverend Donell Peterman, founding pastor of the Joshua Group Ministries of Silver Spring, is the afternoon's featured speaker.

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award and the Children of the Dream Awards will be presented at the event to Montgomery County residents and youth that have demonstrated goals encouraged by Dr. King.

The event is open to the public. Area participants are requested to bring a non-perishable food item that will be distributed to needy residents in the county.

For more information, contact Sue Tucker at240-777-2500 or email her at sue.tucker@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Click here for the Montgomery County press release.

We Feed Our People (WFOP) is hosting its 18th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Celebration in front of the Martin Luther King Library at 9th and G Sts. NW, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, visit WFOP's website or contact Walter McGill at202-234-8635or wfop@blackpgs.com

The Washington National Cathedral (WNC), located at Massachusetts and Wisconsin Aves., NW, will sponsor its annual program on Youth Violence in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, beginning at 1:30 p.m.

The American Friends Service Committee has partnered with WNC to present "Eyes Wide Open," an exhibit that will highlight the casualties of the war against Iraq.

An interfaith worship service will commence promptly at 12 noon. The service will center on the works and teachings of Dr. King.

For more information about the event at the Cathedral, visit its website or contact Ruby Robertson at 202-537-6206 or rrobertson@cathedral.org.

The Lincoln Theatre's Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration is free and open to the public and will commence at 6 p.m.

To learn more, click here or contact Darlene Brown at 202-328-6000 x 12 or via email at drown@thelincolntheatre.org.

Jan 18

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered (GLBT) Arts Consortium is hosting a Remembrance of Martin Luther King, Jr. at Capitol Hill Presybeterian Church from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Shannon Myss is the MC for the free event. Bread & Roses Feminist Singers, Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church Choir, Capitol Hill Youth Chorus, D.C.'s Different Drummers, Jubilee Singers of All Souls Unitarian Church and Lesbian & Gay Chorus of Washington are just several of the groups scheduled to participate.

Clickhere for the event brochure; contact Jill Strachan at 202-546-1549 for more information.

Jan. 19

American University's Office of Diversity Affairs is sponsoring its Sixth Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Commemoration and Reception that will take place in room 603 of its Washington College of Law from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Professor Brenda V. Smith will deliver the keynote address, "(Re) Discovering Women's Voices in the Movements for Political, Civil and Economic Justice."

Traci Mundy Jenkins, Director of the Office of Career Services, will read excerpts from "Remaining awake through a great revolution," a speech delivered by Dr. King at the National Cathedral.

Contact Sherry Weaver at 202-274-4032 or at sweaver@wcl.american.edu for more information.

Click here for the event brochure.

Jan. 22

George Washington University's Office of Community Service is inviting the public to volunteer in its Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, which will take place at 800 21st St., NW, beginning from 9 a.m.

For more information, visit the Office of Community Service'swebsite.