MLK Walk and Festival registration open
Jan. 9—THOMASVILLE- The 14th Thomasville MLK Walk and Festival Registration is now open at mlkhumanitarianwalk.org. There is no fee to participate in this event but participants are encouraged to make donations to the nonprofit list made available at the event.
Restoration Tabernacle Ministries has hosted the vision for the past 14 years. The mission is to encourage the community to live a healthier lifestyle while promoting human welfare, social reforms and community sustainability. Due the overwhelming participation, the event committee decided to extend the annual Thomasville Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Walk & Festival into MLKFEST last year. This year, Food Lion National Corporation serves as the Premier Sponsor/Partner and will champion the theme "There is A King In You!"
The MLK Walk and Festival started over 13 years ago as a way to celebrate the MLK holiday weekend through promoting health, diversity, education, humanitarianism, and decreasing health disparities, bringing awareness to COVID-19 risk factors and decreased childhood obesity.
The event will kick off with a virtual town hall on Thursday, January 11, at 7 p.m. This year's topic will be "Voting Matters." The most current voter information will be presented that affects future elections for all people. The virtual event will be featured on the Walk Faith, Equity in Action and NAQACP Facebook and YouTube page.
On January 13, the event will move to 1002 North Broad Street. Beginning at 9 a.m., a grocery giveaway will take place. The walk has partnered with and will feature HOTC instrumental music from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. before a mile walk takes place from 2-6 p.m. An afternoon of Inspiration and hope will conclude the day's festivities with Grammy Award Winner LeAndra Johnson and Anthony Williams. The day will be filled with youth activities, poetry, dance vendors, food and more. They will also announce the winner of several scholarship awards that were open to Thomasville/Thomas County natives and regional applicants. The scholarships include a $1000 MLK Walk and Festival Dr. I.L. Mullins high school senior scholarship, $500-$1000 Jack Hadley scholarship, $500-$1000 Nancy Tillinghast scholarship, and $5000 MLK Walk Ira Flowers College student scholarship.
The following afternoon, Random Community Day of Love will be held, where individuals are encouraged to do a random act of love for a homeless, elderly or sick person. This event will conclude the weekend's festivities.
