The United Church of Jaffrey’s Revere bell will join the Liberty Bell and other bells across the nation on Monday, echoing a powerful ring of freedom and justice in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.
The bell-ringing, a new event for this year, is just one part of the Jaffrey Civic Center’s third-annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The bell-ringing is part of a national initiative called “Let Freedom Ring: Choose Non-Violence.”
“[Martin Luther King Jr.] was a man of exceptional courage,” said Peggy Ueda, Civic Center Trustee and member of the center’s MLK Committee. “It’s important to honor someone and draw inspiration from someone who did so much.”
“Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.” will take place from 4:45 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the United Church of Jaffrey at 54 Main St. The bell will be rung at 4:45, with the program itself starting at 5. There will be a reception following the event at the Civic Center at 40 Main St.
The event is designed to bring people together to remember the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and to renew the values he stood for.
This year’s celebration focuses on the theme “What is Courage?” New Hampshire Poet Laureate Alice Fogel will deliver the keynote address.
“He’s been a role model for so many,” said Fogel. “We can certainly look at MLK as a great example of courage.”
Fogel said she will include poetry readings in her address, both originals and some of her favorites. Fogel said she is happy to be a part of the event, especially with the poetry contest that is taking place.
“I love when we can bring young people in and show them how poetry can connect to other things,” said Fogel.
Winners of the MLK High School Student Poetry Contest, as well as winners of the Middle School Poster Contest, will be announced on Monday and prizes will be awarded. Poetry contest winners will also present their poems.
“Every year we try to do a different contest,” said Ueda. “We feel that students have different strengths and we want to give them an opportunity to participate.”
There will also be musical performances by the Jaffrey Grade School and Rindge Memorial School choirs.
This year’s event is dedicated to Bill Perry Jr., recently deceased, a Peterborough resident and founding member of the MLK Committee who was active in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and was acquainted with Dr. King.
Nicholas Handy can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 235 or nhandy@ledgertranscript.com. He is also on Twitter @nhandyMLT.