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Winchester and Clark County will commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and ideals on Monday with the annual march and unity breakfast to celebrate the holiday that bears his name.

“We do it as a commemoration of King’s non-violent effort to bring equity and inclusiveness to people,” Winchester/Clark County Unity Committee member Rich Beach said in a 2022 interview with the Sun.

The march and breakfast have a long history in the community.

“The Martin Luther King unity committee was made up of several residents in Clark County in 1986 when it became a national holiday. Clark County has celebrated this event for over 35 years, keeping it strong from year to year,” said committee member Martha Miller.

The events, organized and hosted by the committee, begin at 9:30 a.m., with the march starting at the Clark County Courthouse and ending at St. Joseph Catholic Church’s gymnasium, located at 248 South Main Street.

Expect the procession to have a musical tone.

“They will sing their way to Saint Agatha,” said Martha Miller.

The free breakfast and accompanying program begins at 10:00 a.m.

“The breakfast is provided by the committee through donations and contributions,” said committee member Eva Miller.

The George Rogers High School jazz band will serenade the marches as they enter the building. Honors students from GRC will help decorate for and serve at the event.

The program’s featured speaker is Donna Carter.

Students from local schools have also submitted different projects, such as posters essays and videos, for a competition sponsored by the committee, Eva Miller said.

The contest’s theme is the following quote from King: “Intelligence plus character is the goal of a true education.”

The hope is that the theme will inspire local youth.

“The committee wanted to express how education and good, positive character make up intelligence. We have to have intelligence and character, which leads to good education, and that is what Dr. King was expressing,” Eva Miller said. “He talks about character, and we are tying to help the community recognize that we need to look out for one another, take care of one another and be inclusive of one another.”

Committee members hope that participating students benefit from the experience.

“First, I think it builds character and self-esteem. They have a voice and their voice should be heard,” Martha Miller said on why their participation is vital.

Eva Miller said she thinks it provides a historical context for local youth.

“It gives students an opportunity to reflect on the struggle that took place over the course of many years by Dr. King and his followers,” Eva Miller said.

About the featured speaker

Donna Carter has over 20 years of HR experience within various industries.  Over her career she has been responsible for leading HR departments in the manufacturing, non-profit, government, education and private sectors.   Carter’s passions are leadership development, impacting organizational culture and mentoring other HR professionals. 

Over the course of her career, Carter led the development and execution of organizational DEIB strategies, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness.  She continues to provide oversight for Human Resources, Talent Management and Inclusion and Diversity initiatives in her current role of Talent Management Director at Internal Family Systems Institute, headquartered in Chicago, Il .  Carter earned her PHR and SHRM-CP certification and completed her Master of Education in Adult and Continuing Education from Rutgers University, and BS in Human Resources Management from DeVry University.

Carter is also active with her church serving on the Connections and Media Production Teams.  She is a native of New Jersey, and currently resides in Winchester, KY with her husband of 23 years and their daughter.  During her free time she enjoys gardening, scrapbooking and spending time with her family.