Monday January 20th, a very cold morning had 1,600 people come together at the Lansing Center to celebrate the Martin Luther King's legacy.
Lansing Rotarians filled more than two tables at the MLK celebration, the program started wonderfully and the company was great. We were entertained by The Detroit Youth Choir an award winning choir that was on AGT and received a golden buzzer and placed second overall.
For some excitement and adventure, half way thru the program, when most were done with lunch and dessert was yet to be eaten, there was a fire. One of the lamps on the overhead hanging lamp had sizzled and was ablaze in the middle of the award-winning essay being read.
First we were instructed to move out to the side exits while they tried to contain the fire and then sent to a different ball room to wait for the all clear where we were again entertained by the choir, while we waited. About the time we were ready to give up, we got the all clear and went back in.
The choir played again and then it was time for the Fireside address by the keynote speaker Dr. Bernard Lafayette, Jr. There were some historical reminiscences from early in his life and how he got involved in civil rights activism. It was a good time, even though it was interrupted by fireworks. In the picture: Front row: Bill & Christine Frysinger, Joel Hoffman, Joseph & Ger Yang, second row: Chris Holman, Bilky Joda-Miller, Hari Kern, Jennifer Marr, Chris Swope, Barb Whitney, Umakanth and Ernscie Augustin.