Members of the Committee to Commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are excited to host the community celebration to honor the civil rights activist on Monday, January 16.
The event will be held at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center, on the campus of Grace College from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm.
Carl Erskine of Anderson, Ind. will be the featured guest speaker for the event. Erskine may be best known for playing in major league baseball with many impressive records including playing with the Brooklyn Dodgers and holding the world series strike out record (14) versus the Yankees in 1953. While his baseball awards are prestigious, Erskine will leave a legacy beyond that.
Erskine was a teammate and friend of Jackie Robinson. Robinson became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball. Together they shared an enduring friendship that would teach lessons of patience, fortitude, and doing the right thing. Erskine shares an intimate portrait of baseball, friendship, and one man’s fight to change the world as he witnessed his teammate crusade for racial equality. Robinson once said, “A life is not important except the impact it has on other lives.”
Among many other accolades, Erskine also went on to be a champion for Special Olympics after he personally witnessed struggles with prejudice with his own son Jimmy born with Down syndrome.
The annual Dr. MLK Jr. Scholarship will also be presented during the event. The scholarship will be awarded to current senior students who demonstrate excellence and encompasses the heart of Dr. King through acts of community service and by enriching the lives of others.
This event is opened to the public and free of charge. A lunch will be served. For additional information please contact Warsaw Community Schools at 574-371-5098.
