For the past several years the 19th Ward has celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday in a public manner and will be doing so again this year. On Monday, January 16th there will be luminaries throughout the area. The luminaries themselves are small paper bags weighted down with sand or kitty litter and containing a votive candle. Neighbors make a number of luminaries and set them at the sidewalk edge of their tree lawn from sunset until 9 pm, making a beautiful sight. Some people host warming fires and a hot chocolate stands. This is also a community building event.
Luminary Kits are available for $4.00/kit of 10 luminaries at Menezes Pizza – 445 Chili Ave (open from 12-6 pm), Hunt’s Hardware – 390 Thurston Road, the 19th Ward Office, and Boulder Coffee – 960 Genesee St, or make your own. If you arrive at one of these locations and they have sold out, call the NWCA office at 328-6571 (or ask the merchant to call) and we will get more to them if we have any available. Kits are also available at some Delegates’ and Block Club Leaders’ homes, as follows:
- MacClurg Vivian, 191 Winbourne
- Sheila Bazil, 53 Arvine Heights
- Charlotte Giebel, 500 Brooks Ave, 235-5432
- Berda Goff, 143 Maxwell Ave
- Sharon Conheady, 114 Melrose
- Pat Gross, 393 Wellington Ave, 354-2840
- Jay Ross, 129 Trafalgar
- Penny Griffin, 66 Monica Street
We also have at least 10 hot chocolate/ cider/ cookies/ movie/ coat giveaway stands signed up. Check out www.luminaryevening.com to determine where they are on the map. Be sure to plan on visiting some of them as you enjoy the luminaries.
And don’t forget this year’s special MLK programs at the Arnett Branch Library:
- Saturday, 1/14, Noon -presentation and discussion on Martin Luther King, Jr and his impact on us today and introduction of a new media project that reflects our neighborhood – a MUST SEE!
- Tuesday, 1/17, 4:00 pm – showing of Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech
If you have questions, please call the 19th Ward Community Association’s office 328-6571.
