First Baptist Church of Riverhead Hosts 26th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast

Dec. 21, 2010 - PRLog -- The First Baptist Church of Riverhead is hosting the 26th Annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast, which will take place January 17, 2011 at the Hyatt Regency Wind Watch Hotel & Hamlet Golf Club in Hauppauge. The breakfast will take place from 8:00-10:30 a.m.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast attracts people from diverse religious, cultural and economic backgrounds to reflect upon Dr. King’s dreams for all humanity. Those in attendance will have a chance to network and also to honor the memory of Dr. King. This year’s keynote speaker is Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III, President, SUNY College at Old Westbury and Senior Pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem.

Under Dr. Butts’ leadership, SUNY-Old Westbury has earned accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and created its first graduate degree programs in multiple disciplines. Additionally, Dr. Butts has overseen the college’s extensive investment in cutting-edge technologies as well as its construction of five new residence halls, a new student union and a new $72 million academic building scheduled to open in 2012.

Dr. Butts has been instrumental in the establishment of educational institutions on the elementary, intermediate and secondary levels with the Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning and Social Change and the Thurgood Marshall Academy Lower School. He also sits on numerous boards, including the Abyssinian Development Corporation, Youth On The Move, Blue Nile Passage, Inc., The Long Island Association, The Boy Scouts of America — Theodore Roosevelt Council, The Long Island Housing Partnership, the American Baptist College in Nashville, Tennessee, New Visions for Public Schools and the Long Island Regional Advisory Council on Higher Education.

In addition, the 2011 MLK Jr. Meritorious Award will be presented to those who embody Dr. King’s ideals and work tirelessly to make his dream a reality. The recipients for 2011 include Audrey M. Gaines, youth advocate and social worker; Benjamin S. Kizer, community activist; Michele Lynch, Long Island Political Director, 1199 SEIU; and the Reverend Leonard A. Edwards, Pastor, Durham AME Zion Church.

Tickets are $50 each, or $500 for a table of 10. Proceeds will benefit the Family Life Community Center, Inc., a community-based 501(c)3 organization promoting quality family life and a greater sense of community among residents in Riverhead and neighboring districts. Checks can be made payable to “MLK, Jr. Breakfast” and sent to: MLK Breakfast Committee, 1018 Northville Turnpike, Riverhead, NY 11901. Tickets must be purchased by January 13, 2011. No tickets will be sold at the door.

Sponsorship opportunities are available as well. To download the application form and the journal contract, download the form at www.firstbaptistchurchriverhead.org.

For more information, call (631) 727-3446 or visit www.firstbaptistchurchriverhead.org.

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About The First Baptist Church of Riverhead
The First Baptist Church of Riverhead is a church that is concerned with individual and community wholeness. First Baptist’s programs are centered on individuals’ spiritual and community needs and attempts to address present-day issues which affect local, national and international communities. As a “faith community,” First Baptist endeavors to lift up hope and Christian principles as they relate to its members and the community at large. For more information, call (631) 727-3446 or visit www.firstbaptistchurchriverhead.org.