PICKENS — Plans are under way for the fourth annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Unity Walk and Celebration in Pickens. 
The celebration will be held on Monday, January 17. Participants will meet at Griffin Ebenezer Baptist Church at 9 a.m., where hot beverages and danishes will be served. The unity walk will begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. 
The walk will head from the church to the Pickens County Courthouse, where there will be prayers, music, and speeches in remembrance of Dr. King. 
Speakers will include local elected officials and religious leaders in the Pickens community, and excerpts from King’s “I Have a Dream” speech will be read. 
The courthouse program is scheduled to conclude at 11 a.m., whereupon participants will walk back to Griffin Ebenezer Baptist Church to continue the celebration. Events at the church will include skits, hymns, an MLK trivia contest, dance performances and a luncheon. 
This is the fourth annual event hosted jointly by Pickens Presbyterian Church and Griffin Ebenezer Church, and this year also marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the federal MLK holiday. Several other local congregations participate in the event each year. 
In addition, Pickens Presbyterian and Griffin Ebenezer have planned a joint service project in honor of the MLK Day of Service. For this year’s project, the two churches will be building a wheelchair ramp for a needy Pickens citizen on the Saturday prior to MLK Day.  The MLK Day of Service is a way to honor Dr. King by following his example and giving back to communities to make them a better place to live.
The Pickens MLK Unity Walk and Celebration is a community-wide event, and organizers encourage participation by all who wish to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King. 
Fore more information, contact Mary Webb at Griffin Ebenezer at 878-6071.