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MLK celebration will be upbeat

Saturday's event with games and refreshments was planned to be more inclusive, but some w ere surprised by the change.

By LORRI HELFAND
Published January 12, 2007

LARGO - For one reason or another, the way the city has chosen to honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has met with controversy in recent years.

For years, the city, which is mostly white, struggled with the question of how to include residents from the primarily black area of Ridgecrest in its ceremony.

Now this year's plan to make the event more festive has drawn criticism from a few City Commissioners who say they weren't informed about the changes.

Over the past few years, the city remembered the slain civil rights leader in a spiritual nighttime ceremony at Largo Central Park that included readings, songs and a candlelight vigil.

This year the city plans to hold an afternoon festival at Ulmer Park, a grassy area just west of Seminole Boulevard. There will still be readings and songs, but there will also be children's games, refreshments and inflatables.

City Commissioner Rodney Woods, who participated in the planning of the event, said the mood of the event will be upbeat.

"It's a community day of celebration, celebrating the ideas of Dr. King," said Woods, who is African-American.

City Commissioner Gigi Arntzen said she was upset she learned about some of the changes in a major Largo event after a resident called her with questions she was unable to answer.

"Commissioners should have been informed," Arntzen said. "Personally, I enjoyed the solemn event at Largo Central Park."

City Commissioner Andy Guyette said he favored a more reflective ceremony as well.

But City Manager Steve Stanton said it was time to try something new to make the event more inclusive for the community.

Previous city Martin Luther King Jr. Day ceremonies drew about 100 people.

After you subtract people who participate in the presentations, their families and city officials you have about 10 to 15 people, Stanton said.

Mayor Pat Gerard and Commissioner Gay Gentry indicated that changes to the event were no big deal.

Vice Mayor Harriet Crozier said her concerns had more to do with policy changes than changes in the mood of the event.

Both she and Arntzen were disappointed that they weren't informed about a scholarship associated with the event because few details about it had been worked out.

They were also concerned they weren't told about a community photo scheduled at the end of the event. Crozier said there should have been more planning and more notice for members of the community to join in.

"That is a major decision that should have been brought to us," Crozier said.

Arntzen said that despite frustration over the lack of information, she still supports the celebration.

"We are certainly not opposed to the event," said Arntzen. "We wish we had more input. That's all."

Lorri Helfand can be reached at lorri@sptimes.com or 445-4155.

If you go

Free event

Largo's community celebration will run from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday at Ulmer Park, 301 W Bay Drive. The free event will feature music from the Annointed Voices of Christ Church of Universal Love and others, children's games and inflatables. A community photo will be taken near the end of the event.

If you go

Largo's community celebration will run from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday at Ulmer Park, 301 West Bay Drive. The free event will feature music from the Annointed Voices of Christ Church of Universal Love and others, children's games and inflatables. A community photo will be taken near the end of the event.

[Last modified January 11, 2007, 22:34:17]