- December 20, 2024
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Children take some selfies with Garfield, the Palm Coast Historical Society's mascot, prior to the MLK Parade in Bunnell on Saturday Jan. 13. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler Schools Chief of Operations Dave Freeman waves to onlookers from a school bus as the Bunnell MLK parade returns to its starting point on Jan. 13. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Kimberly McClendon and Bunnell City Commissioner Tina-Marie Schultz lead Flagler Schools officials and staff members who walked in the MLK Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Students ride in the parade on a Flagler County Schools bus. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Palm Coast Historical Society volunteer Mary Hultay poses with Garfield. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Parade participants wave as their vehicle turns onto U.S. 1. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Bunnell Mayor Catherine Robinson presents Marian Irvin-Reddin with the MLK Celebration Award and Grand Marshal certificate. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Stacey Smith, the Carver Community Center's Youth Services Specialist, sings "Lift Every Voice and Sing" to open the MLK Celebration. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Mark Anderson, chairman of the MLK Celebration committee, speaks at the gathering in the Carver Community Center gym. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler County NAACP President Phyllis Pearson speaks at the MLK celebration. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler County School Board member Cheryl Massaro cuts the ribbon for the Carver Community Center extension. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Rev. Elijah Emmanuel speaks at the Carver Community Center extension ribbon cutting. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler County School Board member Cheryl Massaro said she was excited the Carver Community Center's extension has finally come to fruition. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Carver Community Center Site Manager Bonita Robinson speaks during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the center's extension. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler County Commissioner Andy Dance speaks during the Carver Community Center extension ribbon cutting ceremony. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Pastor Daisy Henry leads a prayer on Jan. 13, 2024 at the George Washington Carver Community Center as part of Bunnell's annual MLK Celebration. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore speaks during a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Carver Community Center extension. Photo by Brent Woronoff
The Flagler County Education Foundation's Maryiotti Johnson, Teresa Rizzo and Selina Hernandez at the MLK Celebration. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly speaks prior to the ribbon cutting for the Carver Community Center extension. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler County Commissioner David Sullivan listens to speakers at the MLK Celebration at the Carver Community Center in Bunnell on Jan. 13. Photo by Brent Woronoff
The Flagler County Sheriff's Office's 1938 Buick Police Special leaves the MLK Parade staging area at the Carver Community Center. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Garfield waves from the Palm Coast Historical Society and Museum truck. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Kimberly McClendon and Bunnell City Commissioner Tina-Marie Schultz ride in Bunnell's MLK Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Parade vehicles return to the Carver Community Center. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Palm Coast Historical Society President Kathy Reichard-Ellavsky and Historical Society volunteer Mary Hultay pose with Garfield, who has a place in the city's history beginning in 1985 when ITT Development Corporation signed a marketing agreement to have Garfield promote the community in advertising. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Rev. Elijah Emmanuel and Sabrina Adams listen to speakers during the MLK Celebration at Carver Community Center. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly listens to speakers during Bunnell's MLK Celebration on Jan. 13 at the Carver Community Center. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Stacey Smith, the Carver Community Center's Youther Services Specialist, sings "Lift Every Voice and Sing" to open the MLK Celebration on Saturday, Jan. 13. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Parade vehicles return to the Carver Community Center on East Drain Street in Bunnell. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Rev. Elijah Emmanuel listens to speakers at the MLK Celebration at the Carver Community Center in Bunnell on Saturday, Jan. 13. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Community members packed the The George Washington Carver Community Center gym in Bunnell on Saturday, Jan. 13, for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.
Many of the celebrants then squeezed into the Carver Center’s new reception area for a ribbon cutting officially opening the facility’s new extension. The day’s activities then moved outside for the annual MLK Parade from the Carver Center on East Drain Street, west to U.S. 1, to State Road 100 and looping back to the starting point.
Carver Center Youth Services Specialist Stacey Smith opened the celebration with a stirring rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
Bunnell Mayor Catherine Robinson presented 2024 MLK Celebration and Parade Marshal Marian Irvin-Reddin with a framed certificate.
Irvin-Reddin, who worked to help save the Carver Gym years ago and continues to work with youth in the community in her retirement, said she was humbled.
When it comes to our children, politics has no place. Our children need us.”
— MARIAN IRVIN-REDDIN
“My heart is with the children,” she said. “We have to step up. Dr. King didn’t sit down. … When it comes to our children, politics has no place. Our children need us.”
Celebration/Parade Committee Chairman Mark Anderson and Flagler County NAACP President Phyllis Pearson also spoke during the MLK Celebration.
Pearson said, “There is no figure more closely identified with the mid-20th century struggle for civil rights than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And this particular movement is still ongoing.”
Flagler County School Board member Cheryl Massaro, Bunnell Mayor Robinson, Carver Center Site Manager Bonita Robinson, Rev. Elijah Emmanuel, Flagler County Commission Chair Andy Dance, Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore and Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly were among the speakers at the ribbon cutting. Pastor Daisy Henry opened the ceremony with a prayer.
“I’m so excited,” said Massaro, who cut the ribbon on the new extension. “The county started this and they committed to making this happen. The city of Bunnell and the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office provided support. They never gave up on this facility.”
The Carver Center’s extension includes the new reception area, four offices, two conference rooms and new bathrooms, Bonita Robinson said.
Dance noted that the addition was built internally by the county’s general services department.
Moore said County Administrator Heidi Petito “deserves a round of applause” for making the extension possible.
“(Petito) has been a part of this for a long time,” Dance said.
“This is the ultimate celebration for me to see where we came from and where we are now,” Rev. Emmanuel said.
