- January 22, 2025
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Quavius Jackson Jr. holds his sign honoring Martin luther King Jr. as he rides in the MLK parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Dalva Smith sells chilli cookoff tickets at the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.'s life in Bunnell at the G. W. Carver Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mary Cooper serves breakfast at the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.'s life held at the G.W. Carver Center in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Flagler Coast Finest social group members (left to right) Ginger Taylor, Louise Johnson, Bertha Reddin and Deborah O'Neal serve food at the prayer breakfast celebrating the life of Martin Luther King Jr. at the G. W. Carter Center in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Vince Smith (left), Dr. Mark Anderson (center) and his cousin Leonard Anderson Jr. (right) talk before the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Dr. Mark Anderson (center) and his cousin Leonard Anderson Jr. (third from right) pose with family members before the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Flagler Palm Coast High School Junior ROTC march in the Martin Luther King Jr.'s parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Worship Master of Espanola Masonic Lodge No. 161 Tommy Tucker (left) and Dalva Smith (right) pose before the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Flagler Palm Coast High School Junior ROTC cadets Cassandra Buchanan (left) and Alana Joya (right) grab breakfast before marching in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Matanzas graduate and American Legion Flagler Post 115 member Michaela Sipes (left) and Chaplain Ophelia Beier (right) prepare to drive in the martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
American Legion Flagler Post 115 officers (left to right) Patrick Hartnett, George Sipes III, George Kazmerski, Michael Cunningham, George Wood and Edward Beier prepare to march in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
City Manager of Bunnell Dr. Alvin Jackson (left), Flagler Schools District 1 board member Derek Barrs (second from left), Mayor of Bunnell Catherine Robinson (third from left) and Flagler Schools District 5 board member Lauren Ramirez (right). Photo by Michele Meyers
The Flagler Palm Coast High School Air Force Junior ROTC marches in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
G.W. Carver Center Site Manager Bonita Robinson (left) and her husband Joseph Robinson particpate in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Bonita is running for the position of Bunnell City Commissioner in the upcoming March election. Photo by Michele Meyers
American Legion Riders Flagler Post 115 ride in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photoby Michele Meyers
Ken Howard represents the African American Mentor Program as he walked in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Kids ride the 'Let Freedom Ring' float in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Lesley Long (left), her son Greyson Wise and Alexis Smith (right) sing the gopel song "Forevermore" during the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Walkers clap and cheer in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Walkers clap and cheer in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Walkers wave to the observers at the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
The City of Palm Coast Fire Department participates in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Four-year-old Chris Jones gets excited about the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Four-year-old Chris Jones and his grandmother Patricia Jones watch the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Gary Perkins represents the African American Mentor Program in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Sisters five-year-old Khalia Coto (left) and four-year-old Kylar Hampton have fun at the MLK celebration at the G.W. Carver Community Center in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Scooter and bike riders join the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell on Saturday, Jan. 18. Photo by Michele Meyers
St. James Missionary Baptist Church's Sister McCall rides in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Four-year-old Kylar Hampton catches a ride during the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Participants enjoy themselves as they walk in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Akeelah Reiden sings "Lift Every Voice" at the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration at the G. W. Carver Community Center in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
The St. James Missionary Baptist Church youth group rides on a float in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
An African American Mentor Program representative walk in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Two of John's Towing trucks participate in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Veteran Tommy Tucker, Worshipful Master of the Espanola Masonic Lodge #161, said he grew up with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s civil rights movements. He said he met his mother with his German Shepherd after she participated in King's historic march on Washington. Photo by Michele Meyers
Flagler County School Board Member, District 5 Lauren Ramirez speaks at the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration at the G. W. Carver Community Center in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Flagler County School Board Member, District 1 Derek Barrs speaks at the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration at the G. W. Carver Community Center in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
City of Bunnell Mayor Catherine Robinson addresses the crowd gathered at the G. W. Carver Community Center in Bunnell for the MLK celebration. Photo by Michele Meyers
Bunnell Mayor Catherine Robinson (left) and MLK Dream Keepers Committee Chairman Dr. Mark Anderson (right) present the parade Grand Marshall Larry Jones with the 2025 MLK Celebration award. Photo by Michele Meyers
Martin Luther King Jr. parade Grand Marshall Larry Jones speaks to the crowd at the G.W. Carver Community Center in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Martin Luther King Jr. celebration Mistress of Ceremony Pastor Wendy Butler leads the attendees in prayer at the G. W. Carver community Center in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
The St. James Missionary Baptist Church youth department performs a timeline of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's life at the G.W. Carver Community Center in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
The St. James Missionary Baptist Church youth department performs a timeline of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's life at the G.W. Carver Community Center in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
The St. James Missionary Baptist Church youth department performs a timeline of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's life at the G.W. Carver Community Center in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
The St. James Missionary Baptist Church youth department act as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when he married Coretta Scott King at the G.W. Carver Community Center in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
One of the girls from the St. James Missionary Baptist Church youth department acted as Rosa Parks at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
The St. James Missionary Baptist Church youth department performs a timeline of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's life at the G.W. Carver Community Center in Bunnell including his arrests. Photo by Michele Meyers
The St. James Missionary Baptist Church youth department performs a timeline of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's life at the G.W. Carver Community Center in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
The St. James Missionary Baptist Church youth department performance culminates in the portrayal of Michelle and Barack Obama during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration at the G.W. Carver Community Center in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
The St. James Missionary Baptist Church youth department performs a timeline of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's life at the G.W. Carver Community Center in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
Speaker Michelle Jones addresses the crowd during the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration at the G.W. Carver Community Center in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
MLK Dream Keepers Event Committee Chairman Dr. Mark Anderson said love is the key at the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mikearse White (left) and Kenya Jenkins (right) walk in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Bunnell. Photo by Michele Meyers
The MLK Dream Keepers presented their annual Martin Luther King Jr. festivities at the George Washington Carver Community Center in Bunnell on Saturday, Jan. 18.
Committee Chairman Dr. Mark Anderson and his team organized a day to honor the life and accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr. The program and promotional materials highlighted King’s quote reflecting his dream of freedom and peace: “True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.”
Anderson said when he was creating the program, he asked himself what they could do to help each other. The event theme “Mission Possible” represents the belief that the current generation can carry on King’s vision to fight for equality and rights for everyone.
“I only could come up with one thing: If we would just love each other, we wouldn’t need to protest, we wouldn’t need to march,” he said. “Love is undoubtedly the most powerful emotion that you can ever feel. … If we would just love each other, we would not need to worry about police brutality, we would never have to worry about what’s going to happen to our kids when they’re outside at night. … Love is the key.”
Anderson then quoted King: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
A continental prayer breakfast kicked off the event with a welcoming array of fruit and Krispy Kreme doughnuts in the gym. Flagler County Finest member Mary Cooper served Flagler Palm Coast High School Air Force JROTC cadets Cassandra Buchanan and Alana Joya.
“This is definitely something that I’m really proud to be a part of, and I’m glad our ROTC has the opportunity to support,” Joya said. “Martin Luther King Jr. did a lot for us. Not just for people of color, but he really made sure that we were unified at the end of the day. That’s what America is all about.”
Community members were then invited to join the parade at noon, led by local officials, a motorcade and youth groups. The procession started at the center, then proceeded along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, turned right on U.S. 1, right on Moody Boulevard, and then returned to the center.
This mission is certainly possible but we have to take a stand, come together and do all that we can every day knowing that we are here to make a difference for our little ones, our young people…The mission is possible but it takes all of us." — MICHELLE JONES, MLK celebration speaker
Local officials included Bunnell Mayor Catherine Robinson, Vice Mayor John Rogers, City Manager Dr. Alvin Jackson Jr., Flagler County School Board Members Derek Barrs and Lauren Ramirez, G.W. Carver Center Manager Bonita Robinson and Bunnell Police Chief David Brannon. Retired Flagler County sheriff’s sergeant Larry Jones was the grand marshall. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and Flagler County Assist joined the Bunnell Police Department to support the procession.
Rev. Ophelia Beier, chaplain for American Legion Flagler Post 115, also took part in the parade ,with the legion’s color guard and the American Legion Riders.
“Martin Luther King was about unity,” she said. “He was about having his dream of freedom. Just to be in a diverse parade and also representing our veterans here, overseas and the ones in harms way right now, means all the world to me.”
Pastor Wendy Butler was the program Mistress of Ceremony after the parade. She led the welcome prayer and was followed by Akeelah Reiden singing “Lift Every Voice.” Mayor Robinson presented Jones with the 2025 annual MLK Celebration award.
St. James Missionary Baptist Church youth performed a timeline of events derived from King’s life. Ten children represented King as he grew up through elementary school, high school and college when he received a doctorate at the age of 26. Two children dressed up as King and Coretta Scott King when they married in 1953, and another couple represented Barack and Michelle Obama.
Butler then introduced speaker Michelle Jones, who addressed the crowd and expressed the importance of carrying on King’s work. She said with everything that Dr. King accomplished, what we continue to do today and must continue to do, the mission is possible.
“We are all in this together,” she said. “Change comes not because we sit back and do nothing. We must have the urgency and determination to bring about change. … This mission is certainly possible, but we have to take a stand, come together and do all that we can every day, knowing that we are here to make a difference for our little ones, our young people. … The mission is possible but it takes all of us.”
