Operation Be Proud organizers hope the community joins them to honor

Martin Luther King Jr's life and legacy for the 12th annual Memorial Celebration tonight at Ohio University Southern.

"We want to come together to think about the country, the young people and the future," Robert Pleasant, chairperson of the celebration, said.

The program will begin by honoring King in a candlelight prayer vigil in front of the university's main entrance at 6:30 p.m.

Afterwards, a program, "Let us Stand with Greater Determination," will be hosted in the Bowman Auditorium beginning at 7 p.m.

Samuel Moore will be the featured speaker. Moore is a teacher at Cammack Middle School in Huntington, W.Va., and pastor at Full Gospel Assembly Church in Huntington.

In 2001, Moore was honored with the National Educators Award by the Milken Family Foundation given to top educators in the country.

The purpose of the celebration continues OBP's goal of educating the children of the Tri-State about diversity,

culture and furthering their motto that, "Knowledge is the foundation for all that we become."

Last Thursday, about a dozen children gathered at Operation Be Proud's Enrichment Center to read King's speech, talk about his contributions and discuss how it all relates to them.