Gaithersburg Literary Arts Winners Announced

The city of Gaithersburg is joining with Montgomery County in a celebration of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The celebration includes multiple opportunities for community service, a Musical Celebration and Tribute, and a Literary Arts Contest.

For the 23rd year the city of Gaithersburg has teamed up with the Gazette Newspapers to host a Literary Arts Contest specifically for Gaithersburg area young people. More than 200 students addressed the theme, “Honoring the Legacy: Celebrate, Serve, Remember.” Members of the City’s Educational Enrichment Committee selected three winners: Benjamin Bell, a sixth grader from St. Martin of Tours School, Sarah Cooper, a fifth grader from Strawberry Knoll Elementary School and Kyle Dalrymple, a fifth grader from Rosemont Elementary School. Their essays will be read at the Gaithersburg Mayor and City Council Meeting, taking place at City Hall on Tuesday, January 21 at 7:30 p.m., and can be viewed here.

Kyle Dalrymple is also a winner of a countywide Literary Arts Contest, and he, along with other countywide winners, will read their works at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Musical Celebration and Tribute at Strathmore on Jan. 20. In addition to the Literary Arts Award winners, the celebration will also feature musical entertainment and the announcement of the 2014 Children of the Dream and Humanitarian Awards. Advance tickets for this event are no longer available. For stand-by line information visit www.strathmore.org.

To honor Dr. King’s legacy, county residents are encouraged to participate in community service projects and a volunteer fair during the Jan. 20 “Day of Service.” Structured activities will be conducted at Seneca Creek Community Church in Gaithersburg from 9 to 11 a.m., at the Silver Spring Civic Building from 10 a.m. to noon, at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center from 1 to 3 p.m. and at the International Cultural Center in Montgomery Village from 3 to 5 p.m. A collection of sleeping bags, blankets and socks for the homeless, sponsored by Tri-Sigma Chapter, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., will be conducted at all locations. For more information on the service projects and the homeless drive please contact the Montgomery County Volunteer Center at 240.777.2600 or visit www.montgomeryserves.org.

There will also be a countywide “Help the Hungry” food drive to benefit Manna Food Center at select Giant grocery store locations in Montgomery County on Saturday, January 18 and Sunday, January 19. For more information visit www.mannafood.org. To volunteer, email volunteer@mannafood.org.

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