King's dream kept alive
By Lenny Roberts

The third annual Martin Luther King Day at Libbey Park was all organizers had hoped for, and more.
"My best guess is that there were between 1,200 and 1,500 people at the peak," said Jackie Clark, Ojai Valley Youth Foundation events coordinator. "It was very well-attended by both youths and adults.
Despite Ojai having a mostly white population, OVYF co-organizers Clark, Carol Grier and Elizabeth Rockey chose Martin Luther King Day because "the foundation is an organization that supports community endeavors in our town that bring about awareness of diversity of youths and adults in the community," Clark explained.
The event featured guest speakers and performers Lanny Kaufer, Pria Frances & Kino Crooke, J.B. White, Julie Christensen & Leone Webster, Tim Ciniceros, Alan Thornhill & Friends, Perla Batalla, Carolkay McKay, Danza Azteca, the Ojai Valley Community Nursery School, Leigh Melander, The Happy Valley School Band, The Durfees, Circled Square, Dale Hanson and Sue Horgan.
Clark was hard-pressed to choose the highlight of the day.
"If I had to choose something, it would be the playing of (Dr. King's) speech and the candlelight commemoration at the end of the day," she said.
Financial supporters of the event were the City of Ojai Arts Commission, the Ojai Optimists Club, Ojai Board of Realtors, Tell the Truth Productions and Washington Mutual Bank.
Clark also thanked Rain Perry, the event's artistic director, Dulanie Ellis-LaBarre, who served as the Master of Ceremonies, and Thornhill, who also served as audio engineer.
"We're really happy with the event and its success, absolutely, and the number of kids who were there. It was a great , and we're already planning for next year," Clark said.

© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

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