As the chairperson of the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee of Bartow County, Linda Ford Kellogg is encouraging the community to rally around their upcoming observance's theme of Remember! Celebrate! Act! -- a day on, not a day off. Even though it has been more than 42 years since the Civil Rights leader was killed, Kellogg said King's message still is relevant today and is especially important for the younger generation to hear.

"When I think about Dr. King the first thing I think about is peace," she said. "He exemplified peace to me because he didn't like violence. He didn't get angry. He didn't bully anybody to get the job done. So that's mainly what I think about. It's important for people not to forget what he died for, which has helped so many of us, all races included.

"However, the things that this holiday represents are things that are just right, such as equality for women on the job site, same pay, such as [preventing] prejudice or racism and war. It's stuff that each of us believe in. That's why I think it's important cause it's not just about Dr. King. He was here and, yes, he died, but all these things that he was speaking about and trying to get changed and laws passed, when you get down to the truth about it, it's really what everybody believes in."

To honor King's legacy, Kellogg is helping coordinate two days of programs surrounding Monday's federal holiday that commemorates his life.

"The theme says it all -- Remember! Celebrate! Act! It's just not a day out of school or a day off of work," she said. "Even if you [do not] participate in the candlelight service or the youth rally, Martin Luther King was a servant and people need to be of service. [We need to] volunteer, help somebody. That's what I want them to take away from this day whether they show up or not."

The King Holiday Weekend Celebration will begin on Sunday with a 6 p.m. candlelight service at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 147 Jones St. in Cartersville, featuring Rev. Libya BaaQar as the keynote speaker. Along with music and singing provided by The MLK Community Choir, the Drum Major Award also will be presented to a local resident.

The festivities will continue on Monday with a youth rally from 10 a.m. to noon at St. Luke A.M.E. Church, 130 Jones St. in Cartersville. Kindergartners to college students are invited to pay tribute to King's life with songs, skits, poetry and dance.

The day's events also will include a Brotherhood March at 2 p.m. Participants will assemble at the Cartersville Civic Center at 1:15 p.m. Grand Marshals Rev. Guy and Reshelle Gainor will lead the procession to the Frank Moore Administration and Judicial Center, 135 W. Cherokee Ave. After a wreath-laying ceremony, the crowd will return to the Civic Center for a Brotherhood March Program that will feature a message from Rev. William E Reed.

"I'm just going to talk to them basically about remembering the legacy of Dr. King and also reminding them of some of the duties we have ... things like coming together as a people, trying to be an instrument for our kids. We're talking about [furthering] the education for our kids, that they might be ready for the future," said Reed, pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Cassville. "That's some of the things that I will be talking about as far as the tasks that we have before us.

"Dr. King did such a great job in helping us get started on this path of justice and liberation for all people, not just some people, for all people. He was a light and we're going to have to continuously shine that light as the future goes on. And the task is that we're going to have to come together because we all need each other and [we need] to work together for the benefit [of] all of us."

For more information about the King Holiday Weekend Celebration, call 770-382-7951 or 770-865-1797. Details about Monday's youth rally can be obtained by contacting 678-368-3583.