Brookhaven residents were encouraged to be dreamers, live outtheir dreams and to help others fulfill their dreams as well duringa celebration ceremony in memory of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.Monday night.

During the annual event, sponsored by the Mu Pi Lambda Chapterof the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, many citizens in the area spokeabout the importance of King’s life and the “dreams” he hoped tosee become a reality before his death in 1968.

“Dreams are simply images, thoughts, and designs that canvisualize in our society,” keynote speaker Bro. Winfred Fraziersaid. “I’m convinced that progress depends on us being individualswho are materializing these dreams.”

Frazier asked the crowd of about 200 gathered in the auditoriumat Alexander Junior High School to find ways to improve thecommunity. He mentioned poverty, divorce, education and crime inthe area.

“The kind of dreamers we need in our community are individualswho challenge each other,” he said.

As a single candle burned in remembrance of King, other programparticipants echoed Frazier’s call for using the late civil rightsleader’s life as an example for the community.

“Let us strive to work together and make his dream a reality,”said Arlustra “Pap” Henderson Jr., assistant chief of theBrookhaven Police Department.

A silent crowd listened attentively as Perry Brumfield usedquotes from King’s life to show the dream of bringing a nationtogether in peace.

Although most people are familiar with the “I have a dream”speech King gave, many are unaware that King’s dreams weresomething he made public for several years.

King professed this dream with phrases such as, “Let us hopethat the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away,” saidBrumfield.

Many of the program participants pointed out how important itwas to start with children when trying to achieve a dream.

“Every single day I tell some kid, some where, to dream big. Letyour vision be as high as it can be,” said Alexander Junior HighPrincipal Robert Holloway.

Frazier, a local pastor, used other dreamers, such as RosaParks, Booker T. Washington, Hank Aaron and Medgar Evers, asexamples of how determination can cause dreams to becomerealities.

Following musical presentations by the Rev. Larry Jointer andthe Lincoln County Boys and Girls Club, the crowd bowed heads for aprayer led by the Rev. Shelton Hodge.

The night’s events were wrapped up with a reception hosted byseveral sororities.