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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Managing Editor

Ocie Williams and Jimmie Hardee were recognized as this year’s Seeds of Kindness Community Award honorees during the Martin Luther King Jr. Fun Day on Jan. 17.

Seeds of Kindness awards honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s memory by recognizing those who have planted kindness and hope into the community.

Both honorees had addressed the crowd earlier in the festivities as a part of the comments by community leaders.

“I am so thankful and blessed to see all of you out here today, a united front, a love front,” Williams said.

He said love was the key to joy and peace.

Williams emphasized how Martin Luther King Jr. was used by God in the same way Jesus used five loaves and two fish in the New Testament to feed 5,000 people — as a way to show love, joy and hope.

“We must unite as brothers and sisters and walk together,” Williams said.

Hardee said the focus needs to be on what the community can do together, rather than one person trying to do everything.

“I am humbled to be a part of this,” Hardee said. “I like to us united together … it is about love, it is about working together. It is about taking ownership of your community.”

The event, organized by Margaret Hawkins of Kids 1st Bridge of Hope, featured a prayer walk and parade, free food, information booths and games in addition to the awards.

The prayer walk and parade went from First Methodist Church in Clanton to Martin Luther King Street.

Festivities after the walk opened with greetings from community leaders and a prayer by Tyler Eiland of the Chilton Baptist Association. In his prayer, he thanked God “for the unity that we have seen displayed already today in this community.”

“God, we pray that in this time where there is so much division that you would help us to be united together in love for one another,” Eiland said.

Hawkins said the community can overcome anything by working together with the right mindset.