SUMMIT, NJ - Summit was buzzing with activity in tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King on Monday as residents and neighbors came out to celebrate the legendary civil rights leader.

Monday’s festivities marked Summit’s 12th Annual MLK celebration and hundreds of local residents attended to show support. Local businesses, community centers and churches offered their services including providing donation centers, educational services and various diversity acknowledgements in venues around town. The festivities were free and open to the public between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

The day’s focus was to carry on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by helping people in Summit and neighboring towns through service, fellowship and peaceful expression through the cultural arts. Volunteers were invited to sign up for the events  and all donations were welcomed. Some of the events that were offered included "Bridge the Gap Between Housed and Homeless," "If you Give a Child a Book….," "Spotlight on Cultural Heritage in Summit," and free diabetes and blood pressure screenings sponsored by Overlook Hospital, amongst many others.

Sponsored by Bridges Outreach, Inc., the"Bridge the Gap Between Housed and Homeless," event brought hundreds out to sort clothing, make brown bag meals, toiletry kits and quilts for those in need. Children and parents worked together and produced 8 full quilts to bring to various homeless shelters in Newark. "What you have all done here today will really make a huge difference," announced organizer of the event, Lois Blatt.

The Rotary Club of Summit and the New Providence and Colonial Crossroads Center sponsored a community blood drive at Christ Church on Springfield Avenue that brought in several residents to help give blood to those in need.

Several sponsors helped to make the day possible. Some of these included Junior Girl Scout Troop 854, The Christ Child Society of Summit, the Area Baby Center & Summit Junior Fortnightly Club and the Mount Olive Temple’s Drive for Families in Need.

DARE officer Sgt. Tom Rich of the Summit police gave a talk to a group of elementary and high school students on the dangers of cyber-bullying at the Community Center.  A discussion followed between the students, teachers and Sgt. Rich. The talk was entitled "Connecting and Protecting Generation TXT: Promoting the Safe and Inventive Uses of Technology." In middle schools, approximately 1,742 texts are sent by students per classroom per week.  Two years ago, the average number of texts sent in the United States per month was 75 billion.

"Bullying happens everyday," explained Rich. "It’s usually things said sent back and forth between texts. We’ve all been bullied before. We have to find a realistic way that is appropriate to report abuse in the schools. This may be through counselors, parents and teachers or through innovative ways such as ‘bully boxes.’ Bully boxes have been designed so that students can make their own, voice their concerns and offer suggestions as to what can prevent this behavior in the future. We should all set good examples. Just like Dr. King, if you are a leader, people will follow."

Volunteer Kelsey Armstrong was helping to make quilts for the homeless. "I am glad that I decided to do this," said Armstrong. "There have been a lot of people coming through to donate and I feel that we are making a difference. I’m very proud to be a part of the day."

At the Unitarian Church of Summit, many came to read passages from Dr. King’s Ware lecture to the Unitarian Universalist Association, which took place on May 1966, and afterwards comment on the passages heard. This speech, entitled, ‘Don’t Sleep Through the Revolution,’ was given by Dr. King to summarize his views on many important issues that existed in 1966; many of which unfortunately are still with us today, 43 years later. In part, it reads, "We have made great strides in the war against discrimination and will continue in the years to come to further our progress toward integration with the help of our families, friends, communities and education."

Reader Karen Malnati commented, "It is an honor and an education to share the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who was a prophet for justice." "I am reading Dr. Martin Luther King’s words in honor of the work he did and sacrifices he made to press the case for civil rights, equality and tolerance in our country and the world. We must continue to work to reach his goals," said reader Jean Crichton.