Community leaders and churches from the Collin County cities of Allen, Fairview, Frisco, McKinney, and Plano invite the public to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s teachings and efforts to promote peace and good will for all of mankind. The festivities take place on Monday, January 15, 2018, from 11:30am to 1:00pm, in the sanctuary of First United Methodist Church (FUMC) of Allen, 601 S. Greenville Ave, Allen, Texas 75002.

WFAA-TV news anchor, Dr. John McCaa, serves as the master of ceremonies for this appreciation day event. McCaa will provide the welcoming address and introduce the keynote speakers and other key contributors.
Collin County Judge Keith Self will read the Collin County MLK Appreciation Day Proclamation with special messages from Mayor Stephen Terrell (Allen), Mayor Darion Culbertson (Fairview), Mayor Jeff Cheney (Frisco), Mayor Harry LaRosiliere (Plano), and Mayor George Fuller (McKinney).

Keynote speakers include event co-chairs Rev. Todd Harris, senior pastor of FUMC Allen, and Dr. Wayne Stafford, Sr., Ed.D. pastor of Fellowship Christian Center Church in Plano and founder of the Collin County Economic Development Corporation.
Other highlights of the event include the presentation of the Martin Luther King (MLK) Student Art Contest winners by Tim Carroll, the Allen ISD Director of Public Information Services/Director of Community Services. The Allen ISD Diversity Committee selected winners at the elementary school level, the middle school level, and the high school level. Each winning entry will be on display at the event with posters of each winner available at the event.

Pastor Timothy Jones from Rockbridge Church in Allen will present the MLK Drum Major Award to four individuals that have excelled in their community involvement over many years.

Special musical contributions include choirs and dancers from Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Plano, FUMC Allen, Fellowship Christian Center Church in Plano, and a special performance by the MLK Appreciation Day Community Choir, an interracial choir created by Dr. Wayne Stafford to symbolize our desire as how to the world should be.

The 28-member Appreciation Day Steering Committee hope to use this inaugural event as a frame work for planning future Collin County events in an effort to coordinate activities with each city able to make a contribution and to avoid as many schedule conflicts between municipalities as possible.