Ten-year-old Molly Gustaf son could have been building sand castles on a beach in Mexico, but she and her family canceled a vacation to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Molly is among about 600 Loveland children who competed in an essay and art competition honoring the civil-rights leader.
When she received word that her essay won, Molly and her dad, Eric, said the decision to remain home was easy.
“We are all very proud of her,” Eric Gustafson said. “It was something that she really took hold of and ran with.”
The writing and art contest has become an annual event in northern Colorado, with branches in Loveland and Fort Collins.
Children from kindergarten through eighth grade compete by showing how King’s legacy affects them today.
This year’s theme was courage and social justice – pretty heavy topics for a fifth-grader.
“I learned where he was born and why he did all that he did,” Molly said. “At the beginning, I kind of tell where he was born and how he grew up and what he did. … And then how Martin Luther King has changed the world and how he changed me.”
Molly said King’s life has changed hers “by letting me hold hands with a little black girl or a little black boy.”
The competition, said co-organizer Mary Jane Willard, was an idea that came to Joe Kirshling about eight years ago.
“He worked on the Martin Luther King event here in Loveland for some time,” Willard said of Kirshling. “He decided that the way we would change the world in a positive way would be to impact the kids. And one way we could do that was to get them to focus attention once a year on Martin Luther King.”
Kirshling, a former engineer with Hewlett-Packard, died this month. He was honored Sunday night for his efforts.
The writing and art competition is part of events in Loveland and Fort Collins for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. On Sunday, Fort Collins organizers announced that events would be held in the Lory Student Center Theatre at Colorado State University because of the cold weather.
For the kids who continue to enter essays, poems and artwork, the competition means a chance at reading their entries on the radio.
Local station KRFC set aside an hour Sunday for them to read the winning entries.
That chance at honoring King is what kept Molly and Eric Gustafson in Loveland rather than enjoying a tropical vacation.
“It’s 4 degrees here and 84 there,” Eric Gustafson said. “For somebody this age to win that – we were so proud of her. There was no question (about staying in town).”
Staff writer George Merritt can be reached at 303-954-1657 or gmerritt@denverpost.com.
Al Día: Para leer este artículo en español. denverpost.com/aldia
Martin Luther King Jr. Day events
Today
Arvada: The second annual MLK Reception and Celebration begins at 6 p.m. at Arvada United Methodist Church, 6750 Carr St. Speakers include Elizabeth Roberts, who worked with King from 1965 to 1967, and state Rep. Terrence Carroll, D-Denver. For information, call 303-421- 0467.
Boulder: The 2007 MLK Jr. Day Celebration begins at 11 a.m. at the County Courthouse on the Pearl Street Mall with a rally and march.
Denver: MLK Jr. African American Heritage Rodeo Champions will be at 7 p.m. at the National Western Stock Show Events Center, 4655 Humboldt St., Denver. Cost is $12, $15 and $35.
Denver: Volunteers of America, Denver’s KUVO radio station and Kaiser Permanente are hosting a dinner to commemorate the life of MLK from 3 to 6 p.m. at Volunteers of America, Sunset Park, 1865 Larimer St.
Denver: “Marade” participants will gather at 8:30 a.m. in City Park at the statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The march/parade will be at 10 a.m. The following RTD bus routes will be detoured because of the “marade”: 0, 2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 15, 15L, 16L, 20, 24, 50, 52, 83L.
Denver: Joint Effort Community Sports Program, in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and in conjunction with black community organizations, churches and individuals, will sponsor a Community Speak Out on and for black men and boys at 1:30 p.m., after a 1 p.m. community reception at Barrett Elementary School, 2900 Richard Allen Court. For information, call John Bailey at 303-745-9649.
Fort Collins: Martin Luther King Jr. Day events will be at the Lory Student Center Theatre on the Colorado State University campus. Events begin at 9:30 a.m.
Littleton: The ninth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast Celebration will be at 9 a.m. in the second-floor lobby of the main campus building at Arapahoe Community College, 5900 S. Santa Fe Drive. At 10 a.m., the celebration of King’s legacy will move to ACC’s Waring Theater, where scholarships and honors will be presented and remembrances of MLK’s 1964 visit to Littleton will be shared.
Jan. 24
Aurora: Concerts on Colfax Series, “Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration,” will be at noon at the Fox Theater, 9900 E. Colfax Ave.
Aurora: MLK Jr. Essay and Fine Arts Award Reception will be at 2:30 p.m. at the History Museum, Forever Free exhibit area, 15051 E. Alameda Parkway.
What’s open and closed
Banks: Closed
Mail delivery: None
RTD: Buses and light rail will run on regular schedules. For information, visit rtd-denver.com or call 303-299-6000.
Parking meters in Denver: Free
Trash collection: In Denver, trash pickup and recycling collections will be delayed one day. All suburban trash pickup is by private contractor. Contact individual providers for trash-pickup information.
School districts: All public schools are closed. For information on private schools, please contact the individual school location.
City/county: All county and most city offices are closed.
