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Approximately 1,500 area residents celebrated diversity Saturday at the second annual "Culture, Community and Christ" in Central Park.
Last year, the event was held in May to divert attention from the Ku Klux Klan's march in downtown Warsaw. This year, the organizers decided to be pro-active instead of reactive.
The festivities began Friday when Khanyisa, a young musical group from South Africa, performed at Warsaw and Wawasee high schools.
Saturday morning, a community-wide prayer breakfast was held at Warsaw Community High School at 8 a.m. Featured was renowned Promise Keepers speaker Raleigh Washington.
More than 200 families received food at "Operation Blessing" Saturday. The food was distributed to local needy families. According to Joe Banks, chairman of the Committee to Commemorate Martin Luther King Jr., more than 100 volunteers helped pack and distribute food from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday, there was face painting, puppets, balloons, clowns and family entertainment at Central Park. Free food also was provided for all those enjoying the day's events.
Sue Roeder, vocalist, performed in Spanish beginning at 5 p.m. Sound Investment, a Grace College band, then performed.
Shortly after 6 p.m., Khanyisa took the stage. They sang, danced and told of their own personal struggles against racism in South Africa.
"It's OK for us to be different," the band told the supportive audience. Banks said the group loves performing in Warsaw.
Washington and his daughter, Rachel, concluded the festivities. Rachel Washington sang the opening and closing songs.
Washington spoke of sacrifice and putting one's life into God's hands. He concluded his talk with a prayer.
"He was impressed with Warsaw. He thought the celebration was really (moving)," said Banks.
Banks said he was personally impressed with the outpouring of love and togetherness shown Saturday by the community.
"This is the kind of thing the Martin Luther King Committee seeks to promote," Banks said, "and I'm very proud of the way the community came out."
Some of the sponsors of the event included the Greater Warsaw Ministerial Association, Grace College and Seminary, the Committee to Commemorate Martin Luther King Jr., Our Father's House, Burkhart Advertising, the Alliance for Cultural Unity, the Kosciusko County Foundation, local law enforcement and emergency services, approximately 12 area churches and eight businesses.
