Annual King breakfast Jan. 21

On the morning of Jan. 21, local residents and friends of the YMCA will join together in celebration of the life ofDr.Martin Luther King Jr.

Hosted annually by The Community YMCA, Red Bank, and the YMCA of WesternMonmouth County, Freehold Township, the 19th annual Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast will be held at Branches, 123Monmouth Road,West Long Branch, from 8-10 a.m.

"This event has become a proud tradition of the twoMonmouth CountyYMCAs," said Cynthia Joy, president and CEO of the YMCA of Western Monmouth County. "We feel it is our obligation as a community organization to continue to promote the legacy of Dr. King and to encourage the youth of our community to embrace his teachings so they may contribute to our society in a positive manner."

"We are pleased to host the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast annually," said Gary I. Laermer, president and chief executive officer of The Community YMCA. "The teachings of Dr. King serve to remind us of the essential role that diversity plays in the goals and mission of the YMCA, and in each of our programs and services that promote character development in youth."

The programwill include a presentation by guest speaker Darryl C.Walls, author of "LeadershipDefined" and founder and CEO of MINDS, along with selections by local leaders and vocalists.

Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin will be on hand to present the annual Humanitarian Award to an outstanding youth in Monmouth County.

Two additional scholarships, courtesy of Two River Community Bank, will be awarded to essay winners Jeremy Goldfarb of FreeholdHigh School, Freehold Borough, and Victoria Ramirez of Red Bank Regional High School, Little Silver.

The event is open to all in the community. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for youths (12 and under). To RSVP, call Pam Ortman at (732) 671-5505, ext.13.