The Lake County NAACP chapter, local community groups and other guests are planning to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and welcome the chapter’s newest leaders later this month. The celebration event will be hosted at Painesville Assembly of God, located at 10949 Johnnycake Ridge Road in Concord Township. It kicks off at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 20. The event will feature the Harvey High School choir, Mentor High School’s Top 25 Choir, the Everlasting Baptist Church Choir and dancing from Humble Cry Ministries, a county NAACP news release stated. It added that the celebration will also include a recitation of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech by Lake County high school students and a Lake Erie College student, as well as a keynote speech from the Rev. DeWitt Chappell Jr., pastor of Everlasting Missionary Baptist Church in Cleveland. King spoke at Everlasting when he visited Cleveland, said Lake County NAACP President Chris Lee. The Lake County NAACP will also recognize Lee and other new officers at the event, the news release stated. The leaders will be installed by Ohio NAACP President Tom Roberts, who is a former state representative and state senator from Dayton, and national NAACP board member and Akron resident Ophelia Averitt. Lee said that he currently serves as a social services director for a local nursing home. He has previously served on the chapter’s youth services committee and as its second vice president. “I’ve always found myself working in the community, whether it was churches, dealing with local law enforcement, putting on the law enforcement versus the clergy basketball matches, softball matches, anything,” he said. Lee added that he also serves as president and CEO of Humble Cry Ministries, where he has taught dancing to more than 2,600 kids. He and other community leaders also helped start the Lake County Gospel Fest. Other officials who will be installed include First Vice President James Dillard, Second Vice President Frances Webb, Third Vice President Dwayne Towler, Treasurer Tina Wilson, Assistant Treasurer Debra Barclay-Douglas and Secretary Arlene Becks, the release stated. Dillard added that these officials will serve a two-year term in 2025 and 2026. There will be a new officer election in 2026. “Our goal is to continue to be more visible in our communities, our former president Pam Morse has done an excellent job,” Lee said. “So now we will continue to keep the torch lit. That’s where we are now, we are going to open our horizons even more to all of Lake County. “If you are not a member of the county NAACP, I welcome you to come and join us and be the change you want to see,” he added.