Cleveland Clinic’s 2012 Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebration also included recognition of hospital employees who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and service to the community.
By JAMES W. WADE III
Staff Reporter
Cleveland Clinic employees and community members joined together in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Friday, Jan, 13, 2012, at the InterContinental Hotel & Conference Center, 9801 Carnegie Ave., in Cleveland.
Hundreds of Cleveland area residents joined Cleveland Clinic employees at the annual MLK Interfaith and Community Breakfast to celebrate and honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy as a serving leader.
The Clinic is celebrating the 20th year of hosting the breakfast. The program began with an interfaith service led by the Rev. Christine Thompson, a Cleveland-based pastor for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and continued with a breakfast program at 8 a.m.
The morning included a keynote address from the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss Jr., Pastor Emeritus of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, and the presentation of the Cleveland Clinic Lifetime of Service Award to the Rev. Dr. Marvin A. McMickle, who retired as Senior Pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Cleveland to become the 12th President of Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in Rochester, N.Y. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is among the school’s alumni.
Dr. McMickle is the second recipient of the award, which was established by Cleveland Clinic to honor and thank a serving leader who has exhibited extraordinary strength of spirit and remarkable efforts in their public service. Dr. Moss was the first recipient in 2011.
Dr. McMickle received the award and spoke about the picture of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. outside of the President’s office at the college. He also spoke about a letter that Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. had sent to Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School asking that accept his son.
Dr. McMickle is widely known as a prophetic minister, scholarly lecturer and thought-provoking writer. He was inducted into the Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College. He is author of 14 books, as well as 80 sermons and articles on topics such African-American heritage, marriage and cancer. At Antioch Baptist Church, Dr. McMickle led the congregation in organizing a special ministry for people affected by HIV/AIDS and he chronicled his bout with prostate cancer in the book, “Battling Prostate Cancer: Getting from ‘Why Me’ to ‘What Next.’”
“During his time in Northeast Ohio, Dr. McMickle has built a legacy of advocacy and caring in our community, marked by efforts that support individuals seeking better health and fulfillment,” said Cleveland Clinic CEO Delos M. “Toby” Cosgrove, M.D.
Rev. Moss spoke about Dr. King Jr. and how much he impacted the world with his actions. Rev. Moss read a letter King had written to his wife from jail. Rev. Moss spoke about how Dr. King’s actions have paved the way for 5 Presidents of the United States be elected.
Cleveland Clinic’s 2012 Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebration also included recognition of hospital employees who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and service to the community.
Award winners were Dr. Michael Ganz, Stephanie Tubbs Jones Health Center, Diane Lapars, Breast Center and Gary King, Facilities Engineering Dept.
Music was provided by the East Mt. Zion choir under the direction of Todd Thompson.
