Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was honored in grand, reverent style in the town of White Springs on Monday, Jan. 19. 

White Springs Mayor Helen Miller welcomed a generous crowd that filled up the entire community center. Lawrence “Jim” Udell led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance and a moving invocation was given by Deacon John Henry White.

“I don’t think anyone can do an invocation like Deacon White,” said Miller. “We are really blessed to have everyone here today. We’d like to extend our appreciation to (former) Mayor McKire who is here. He has done a lot for our community and he has helped me succeed him as best I can.”

The Sunrise Community Choir offered a couple of animated gospel songs that encouraged the crowd to join in, clap their hands and stomp their feet. Then, a local Praise Dance team performed an artistic routine to a song called “Break Every Chain”, followed by a familiar face in the town of White Springs, Miss Hattie Mae Jankins… that’s Jankins with an ‘A’. Jankins brought forth a message of peace in her usual dry humor that kept the crowd entertained.

This year there were two Beautiful Dreamer Awards given out to local citizens who have made a difference in the community, Earnestine Johnson and Rosa Fisher.

White Springs resident and Hamilton County School Board member Johnny Bullard had the honor of introducing Earnestine Johnson, who was born Nov. 16, 1943, and who is the youngest of 14 children. She is the daughter of Georgia Anna and David Wright Sr. and she moved to White Springs in 1976. Her husband of 22 years is Sergeant Major Jack T. Johnson (Retired) and the couple has three daughters.

Johnson is a proud grandmother and great-grandmother and served South Hamilton Elementary for 30 years until her retirement in 2006. She has been involved in many community programs through the years and continues to teach music to local youth. She is also the Sunday School musician at Greater Poplar Springs Missionary Baptist Church in Jasper.

Johnson has been an active member of the Sunrise Committee for over 30 years, serving as community musician for Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, as well as numerous church and community festivals and events.

“She is a loving, sharing, caring, giving person and a good citizen of White Springs,” said Bullard.

Miller introduced the second Beautiful Dreamer Award recipient, Rosa Lee Fisher, who is 97 years old. She was born on Oct. 1, 1917 and is the daughter of Queenie Fisher, who was known for her historic “Boneyard” in White Springs, which was later honored in a museum in New York.

Throughout her life, Miller said, Fisher worked many long, hard jobs because working hard was what she was taught to do, but she loved every minute of it.

Fisher had two children, who both preceded her in death, 13 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and 17 great-great-grandchildren. Even now at age 97, Fisher still enjoys tending to her chickens and her flower garden, along with light yard work.

Miller said, “Fisher loves to speak of her love for God and how he has blessed her for all of these wonderful 97 years.”

After the program ended, it was time for the blessing given by Rev. Fred Scippio before everyone was served an excellent barbecued chicken meal prepared by local Chef Teddy Bear Marshall and members of the Citizens Support Organization. 

Many thanks go out to Rhonda Johnson for the beautiful decorations inside the community center.

There are more photos online and photos are available for purchase. Go to photos.suwanneedemocrat.com.