<html><body><p align="center"><strong>Press Advisory – For Immediate Release</strong></p>
<p align="center"><strong>Missoula’s Annual MLK Jr. Day Community Celebration & Read for Peace</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>When:</strong> </p>
<p><strong>Friday, January 13<sup>th</sup>, 2017</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>All Day: Read for Peace 14 schools & 60 classrooms across Missoula<br />(Contact Sam Garetson for complete list – garetson@mtcompact.org , 406-243-5451)</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Monday, January 16<sup>th</sup>, 2017</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>5:00 PM: Rally at Caras Park</li>
<li>5:40 PM: March across Higgins Street Bridge</li>
<li>6:00 PM: Community Celebration at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (202 Brooks St.)</li>
<li>7:30 PM: Community Dinner in lower level of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Contact: </strong>Jesse Jaeger – 406-207-3372 or jesse@empowermt.org</p>
<p><strong>Pre-event & event press availability: </strong>MLK Day Committee Members are available to be interviewed the week prior to the event. Press is also welcome at all MLK Day events. Please contact Jesse Jaeger to arrange interviews. </p>
<p><strong>Missoula, MT</strong> - On Friday January 13<sup>th</sup> and Monday January 16<sup>th</sup>, 2017, hundreds of people from the Missoula area will gather together to join this nation-wide day of commemoration to the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Each year this moving event brings together over 400 people to reflect on how Dr. King’s message informs issues we are facing right here in Missoula and across Montana. This year EmpowerMT, Emmaus Campus Ministry, the YWCA of Missoula and Montana Campus Compact have worked together along with community volunteers to put on this program of justice and peace. As part of this new collection of community partners Montana Campus Compact’s Read for Peace, on Friday January 13<sup>th</sup>, has been more intentionally integrated into Missoula’s MLK Day Celebration programming.</p>
<p>The theme of this year’s MLK Jr. Day Community Celebration is based on Dr. King’s quote, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Events include:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Montana Campus Compact’s Read for Peace (all day Jan. 13<sup>th</sup>) </strong>Volunteers will read to nearly 1,800 elementary age students in 14 schools and 60 classrooms all over Missoula! We are happy to announce that Missoula Mayor John Engen will be reading at Russell Elementary from 1:00-2:00pm in Mari Bender’s first grade class for this event!</li>
<li><strong>Youth Led</strong> <strong>Community Rally at Caras Park (5pm)</strong> featuring performances and youth discussing the impact of depression and suicide on Missoula’s young people.</li>
<li><strong>March for Justice across the Higgins St. Bridge</strong> <strong>(5:40pm)</strong></li>
<li><strong>Community Celebration at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (6pm)</strong> featuring a key note address from Chief Earl Old Person of the Blackfeet Tribe, and the presentation of awards for winners of the MLK youth art & essay contest.</li>
<li><strong>Community Dinner & Social in the lower level of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (7:30pm)</strong> catered meal (suggested donation $5/person, $10/family) that provides community members the opportunity for connection and conversation.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://u2155080.ct.sendgrid.net/wf/click?upn=iwA6rlATYQJ9bk-2BXypiqyzMTigI3L-2B7ud3at-2BtICQMf0A4U0aZdl1h-2Fru49i-2FWNQYYmkdAjh0RA6fUs2hJeaiSAcEkrJWw2eekCxAEof1Rn2235cQOFK4E9rhFeW4bj3_mSGPTRW-2FT-2FQPGYphe7gfA6PYRqFOSewUuRbBHgre9xwifIpEoqSnL9B4nkH7GaJjB0ScaHyeTios7FrLoOsOkc-2Fm9w6gsL-2F3jA2gZ-2B-2BJ2PExSQxsBxgxWt9QABPo3fT03mGP2K9uls-2B8dkgMkIuIO2sFhfEUSWfWI7Dpr43K7m1ZmlkoonL6ij91biiYXzwYYm-2FKhmRTFSqEA-2FWmVDdKae-2BwE2fiJjUZx-2BIlPbOE-2BZShSjEpnm3WIl9uEIDEHnR8Hh8oyE6z-2FxleEI5vZSWTkDjiD9enU-2FHiMVucjJMMLII-3D">Click Here for Downloadable Press Release</a></p>
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