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LIVE THE DREAM
West Chester & Liberty Celebrate MLK Day
It started with a mother’s desire to teach her children the reason for their January day off school and a quarter of a century later, Gail Webster’s commitment continues to touch thousands of lives in Butler County.
Live the Dream: Our Declaration of Unity is a formal observation of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday hosted by the people of West Chester and Liberty townships and Lakota Local Schools. Webster, a resident of West Chester, had the idea for a local event in the mid-1990s after finding none north of downtown Cincinnati.
On Monday, Jan. 20, 2025 the public is invited for a half-mile march beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the shopping plaza formerly home to Cabela’s, now Floor & Decor, on Liberty Way. The marchers will make their way to Liberty Center’s Sabin Hall for a presentation with speakers including Lakota students.
Live the Dream: Our Declaration of Unity began in 1999 with a student contest to choose a name for the annual observance. The march portion was added in 2003 and a luncheon, made possible through generous donations from area restaurants, was added to follow the march in 2005. While locations of these activities have been shuffled over the years, the activities themselves remain traditions to this day.
Webster says her pursuits have always been guided by her faith. Over years of networking and building community, she has assembled a team of friends, neighbors, churchgoers, school and faith leaders, government officials and volunteers to help coordinate activities and, she says, the door is always open for others to join the planning committee. Call 513-860-4049 or email confusion@fuse.net for details.
A student essay/art contest is a centerpiece of the community celebration. Student work from the 2024 event can be viewed on WCTV and the 2025 student entries will be posted leading up to the January event.
