Pastor Jacquelyn Rowe to Present Keynote Address at YMCA Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast

Pastor Jacquelyn Rowe of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Red Bank, will be the keynote speaker at the 26th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast hosted by The Community YMCA and The YMCA of Western Monmouth County.

The annual YMCA event, which honors the legacy of the civil rights leader, will take place Monday, Jan. 19, 2015, 8 to 10 a.m., at Branches Catering, 123 Monmouth Road, West Long Branch.

“It is important for everyone to understand Dr. King’s legacy as a peacemaker and humanitarian, especially with our current troubled societies,” said Rhonda Anderson, President & CEO of The Community YMCA. “His message, now more than ever, needs to be carried on to the next generation,” she added.

Cynthia Joy, President and CEO of the YMCA of Western Monmouth County, said “We are proud to be part of an organization that is committed to strengthening community, and there is no better message about the legacy of service than Dr. King.”

Reverend Rowe recently joined St. Thomas after her former parish, St. Clemons in Belford, was closed due to extensive damage from Superstorm Sandy. She also has held positions in the public sector including Head Start Director, Human Resources Administration, and Chief of Administration of the Corrections Department in Miami.

Reverend Rowe currently serves as the Co-Coordinator of Sandy Relief efforts for the Diocese of New Jersey, providing leadership and administrative support. She has established a relationship with Lunch Break to help expand services to families and individuals impacted by Sandy in the county.

This year, the service project for the breakfast will support Project Homeless Connect of Monmouth County, a charity that works to provide various health and human services for homeless residents, or those who are on in danger of becoming homeless. Donations of gloves, mittens and scarves will be collected at the breakfast.

The memorial event will include musical selections and the winner of an essay contest among YMCA high school participants.

High school students participating in programs at The Community YMCA or the Western Monmouth County YMCA are encouraged to enter the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. essay contest. The deadline for applications for the essay contest is January 5, 2015. Submissions may be send via e-mail to MLKessays@cymca.org.

Seating for the breakfast is limited; please RSVP by January 12, 2015. Tickets are $30 per adult, $10 per youth (12 & under) or $250 per table of 10 and are available online at www.TheCommunityYMCA.org/MLKbreakfast.

For more information, call Tricia Tilly at 732.671.5505, ext. 141, or e-mail ttilly@cymca.org.

About The Community YMCA

The Y is a leading nonprofit charity that strengthens communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The Community YMCA serves more than 20,000 residents in greater Monmouth County through programs such as: preschool, before and after school care, health and wellness, leadership, arts enrichment, personal and family counseling and summer day camp. With a mission to serve all, more than $660,000 in reduced and free membership fees and programs is provided by the YCares financial assistance program to individuals and families in need. For more information, visit TheCommunityYMCA.org.

About The YMCA of Western Monmouth County

The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. We are a diverse association of men, women and children of all ages and from all walks of life, joined by a shared commitment to nurture the potential of all people. For over 110 years, the YMCA of Western Monmouth County has the long standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. For more information, go to www.ymcanj.org.