Former NBA player and Harlem Globetrotter Melvin Adams speaks at the 34th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Commemoration Luncheon on Monday, Jan. 17, at Grace College’s Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center in Winona Lake. InkFreeNews photos by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WINONA LAKE — The keynote speaker at this year’s area annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day event encouraged attendees “to be great.”

The Committee to Commemorate Martin Luther King held its 34th annual luncheon on Monday, Jan. 17, at Grace College’s Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center in Winona Lake.

This year’s speaker was Melvin Adams, a former All-American and NBA basketball player and Harlem Globetrotter.

“I believe that Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream was a big dream and if you want to do something big, you have to think big, don’t think small,” said Adams at the start of his talk. “So today, I’m going to dare you to be great.”

“Every day of your life you have to make a decision. Life is about hey, you weren’t born a winner or loser, you were born a chooser,” he said.

Adams went on to share his personal story. Even though a coach told him he wouldn’t be able to play college basketball due to his short stature, Adams worked extra hard.

He went on to a college whose basketball team had a losing record for several years. Adams told the media when he came in that the team would win a championship.

The team would win two championships while he was in school.

Adams said he believed his hard work inspired younger players on his team who would win several more championships after Adams graduated.

“So what type of a legacy will you leave and what will people say about you long after you’re gone?” Adams challenged the MLK event attendees. “See, everyday in life, make a decision to be great.”

Adams would go on to the NBA and play for the San Antonio Spurs. He had an opportunity to go up against Michael Jordan in a game.

“If you have a dream and you work hard, dreams do come true,” said Adams.

Later he would join the Harlem Globetrotters, being inspired by another Globetrotter who bore similarities to him.

“You’ve got to realize people are watching everything you do,” Adams said. “So inspire other people to be great.”

Karlise Stephens with Zimmer Biomet’s employee resource group ABLE (African and Black Leadership for Excellence) presents Joe Banks III with an award at the event. Banks was one of the original organizers of the event to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Kosciusko County.

Grace College student Fatima Alshaibani performs Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” at the event.

The Warsaw Community High School choir performs.

A look at the event’s crowd.