Hello everyone,

As we prepare to reflect on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. on January 17th, 2022, it is important for us to celebrate that this year marks Givens Communities’ first year observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day as an official company holiday. After three years of dedicated work from our Cultural Inclusion Task Force, they were able to inspire this change so we can all honor this day and important history of our country together.

On this holiday, we should pause to remember and celebrate the birthday of the great American leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his considerable contributions to the character of our country.

What advice and words of wisdom would Dr. King give us today? Surely, he would expect us to use this time to improve the lives of others.

In his emotional and persuasive words, Dr. King preached in a 1968 sermon that described his purpose and the purpose he hoped we all strive for by saying: “We all want to be important, to surpass others, to achieve distinction, to lead the parade.” He went on to preach that greatness comes from humble servitude and asked to be remembered as one who “tried to give his life serving others” and implored us to do the same.

We strive to assure that the work of Martin Luther King Jr. lives on every day in our work and can reflect upon how our core values and their meaning are intricately connected to Dr. King’s work:

Commitment, Caring, Courage, and Collaboration

Dr. King’s lessons encourage and reinforce the Commitment to our Mission, Vision, and service, the Care for those we serve, the community, and to one another, the Courage to innovate ways to address the needs of those we serve, and to Collaborate with partners and one another so we all can achieve our goals.

This year, as we remember Dr. King, let us consider dedicating or re-dedicating ourselves to our own purpose. Join me in a commitment to make a positive difference in the lives of people every day.

Givens Communities is a proud platinum sponsor for the MLK Association of Asheville and Buncombe County. Due to Covid-19, the annual Prayer Breakfast will be held virtually. We invite each of you to attend the virtual Prayer Breakfast celebration titled “Give us a ballot box, the urgency of now.” You can find the link here.

Thank you for everything you do, and peace be with you all as we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Sincerely,

Kevin Schwab

Givens Highland Farms is a gold-level sponsor of the Swannanoa Valley Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Corporation, http://svmlk.org/mlk-prayer-gathering