Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration in Heidelberg, Jan. 23rd.

Posted by Daniel Hershberger | | Posted On Friday, January 15, 2010 at 10:26 AM










4th Annual International Commemoration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Heidelberg's Rhein-Neckar Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) with the Deutsch-Amerikanishes Institut (DAI) (German American Institute) of Heidelberg will jointly sponsor the 24th annual international commemoration of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on Saturday, 23 January 2010.

The program will be held at the Providenz Kirche (Providence Church) in Heidelberg at Hauptstrasse 90a. The commemoration program will start at 6:00 p.m. and features American and international guest speakers as well as spiritual and gospel songs. The theme for this year's program will be "A Dream Fulfilled?... Moving Towards Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's., Promised Land."

The U.S. keynote speaker will be the Reverend Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou, Senior Minister of Lemuel Haynes Congregational Church. Rev. Sekou founded the Interfaith Worker Justice Center for New Orleans in response to the catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina. He authored the critically acclaimed "Urban Souls," which explored the roots of hip-hop culture. Rev. Sekou is an associate fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies and Freeman fellow with the Fellowship of Reconciliation. A German speaker for the program has not been named.

The program will feature gospel music by the Benjamin Franklin Village Chapel Gospel Choir of Mannheim and the Pan African Organization's Manita Choir.

A reception will immediately follow the program at the Adolf Winter Saal at Plöck 16-18 in Heidelberg. The entire event is open to the public and is free.
Further information is available from NAACP Rhein-Neckar Branch President, Calvin Robinson, at 0621-9766327, or from the International Commemoration Program Chair, Michael AlliMadi, at 06221-182923.
*The Rhein-Neckar Branch, NAACP, is a U.S. Army Garrison, Heidelberg, Private Organization.

Submitted by Rhein-Neckar Branch, NAACP, Publicity Committee member, Malcolm Carpenter, Tel: 06203-81214/85010
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Sound Off December 2009

Posted by Daniel Hershberger | | Posted On Friday, January 8, 2010 at 10:22 AM

The December, 2009 edition of Sound Off is available at http://www.getting-out.de/sound.off.html. This issue features an article on the advertising scheme of the military, a review of the Obama Nobel speech, and a look back in history at the Saint of conscientious objectors. You may print and distribute our publication freely to anyone who may have interest. Your letters are also welcome. To add an e-mail address to the mailing list, or to offer submissions or suggestions, email us at mcn@dmfk.de

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Veterans Court swears in mentors

Posted by Daniel Hershberger | | Posted On at 9:45 AM

By Tribune staff | Posted: Tuesday, January 5, 2010 12:15 am

The new La Crosse County Veterans Court Initiative kicked off Monday with a courthouse ceremony recognizing mentors who will assist veterans in the legal system.

“This is a pioneer effort,” Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson said in an online video. “Not only for Wisconsin but across the country.”

Under the program, any veteran involved in an incident with local law enforcement will be assigned a mentor who also is a veteran, initiative chairman and county Circuit Judge Todd Bjerke said.

The mentor can discuss options on applying for veterans benefits and then get the person to meet with the county Veterans Service officer and do follow-up screenings for potential mental health issues.

Several mentors were sworn in Monday and will work to recruit and train additional mentors.

A large number of veterans suffer from mental health problems associated with military service, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain or blast injury and suicidal thoughts, Bjerke said.

If diagnosed with a mental health issue, the person most likely would qualify for Veterans Administration benefits, and a treatment plan can be developed.

“The courts would view the diagnosis and treatment for the veteran as a significant factor when resolving cases,” Bjerke said.

The initiative’s founders — mostly veterans, both professionals and nonprofessionals — decided to go with a trained mentor system after studying other veterans courts.

For more information on how to apply to be a mentor, call (608) 785-9719.

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