Loretta Slaton Torain, Chairperson of the Juneteenth Committee, said that no matter what the Committee does, the event is always impacted by the harsh winter weather of western New York. She joked, “Maybe we should have it in July, but there would probably be a snowstorm then too.”

Even though the journey to come together was not easy, the message that all the guests came to hear resonated with each and every person who braved the conditions to get there.

This year’s theme for the event was “Different roads, shared dreams”. Each of the many speakers took their turn at the podium delivered their own message about what the day meant to them and how Dr. King’s words still ring true today.

“We all have the same dreams. We might have different paths that we take to get there, but we all want to be successful, we all want to get along with everyone. Hopefully when people walk away today, they say, ‘I’m different, but that’s okay.’ We all have the same goals at the end of the day. We all want what’s best for each other,” Torain said.

Fredonia Mayor Mike Ferguson spoke at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Luncheon on Monday at SUNY Fredonia.

Among those to speak at the event were Dunkirk Mayor Kate Wdowiasz, Fredonia Mayor Mike Ferguson, County Executive PJ Wendel, Assemblyman Andrew Molitor, and Frank Puglisi, a representative on behalf of Gpv. Kathy Hochul’s office.

Ferguson urged everyone in attendance to “take bold steps toward a community we know is possible — a place of opportunity, belonging, and justice for all.” He concluded his speech by stating, “We can quote Dr. King’s famous words. It is better if we learn to live by them.”

There were also several other community leaders in attendance, such as County Sheriff Jim Quattrone and Dunkirk Police Chief Chris Witkowski, as well as community organization leaders including Amy Rohler, Executive Director of the United Way of Chautauqua County, and Leslie Wille of the Dunkirk-Fredonia Rotary Club and the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, among many others.

Torain welcomed the room full of community leaders to begin the festivities. Following her welcome was the presentation of colors from the Dunkirk High School JROTC. Every guest in the room then remained standing to sing “We Shall Overcome” in unison, followed by a prayer led by Tyneatta Couser, Minister of the Apostolic House of Prayer #2.

Torain was excited about the ability to invite more people to the annual event because of the change in venue to SUNY Fredonia from the Clarion Hotel in Dunkirk the past few years. Having the event at a centralized location between Dunkirk and Fredonia also added to the sense of unity between the two communities.

“Today, we gather as one community to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., to recommit ourselves to the shared dream that he had for us,” Mayor Wdowiasz said. “Our theme ‘Different roads, shared dreams’, reminds us that every person here — residents, workers, volunteers, and leaders – played a role in shaping a future we all depend on.”

Torain commended the work of the Juneteenth Committee for putting together the event. She said that the process has become seamless because of how dedicated the Committee has been to the event for so many years.

“We have a great Committee. Everyone brings their skillset to the table, and that’s what makes it work,” Torain said. “… We just do our thing, and at the end, it comes together. I am so happy to work with such a great group of people, and that we’ve been able to do this all these years. It keeps going, and getting bigger every year.”