JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – People from all across the region braved the freezing temperatures to celebrate and honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

In Johnson City, the Community Unity Dinner was held at the Carver Park Recreation Center.

Johnson City resident Anthony Hill said he takes the day each year to celebrate King’s life.

“I take this day off every year because it’s important for me to realize the dream that he had,” Hill said. “When you talk about community, that’s what he talked about. He talked about us coming together and doing things, not just for ourselves, but for others.” And that was that was the it was his life. that’s what he lived. And so for me, it was just one day that I can come out and help someone or do something to celebrate a great man and a great life.”

Carver Center supervisor Herb Greenlee told News Channel 11 that the center has held the event each year since 1990 and that they use King’s teachings in everything they do.

“This center was done on a dream,” Greenlee said. “And we always abide by what Martin Luther King said to be the dreamer. And we’re always dreaming about doing that, especially with our youth. We’re trying to get our youth more developed in doing things. We have an after-school program. We do different things with the kids, you know, get them involved with our programming.”

Greenlee says the event exemplifies what the holiday is all about – community service.

“We try to honor our community leaders and people that give their time and effort to the community,” Greenlee said. “That’s what Martin Luther King was all about, him and his wife, Coretta.”

Johnson City Mayor John Hunter and other city officials came to the event.

“Events like this bring people from all backgrounds together so that we recognize there are other perspectives besides the one that we have ourselves,” Hunter said. “And so that we show empathy for each other and try to understand where other people are coming from.”

Langston Centre’s multicultural engagement manager Adam Dickson was the keynote speaker at the event. He emphasized the responsibility of continuing King’s legacy and passing his teachings to the next generation, now six decades removed from the Civil Rights movement.

“I most certainly feel a responsibility to pass on that legacy,” Dickson said. “How do we talk to a new generation that might consider it ancient history. But I think it’s very important that we try to find fresh and innovative ways to talk about it.”

Dickson said it’s a time for the community to come together to recognize local individuals who exemplify service to the community.