Good evening, everyone.

Thank you for coming out tonight on this potentially snowy snow evening.

Being brave to be here with us.

I'm going to read the proclamation about Black History Month.

Whereas Black History Month is an occasion to rediscover the enduring stories of African Americans and it gives the freedom and opportunity they have bestowed upon future generations.

Whereas it is also a time to commemorate the countless contributions of African Americans, many of whom live through and surmounted discourse of segregation, racial prejudice, and discrimination to enrich every fiber of American life.

There are examples of heroism, patriotism, enterprise, and giving people of all backgrounds competence, courage, and faith to pursue their own dreams.

And whereas the many local organizations and many individuals throughout our township are dedicated to the principle of fostering civic, economic, and educational programs throughout the township of Franklin, and are dedicated to encouraging reflection on the rich history and teachings of African Americans and bearing witness to the progress of beauty and achievements they have made throughout our community.

Whereas Black History Month is called and is a call to each and every citizen of our community to reflect on the cultural, scientific, political, and economic contributions of African Americans, which are woven through American society, and we remember and we learn from and we build on the past so that together we can build a better and a more prosperous future for all Americans.

Thank you.

Now we're gonna uh do the proclamation, which is very befitting about our Martin Luther King community celebration we had.

Okay, of course.

Honor one individual in particular.

Thank you.

Good evening, everyone.

Uh a couple of weeks ago, we celebrated the legacy of Dr.

Martha Luther King.

The 28th annual breakfast was organized by the Franklin Township Dr.

Martin Luther King Foundation.

The foundation's main objective is to raise scholarship money for graduate and Franklin High School students.

They have given out over 282,000 to three 238 graduate and students, and including my own daughter.

So they uh the people behind this wonderful event are group of volunteers who worked hard who worked tirelessly to make this great annual event possible.

Some of them are here, and I would like to invite them to come and join us here.

And we want to take the opportunity to express our gratitude.

Please come forward.

Our gratitude for organizing this grassroots community event to recognize the life and works of Dr.

King and raise funds to invite in the education of our youth.

Also, I'd like to take the opportunity to remember one of the founders of the foundation, which is Miss Ava Naj, who is no longer with us.

And we have a mandation that I would like to read.

Commendation by the mayor and the council of the township Franklin.

We, Philip Kramer, Mayor, Kimberly Francois, Councilwoman, and I, Alex Carazi, Councilman of the Township of Franklin, in the County of Somerset and the state of New Jersey, on behalf of the Township Council, and all residents of the Township of Franklin, do hereby extend on behalf of Franklin Township Dr.

Martin Luther King Community Foundation to Sean Hebben, President, appreciation and commendation for organizing an active participation in 28th's annual breakfast held on January 20th, 2025, to commemorate Dr.

King's legacy and raise the scholarship funds to help graduate Franklin Township High School students.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

I'd like to say thank you for on behalf of the entire Franklin Township Dr.

Martin Luther King Foundation.

And uh just uh just to say that uh the foundation was developed through a collaboration between the uh Board of Education, the uh the Franklin Township um schools and the police department back in 1997.

Uh we talked about the um, and she was recognized at our breakfast founder Ava Nash.

Um she was representing the board along with Chief Daniel Levac, um, representing the police department and Frank Pepe, who was at the time the superintendent of schools.

Um, since then we've been able to grow this foundation um exponentially um over the years, and as of uh the as the calculations are coming in from this last breakfast, we'll we're gonna be either at or just uh over um $300,000 worth of donations um since we uh founded um and they all go to Franklin Township Public School graduating seniors.

Um we'll also be growing of the foundation um to change with the times and move from just being a financial uh benefit to also investing in our um in our young folks in uh serving um in a in a mentorship capacity to help them prepare for adulthoods.

We're we're expanding with the times that that that's happening, and that's our continued growth.

I'm happy to be a part of it.

Um I I thank everyone for the support of our events, particularly the breakfast, because without the Franklin Township community, we cannot be a success.

It's it's the businesses that contribute, it's the it's the single donations, it's the coming out through the snow, you know, during these events, showing up when you know when you could when you would rather be at home and coming and supporting not only buying a ticket but donating above and beyond that.

That's what makes it special.

Um, it also makes it special that you know it's it's an event that brings everyone out, and it's a time for to bring Franklin together to sit there and and uh you know enjoy uh you know performances and speeches and have breakfast and you know fellowship with each other, and that's what's something we look forward to every year.

Make no mistake, we will be back.

And uh I also just want to take a quick minute to thank our um trustees and our officers because they they deserve a lot of recognition because no one gets paid for this.

This is a labor of love, and we do it out of just pure desire to get back to these uh students.

We have Gary Rosenthal, who's our first vice president, Alice Sipwitz, who's our secretary.

Um, I'd like to also thank uh Mahe Rafi, who's a trustee, she's here right now, Mahair.

Um we have Rabbi Eli Garfinkle, Ron uh Pushti, um, Dr.

Sheila Tabanley, Dr.

Jay Gittin' Seven, Bill Grippo, Bill, um we have Talia Bennett, um Sammy Shaban, Michael Stallings, Sonia Asante, Sonia Ismail, and Regina Clark.

Those are all our trustees, and we all put you know put the work in and make this thing a success every year.

Thank you very much for all the council support and everyone uh just for being part of this and joining us in our efforts, and you guys all contribute to making that day special.

We thank you very much, and I thank you much.

You don't want to say anything.