Here comes Super Bowl Sunday, and for many on the Central Coast, that means it’s time for the Martin Luther King Jr. Chicken Barbecue.
Usually, but nothing is “usual” anymore.
A local tradition for many years, the annual barbecue raises money for The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. High School Memorial Scholarship Fund. Since 1968, the organization has awarded hundreds of scholarships to college-bound teens from local high schools. But because of health and safety precautions brought about by COVID-19, the annual chicken barbecue must be postponed for yet another year.
Meanwhile, your support of the scholarship fund has never been more important.
Amid the pandemic, special challenges face students who are graduating from high school and setting their sights on college. California Community College enrollment dropped 15% during the 2020-21 school year, primarily because of financial hardships brought about by COVID-19, and schools across the country report that students’ ability to pay for college continues to be affected.
So now more than ever, our scholarship recipients need your help. We’re asking you to celebrate Super Bowl Sunday this year by barbecuing your own chicken or whipping up another favorite dish to enjoy while watching the game.
But before you do, please go to our website (www.mlkfund.org) and click on “Donate” to make your annual, tax-deductible contribution to the MLK High School Memorial Scholarship Fund. Or send your check to: P.O. Box 1693, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406.
Stay home, stay well, and stay safe. Enjoy the game. And just think how good that MLK Barbecue chicken is going to taste next year.
Yes, good things are worth waiting for. But while you’re waiting, local college-bound students are depending on you. Please donate now.
Mary Matakovich
Board president of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. High School Memorial Scholarship Fund