The winners of the Human Service Awards to be given out today have practiced what King preached and in doing so have made Abilene a better place to live. In the past, the names of the individuals and organizations to be recognized have been known ahead of time. But this year, their announcement will be a surprise to those attending the luncheon. Whoever they are, their contributions have demonstrated that service is a powerful force for change, not only on this one day, but on every ordinary day of the year. Conditions in Abilene may not be perfect for everyone.
Continued improvement takes continual effort.
But our public discussion too often focuses on the relatively unimportant ways in which we are different, rather than on the substantial humanity we share in common. Service is the means of getting past those barriers, of forging the human ties, of recognizing the connections that bind us together as a community despite such superficial differences as skin color or income brackets. His words express the ideal that is being commemorated in Abilene today. E.W. Scripps Publications , All Rights Reserved. Site users are subject to our User Agreement .