The life of Martin Luther King Jr. was full of peace, ups and downs, and those attending the King Day celebration in Junction City were there to help keep his dream alive.

Those were comments by Fort Riley Garrison Commander, Colonel Andrew Cole, who noted  that there is no doubt that there is plenty of for improvement in race relations. And in 2015 there were some low moments with incidents in Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore, Maryland among others.

But Cole also challenged the audience at the C. L. Hoover Opera House to not let the headlines cause them to be jaded, and also not to ignore the problems.

Cole said King’s dream is alive, and he sees it day in and day out at Fort Riley with soldiers of every color interacting, with different backgrounds and histories accomplishing the seemingly impossible through teamwork. “They are the epitome of Dr. King’s dream.”

The celebration also included the recognition of former Buffalo Soldiers MSG ( Ret. ) Nolan Self and 1SG ( Ret. ) Albert Curley, who received standing ovations from the audience.

The Geary County Children’s Choir and representatives from the 1st Infantry Division Band performed during the ceremony.