Frederick County HRC recaps MLK Day of Service with 607 attendees and plans April awards event

Members of the Frederick County Human Relations Commission reviewed community events and planning at their Feb. 12 meeting.

Dr. Keith Harris, representing Frederick County Public Schools, praised the commission and Human Relations Department for participation in the Jan. 19 Martin Luther King Day of Service at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The minutes record total attendance of 607, including 233 students from Highland Academy, and note that a prior three-year grant concluded, meaning donations will be needed to support the initiative next year.

The commission set the 2026 Annual Awards for Thursday, April 16, at Arc on Market Street and confirmed Dr. Olivia White as the keynote speaker. The venue is finalizing menu acceptance; the ticket price will be determined once the venue confirms the menu. Members reported three nominations had been received at the time of the meeting.

Staff and members also discussed a records-retention initiative: members were asked to submit final copies of any public-facing HRC documents so the department can preserve records, and to route public correspondence through the HRC mailbox to ensure completeness. Kap Kaplowitz volunteered to ensure the list of officials to include in the Mailchimp distribution is up to date. HRD staff reported one new ADA inquiry and that an ongoing inquiry from last year may escalate into a formal case.

The commission noted seven current vacancies and encouraged members to assist with outreach and nominations ahead of the April awards and ongoing commission staffing needs.