Event honors MLK Jr. Published Jan. 25, 2012 By Airman 1st Class Divine Cox 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Scott Air Force Base hosted an event Friday to acknowledge the life and legacy of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The theme of this year's luncheon was, "Building the Dream, Bridging the Gap." "Dr. King's monument is not only a constant reminder of how far we've come as a nation on building his dream and keeping it alive, but it also resonates that we must continue to bridge the gap that prevents everyone from living the American dream--freedom, democracy and opportunity for all," said MLK committee chair, 2nd Lt. Francisca Alaka-Lampton. To help bring this theme to life the committee invited retired Chief Master Sgt. Bobby Dandridge to speak at the event. Dandridge retired from the Air Force as the first command chief master sergeant to nine installations in the United Kingdom and Norway. He is now a motivational speaker. "This luncheon, in a small way, I think shows our appreciation for what he did," said Dandridge. "It is important for people to know what he fought for. He fought for equal rights." Following Dandridge's presentation, the MLK committee presented him with a check for the Marlow Sherwood Memorial Scholarship fund and Col. Michael Hornitschek, 375th Air Mobility Wing commander, spoke. "I think he (King) would smile today," Hornitschek said. "We've made huge strides in just 55 years. Martin Luther King dreamed a bright future for us. If he was here today to see all that we've accomplished, he would surely smile."