Dr. King was a trailblazer.  His thoughts and beliefs on politics, race, religion, love and unity helped sculpt America as we know it, and indirectly, the community of Berlin.

When Perry Reese Jr. - a catholic, African American - came in 1983 to Berlin, known for its large Amish/Mennonite population, to become an assistant coach under Charlie Huggins, he too "had a dream."  Not to change the world or bridge racial gaps but to simply win basketball games.

At first, Reese was met with resistance but, like Dr. King, he persevered, collecting 49 wins and just four losses his first two seasons as head coach of the Hawks (1984-85, 1985-86).  Over time, his intense and passionate on-court persona and his loving, giving and respectful off-court demeanor began to entrench itself in the community, uniting the locals while making him a beloved figure.

So it is very fitting that for the past three Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend's, Hiland High School has held it annual Classic in the Country Challenge, which USA Today coined as one of the three best high school event's in the nation.  The three-day event was designed to showcase the top prep girls' talent from across the state, but also to perpetuate the memory of Dr. King and Reese.

As high school talent arrived by the bus load, college coaches shuffled in through the gates of the Perry Reese Jr. Community Center, hoping to catch a glimpse of the next big star.  But as they watched Columbus Eastmoor Academy's sophomore Ayana Dunning scored 22 points to help her team defeat Canton McKinley 61-46, they never forgot the true meaning of the weekend.

"This really helps to promote unity in the community," Northwestern University assistant coach Jim Sexton said.  "People here are very giving and that is a lot of what Martin Luther King Jr. believed in.  He gave a lot back to the people."

University of Minnesota assistant coach Danielle O'Banion agreed.  "This is an interesting situation because, obviously, it is not a naturally diverse community, but it is important and an invaluable situation for people of any background to learn more about Dr. King and especially with Perry Reese being here really made that message ring true.  The fact that he (Reese) lived here is big, that is why it (Classic in the Country Challenge) has become even more important to folks here."

In between games, audio clips of Dr. King's speeches dramatically echoed throughout the quiet Reese Center, as 1,200 people stood to pay homage.

"I think it is great that they do the announcement before the game," University of Massachusetts assistant coach Jodi Culbertson said, "because a lot of these kids don't necessarily know who Martin Luther King was.  They don't really know what they have done for our country and how they changed it and gave at least everybody here different opportunities than they would have had."

University of Kentucky assistant coach Pam Stackhouse added, "It is always a great day whenever you can honor Dr. Martin Luther King, a great man and the things that he has done.  And as a basketball coach, what better way to do that than to hold a basketball event of this magnitude on this weekend.  The people in this community, with the Perry Reese Center and all he meant to the community, has opened their doors to the Classic in the Country over the past three years and it has been so successful."

Dr. King and Reese were visionaries.  the two did have stark difference in their lives and ideologies but, at the same time, both showed a striking parity in their stance on unity, respect, unselfishness and, most importantly, love.  Both also suffered untimely deaths - Dr. King was assassinated by James Earl Ray in 1968, Reese died from an inoperable brain tumor in 2000.

King once said, "Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it.  Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it.  Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it."