A Thermal Belt community choir, composed of various choirs in the Thermal Belt, will present The Battle Hymn of the Republic and I Dont Feel No Ways Tired at the Martin Luther King Commemoration on Friday, January 15 at 7 p.m., at the Fine Arts Center in Tryon.

This commemoration is the Friendship Councils gift to the community and all are invited to attend free of charge.

The communitys choirs are well known for their presentations, and attendees can expect a vocally superb recital. Choirs from the Congregational Church, the St. Luke CME Church, and the United Methodist Church will be among the singers.

The Friendship Council is a nonprofit organization created over 20 years ago to foster unity throughout the Thermal Belt. There are no membership requirements or dues, just a commitment to foster equality and diversity. The organization members view diversity, not only in light of race, but also age, gender, physical and mental challenges, national origin, and ethnicity.

The Council meets the second Tuesday each month at Roseland Center in Tryon at 7 p.m. All friends are invited to attend. In addition, there are three major events each year: the Martin Luther King Commemoration, a picnic the first Saturday in June, and December caroling at a local retirement home with a potluck dinner immediately following.&bsp; Also, members and guests attend a lunch each month at a local restaurant.

Future meetings will include examining the feasibility of conducting a race relations survey, establishment of a youth summit, and outreach to underserved people in our community.

For more information, call 828-859-7099.