By Kristy Wagner

Staff Writer

Dr. Martin Luther King believed in social justice and, in honor of his memory, First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Kennebunk has planned a breakfast with a guest speaker who will focus on hunger.

The church hosts the breakfast each year on Martin Luther King Day and the congregation invites a speaker to address an important issue affecting social justice in Maine. Social activist Kathy Landrum of Kennebunk is this year’s scheduled speaker.

“Social justice really begins with the basic necessities of life and the basic necessities are clean water, good food, and shelter,” said Maureen Gill, co-chairman of the church social justice committee.

She said the congregation has had “a very strong interest” to focus on hunger in Maine.

“There’s a lot of need right here in Maine; there are a lot of hungry people. This year (the church) really focused on the issue of hunger not just globally or nationally, but what’s in our backyard,” she said.

Gill said Martin Luther King Day is a chance for the church to focus on societal issues that affect area residents and how people can work to create change as King did during his life. She said the congregation is proud to welcome Landrum as this year’s speaker.

 “What’s unique about this year is it’s a local speaker,” Gill said about Landrum.

Gill said Landrum’s main goal as a social activist is to fight hunger.

“We decided Kathy Landrum would be perfect,” Gill said about Landrum’s ability to speak on the subject of hunger in Maine.

Landrum is not only local, but also actively serves as a volunteer to local food pantries and became a master gardener in 2010. Landrum enrolled in the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners Volunteers program in 2009. The program offers participants 40 hours of training in horticulture.

“The more I looked into (the master gardeners program), the more I thought this was what I ought to be doing,” Landrum said. “I don’t need to have an income for it.”

Landrum said the program inspired her to use her skills in horticulture to grow food for the hungry.

“Since the master gardeners program I realized I have found my niche and it’s in the issues of food security,” Landrum said.

Landrum serves on her church community outreach services board and sits on the committee for the Kennebunk Community Garden, which grows food for local food pantries. She also helps people in York County grow food in their own yards.

“It’s a neat way to make friends with your neighbors,” Landrum said.

Gill said Landrum’s passion about food security and educating the public on growing food is what made Landrum stand out as a potential speaker.

“That’s where her heart is,” Gill said.

Landrum said Carol Strecker, minister at the Kennebunk Unitarian Universalist Church, approached her about speaking at the breakfast.

“The reverend came to a board meeting in December and right afterwards asked me to speak (at the breakfast). She heard me speak about my passion to end hunger in Maine,” Landrum said.

She said she only recently began speaking publicly on the subject of food security.

“I was booked into the Rotary Club in Kennebunk and I spoke there and after that I was offered a couple of other speaking engagements, one in Waterville and one in Sanford,” Landrum said.

At the breakfast, Landrum plans to talk about how residents can combat hunger in their own backyard by growing food in gardens. Landrum said people could help other people grow food, too. She said there is no excuse for hunger in Maine and everyone has the capability to help feed everyone else.

“We have the situation in Maine where we are inappropriately dependent on getting our food from elsewhere when we have the capability of producing so much more of it here,” Landrum said.

Gill described Landrum as “pragmatic” and said she seeks “a practical way to help” her neighbors.

“You should help people. It’s amazing what people can do,” Landrum said.

She said she was pleased that the Unitarian Universalist Church had made hunger the focus for this year’s Martin Luther King Day breakfast.

“The focus of (the breakfast) is Martin Luther King and there’s probably nothing more premier in social justice than getting people good water and food,” Gill said.

Gill said the breakfast doors open at 8:30 a.m. and the minister will hold prayers before everyone eats. The menu will consist of egg casserole, oven fries, blueberry muffins, juice and coffee. After Landrum finishes speaking, the congregation and guests will hold a question and answer session.

Tickets to the breakfast cost $10 and are available at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church on Main Street in Kennebunk. People can also call the church and reserve a ticket over the phone.

Staff writer Kristy Wagner can be reached 282-4337, ext. 233.