Staff report

GALLIPOLIS - Rich Holt, candidate for U.S. Congress, is the keynote speaker for Monday's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration in Gallipolis.

The event is hosted by Southeastern Ohio NAACP Branch, serving Gallia, Jackson and Lawrence counties, at the Paint Creek Baptist Church, 833 Third Ave., beginning at 1 p.m. The public is cordially invited to attend.

Holt was born in Gallipolis and grew up in South Point. He is a graduate of South Point High School and attended Ohio University in Ironton while working in a life of service as a father and a soldier.

Holt first chose to serve Ohio in the Army National Guard. He has been honored for his achievements and was awarded ribbons of distinction for Army Service, National Defense and Ohio Basic Training. His experience in uniform drives him to use his leadership to serve the residents of Ohio as a representative of the people.

While continuing to contribute to the public, Rich Holt has been involved with Project Race, the National Center for Public Policy Research, the African American Republican Leadership Council and the National Rifle Association.

As Holt makes history as the youngest African American in history to run for Congress, his vision for the future focuses on protecting the homeland, preserving freedom, reforming health care, strengthening the economy, and improving education. He supports common-sense legislation that promise real results for Ohio.