HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (WSAV) – Due to the virus, the Hilton Head MLK Committee for Justice has canceled all planned activities honoring the minister and activist.

“Our priority is the health of our community, and we do not want to contribute to the spread of COVID-19,” a statement from Galen Miller, committee chair, reads.

Last month, organizers announced a series of events to be held throughout January, from the “Celebrate MLK” Concert to the MLK Memorial March. Since then, the omicron variant has fueled another surge in COVID cases.

Organizers said they may look to re-imagine some events in the coming months, depending on the state of COVID.

“For now, we send our love and best wishes to the community during this trying time,” Miller stated. “Thank you to those who have worked tirelessly to organize our annual events. In the words of Dr. King, ‘We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.'”

Martin Luther King Jr. celebrations in other locations, including Bluffton and Savannah, are still on at this time. Follow along at wsav.com/MLK for future updates.