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Highlands Today

Candlelight Prayer Vigil Set for Sunday

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By Douglas  Carman | Highlands Today

Published: July 17, 2008

AVON PARK - A local civic activist will host a prayer vigil Sunday at the Avon Park Community Center to commemorate the second anniversary of a vote on a controversial ordinance that would have denied business licenses from the city to anyone that "aid and abets" illegal immigrants anywhere in the country.

"It's not a celebration of its defeat," said Patricia Austin, who took part in some of the demonstrations against the Illegal Immigration Relief Act before the city council narrowly rejected it in 2006. "I would hope there is no one there protesting it because I think it's a celebration of a movement in the right direction."

She expected approximately 100 people to attend both the speeches and the vigil. The speakers come in at 6 p.m. while the candle-lighting takes place at 8:30 p.m. Participants can bring their own candles and American flags.

Even though Austin is a member of the League of United Latin American Citizens' Avon Park chapter, she said the group is not organizing the vigil. They were invited to attend, however, she added.

Last year, Austin tried unsuccessfully to get the city to accept a water fountain commemorating the vote. Next year, she said she hoped to continue remembering the anniversary.

"I think it's a part of Avon Park's history," she said.

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