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Carole Mikita ReportingUtah is, of course, well known for being the home of the Mormon Pioneers who braved the harsh conditions on their way to settling this state. But there are others, who over time, have settled in Utah becoming Pioneers in their own right.
The Calvary Baptist Church Choir voices have been heard in the Days of 47 Parade for years. Their congregation is an integral part of the community but its members also consider themselves pioneers.
Rev. France Davis, Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church: "Pioneers in a more modern sense that there are fewer of us here, we are making inroads, we're trying to bring about positive change for the good of the community, for everybody."
Rabbi Benny Zippel and his wife Sharron consider themselves pioneers. They came to Salt Lake City 13 years ago to create a congregation. It has grown so much that they just purchased a new building for their synagogue.
Rabbi Benny Zippel, Chabad Lubavitch of Utah: "The community has grown a lot through activities, in terms of needs for more programming and so on and so forth. I feel that we've been very welcome, very much appreciated and, yeah, sugarhouse, I guess as Brigham Young would have said, is our place. This is the place (big smile)."
Pamela Atkinson is often the voice for those who are too poor or disenfranchised to speak for themselves. She says pioneers are still coming, there are so many from everywhere.
Pamela Atkinson, Presbyterian Church Elder, Homeless Advocate: "It's the pioneers who are arriving on a daily basis from other states but from around the world and if we look at the fact that right here, in the Salt Lake School District there are 82 different languages being spoken and many of those people are pioneers in their own way."
You can hear more from these religious leaders and many other prominent figures in Utah this Friday at 7 pm during a KSL Special on the life of LDS Church President, Gordon B- Hinckley.
