At 8:30 AM, on a cold Monday
morning, over 280 volunteers gathered
into a packed Cox Student Center for the 5th
annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr. Day of Service at the University of
Bridgeport. The national holiday has
come to be referred to as “a day on, not
a day off “. Coordinated by Service
for Peace, an international community service organization, the event drew
a large crowd of young men and women to serve in activities hosted by Bridgeport community organizations. Prospect House, the School of Ethical Education, Astoria Park Nursing Home, Food Bank East-Haven and
Color of Words were among these community organizations that brought an array of tasks for the avid volunteers.
University President, Neil Albert
Salonen opened the event by appreciating Dr. King’s legacy of inspiration. “Dr. King has been one of the most admired individuals in history. He would asked people life’s most persistent question, what are you doing for others?”
Perhaps, in a small way, volunteers
could answer that question through the
day’s activities. After meeting at the
Cox Student Center for breakfast, they
were dispersed to various projects. The
participants contributed to a variety of
activities such as assembling toy packets for Iraqi civilians, researching civil rights poetry, preparing meals for the homeless, visiting the elderly to discuss their thoughts on freedom and assembling a video collage of peace statements.
It was evident that giving was eneficial all around: for the recipients and the volunteers. Many young children enjoyed the experience of a multi-cutural service group. “It’s really cool to be with all
these other people here. Because Dr. King helped us get freedom I am doing service today,” commented Raphaella Brice, 10 yrs old, from Multicultural Magnate School. For
some, MLK Day was a first experience
with community service. Raghan, a UB MBA student stated, “This is my first time. I expected a smaller group, but it just keeps getting larger. Everyone got to know each other by the end of the day.”
The MLK Day of Service kicked off a 40 Days of Peace campaign with local schools, community organizations and law enforcement agencies to promote a sustainable reduction in violence. Angie Staltaro, a service coordinator from the city of Bridgeport stated, “this is my third year participating. I am looking forward to the next 40 days.”
It seemed fitting that Dr. King, by way
of his national holiday, was the catalyst for starting the 40 days of Peace. His vision and mindset has certainly influenced far and wide, impacting Bridgeport itself in a unique way. Dr. King was actually a distinguished Frank Jacoby Lecturer at the University of Bridgeport. In 1961, the University honored Dr. King for his early efforts in civil rights when they presented him with an honorary degree. His widow Coretta Scott King, inspired students and parents, alike, when she spoke at the January, 1970 Commencement. She told the graduates: “We must carry on because this is the way he would have wanted it to have been. We are going to continue his work to make all people truly free.”
Whether it was to honor Dr. King, to do something for others, or to become closer to the community, people came from all over to be part of the “day on”. The day of service drew different people from numerous groups and backgrounds including significant representation from University of Bridgeport. Observing the outcome of
UB students, Grethel Burch, a Social Science major shared: “The fact that us,
students, took the time and put aside all
else for giving, shows the true potential
of future projects to come” Grethel is a
member of the UB chapter of Service For Peace and along with others were happy to see UB students getting involved with the community and other groups. The Service for Peace club is looking forward to involving students in many service projects to come.