Third Annual MLK Day Celebration

Service For Peace kicked off the Martin Luther King, Jr. Season of Service (Jan 16-Apr 4, 2006) with a variety of service learning projects under the theme “Enriching Public Education in the Greater Bridgeport Area.”
On MLK Day, January 16, 2006, the John J. Cox Student Center of the University of Bridgeport was filled with 250 youth and their families; they represented 16 schools, six universities, five churches, and other organizations and businesses. The volunteers who came from Bridgeport, Greenwich, Darien, Norwalk, Trumbull, Stratford and Milford, ranging in age from nine to 50, came to honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of the “Beloved Community” by taking part in 16 different service projects. This was the MLK day of service, spearheaded by UB student members of Service for Peace and the MLK initiative.
The day started in the morning with a lecturette for international students about the values and philosophy of Dr. King, led by Galina Draganova, a Yale graduate. It was followed by a service project at Re-Entry Ministry and a “Design Your Own Service Project” workshop.
In the afternoon, youth and adults formed teams, each with a “Mission Possible” assignment to one of eight Bridgeport organizations: Black Rock Art Center, Prospect House, Bridgeport Rescue Mission, Charles Smith Center, Astoria Park Health Center, Homes for the Brave, Re-Entry Ministry, and North Hall at UB. They painted offices, cleared garages, entertained the elderly, purchased food for a shelter and sorted clothes. As part of the learning experience, volunteers adopted one of the ten values of Dr. King as a name (courage, non-violence, soul force, justice, community, love, suffering and sacrifice, human dignity, forgiveness and faith) and called each other by that name throughout the day. This enabled continuous reflection upon the significance of King’s values.
At the same time, over 50 elementary school students took part in two workshops. The Iraq Peace Project, led by David Wangaard from the School of Ethical Education in Milford, taught the kids about the culture and current life in Iraq. After that the kids created peace packets of small toys, candy, personal letters and other small items to be shipped to kids their age in Iraq. Ognian Hristov, award winning pantomime artist, led a pantomime workshop where kids learned about Movement Arts and designed their own pantomime skit about Dr. King’s life, which was presented at the celebratory dinner at the end of the program.
At the celebratory dinner, each team gave a presentation on their project site, their experience and realizations on one of Dr. King’s ten values. Smiles were on all the participant’s faces as they celebrated their efforts at the celebration dinner, sponsored by local restaurants. The WAIT team, a local youth group educated the kids about the seriousness of HIV through performing an AIDS skit and singing songs. James Moss, a local African American artist from the African Arawak Connection, talked about his experience during the civil rights movement, read some poems he had written which were inspired by the movement and performed on a variety of African musical instruments.
Sister Queenie Mims, of Re-Entry Ministry, said: “If Martin Luther King was alive today he would be proud of the legacy of his work that can been seen through the Service For Peace volunteers. They worked hard and were very effective but the most amazing thing was their beautiful spirit of service!”
“I got touched yesterday…I think there is something about service.seeing happiness on people’s faces…thank you for that.I feel more love in my heart!” shared Diana Silonova, a volunteer from Vase Management of Bridgeport. “My sister and I had a good time, thanks for inviting us to join the event. Amazingly everyone in the group got along pretty well and we worked as a team. It was a good feeling to do something else for others. I was glad that my sister was able to participate, she even spoke on stage, wow! I was proud!” shared volunteer, Jackeline Maldonado from People’s Bank.
“Throughout the year, we are conducting volunteer programs combining service and learning with a global peace perspective,” says Charles Phillips, President of Service For Peace. “Our recent programs have included working with some very urgent problems, including tsunami relief in Thailand and South East Asia and developing an impoverished school in the Dominican Republic,” says Phillips. “Wherever we work we find people wanting to make a difference beyond themselves. It’s a good idea to take a day to think about how we can all work together.”
The MLK Day Season of Service was the kick-off event of a series of service projects as part of the MLK Season of Service starting on January 16 through April 4, 2006, the day Dr. King was assassinated. There will be about 30 more projects to take place, all focusing on enriching public education in the area. SFP partnered with over 25 organizations/businesses such as the Red Cross, Bridgeport Board of Education, People’s Bank and others to make this a city-wide initiative in honor of Dr. King’s dream. For more information about the MLK Initiative and how to join upcoming projects, please visit www.serviceforpeace.org/bridgeport or contact Esther Teo, President of Service for Peace Campus Corps at UB. (203) 576-5014 or eteo@serviceforpeace.org. You can also visit the campus office, student center 214B.