 Senior English major, Katherine N. Winn (r), reads a list of residents with January birthdays at Appalachian Brian Estates Monday. The celebration was part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Challenge, a day-long service project. Photo by Rachel Noel |
by EDWARD SZTUKOWSKI
News Reporter
While most students spent Martin Luther King Jr. day sleeping in and playing in the snow, a dedicated group of students decided to make sure it was a “day on,” not a day off.
The 10th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Challenge was held Monday by Appalachian and the Community
Together (ACT) despite the less than ideal weather conditions.
Two hundred
students arrived at Legends at 8 a.m. to paint buildings around town,
shovel gravel, build shelves and raise money for a fund to send
students abroad for international service learning.
At the
beginning of the day, a ceremony was held where participants were
randomly assigned their teams and team names were decided.
A total of 17 teams were formed, each with a different task.
The teams were then given until 4 p.m. to finish their goals, which varied between painting and planning parties.
Freshman elementary education major Kelley A. McGee decided a day of service would be more rewarding than sleeping in.
“I
wanted to get out and do something instead of sleeping in this time,”
she said. “I’ve worked at a hospitality house before, but this is my
first time as part of a big team.”
Janet
Pepin, administrator of the Watauga Humane Society, was grateful for
the help of the students who were repainting the society’s visitor area.
“Last
year [MLK Challenge participants] created a boutique for us, and the
year before that they made a spay-neuter center,” Pepin said. “Painting
also gives us a chance to clean the place up. We’re going to freshen it
up and make it a more soothing color.”
On
the other side of town, a group was creating a January birthday party
for the residents of Brian Estates, an independent living retirement
home.
The
community throws monthly birthday parties for the residents and, with
the help of students, was able to get three cakes, balloons, music and
flowers.
“We have
students from the MLK Challenge each year, so it’s extremely helpful,”
Nancy Dennett, activities director of Brian Estates, said. “It’s a very
kind community service project to do and it is great for the kids and
the residents.”
When 4
p.m. arrived, the groups returned to Legends, where they held a recap
of the day. Students shared their stories, and some related stories
from past MLK Challenges.
“It’s
special to see how far [the MLK Challenge has] come along since 2000
when it started,” Lindsay M. Johnson, a 2004 Appalachian alumna said.
“That’s the first time I did it. This would be my sixth time.”
When all
the money was totaled at the end, it was announced $969.31 had been
raised. One individual said they would make up the difference to raise
the total to $1,000.
The MLK Challenge is a nationwide event, and Appalachian first started participating in 2000.
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