Students participate in the “MLK Day of Service” in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and in anticipation of the national holiday, which takes place on Monday, Jan. 19.
University of Kentucky students separated into groups, beginning at the Cornerstone, and spent the rest of the event volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House, FoodChain or Ashland Terrace on Saturday, Jan. 17.
Members of UK’s Alternative Service Breaks organization, a club that travels to different communities in order to volunteer, were present. Their role was to manage the groups as they each went to their respective volunteer destinations.
Reese Mobberley, a UK junior majoring in architecture, said she looked forward to volunteering at the event.
“I have volunteered since I was 11 years old, in some capacity. I’m a churchgoer, so that’s kind of been a part of who I am for a really long time,” Mobberley said. “I got a lot of joy out of it (volunteering), and bringing other people joy brings me joy.”
Mobberley said she hopes to make an impact with her volunteer work at the Ronald McDonald House.
“I have had experience with the Ronald McDonald House, and I love everything that they stand for,” Mobberley said. “I’m not there to change their world, I’m just there to make their day.”
Alongside the ASB organization were members of the Martin Luther King Center. Two interns at the center, Janat Khan, a senior majoring in marketing and Yulianny Garcia, a senior majoring in political science, spoke about the purpose and goal of the center.
“Our whole mission statement is kind of based around everything that he (MLK) has done, which is to foster and create connections, and that goes for everybody. Respectful, kind, welcoming to everybody, and that’s what we try to preserve when we are at the MLK Center,” Khan said.
Garcia then explained what Martin Luther King Jr. Day means to her and how the center honors his legacy.
“To me, it means to honor his legacy when it comes to everybody being able to be in the same place, being able to have the same relationships and the same opportunities,” Garcia said. “The fact that he spoke about, you know, all the stuff that was going on back then and the injustice when it comes to segregation … that’s one thing that is very inspiring. The fact that your voice can be everybody’s voice and you taking that step can really save you and save a lot of people.”