Martin Luther King Jr. Service Day

The Office of Community and Government Relations and the Bonner Center for Service and Learning (BCSL), with support from the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, invite all members of the Oberlin community and college to celebrate the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, January 19, with a morning of volunteer service activities. The MLK Service Day shines a spotlight on service as a powerful force to bridge economic and social divides.

Student volunteers’ day will begin with breakfast at the BCSL, 145 West Lorain Street. From there, they will be taken by shuttle to Oberlin Community Services, The Bridge, or Veggie U to complete service projects. Community volunteers should arrive at their designated locations by 9 a.m.

Volunteers will complete their service until approximately 11:30 a.m. From 11:30 a.m. to noon, volunteers can participate in a group reflection or make their way to Martin Luther King Jr. Park for the annual community observance. Tania Boster, director of student leadership programs and assistant director of the BCSL, Ph.D., recommends student volunteers read “MLK Gets Set in Stone, but the Man is Missing” by Tony Norman to prompt reflection and common discussion before the day’s events.

These service activities will replace the Martin Luther King Jr. Day event held in Finney Chapel in years past. “We hope the community members who have always attended the Finney Chapel event will volunteer,” say Tita Reed, special assistant for community and government relations. “We want you to be a part of this moment.”

All those who plan to participate are asked to wear comfortable clothing suitable for painting and cleaning. If you are interested in volunteering but have not yet RSVP’d, contact the Office of Community and Government Relations at 440-775-6200 or comgovr@oberlin.edu. Those who do not RSVP are still welcome to join in these and other activities happening throughout the community.