Linfield College students will reach out to Yamhill County youth and seniors for a day of service to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Saturday, Feb. 22, at Linfield College.
The event will run from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. beginning in the Health, Human Performance and Athletics building at Linfield, and feature two main activities: an educational component with local elementary students and a service project in local senior centers and retirement communities.
Under the mentorship of Linfield students, 150 Yamhill County elementary students are expected to take part in the day, which includes sessions on sustainability, education and wellness. In addition, Linfield students will serve at four retirement centers in McMinnville including Vineyard Heights Assisted Living, Hillside Manor Retirement Center, Oakwood Country Place Nursing Home and Parkland Village.
The day of service is meant to integrate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and teachings into community service, said senior Shelby Hollenbeck, director of Day of Service and Change Corps special events.
“Linfield’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service is about bringing together multiple generations and being in community together,” said Hollenbeck. “By learning what MLK Day means to others, we can grow as an individual in what MLK Day means to us. We strive to unite the community that we live in and serve our neighbors just like Martin Luther King, Jr.’s mission.”
Rather than being held on MLK Day in January, the Linfield service event is held in February, during Black History Month, when students are back on campus for spring semester, according to junior Brie Battle, Black Student Union president.
“We want to make sure all Linfield students have a chance to celebrate MLK Day together,” she said. “As a campus, it’s important to reflect and this way we all get to participate. We’re students of all different backgrounds, uniting and reaching out to the community. That’s the importance of this day.”
Students are invited to register for MLK Day activities through Feb. 20. The day is sponsored by Multicultural Programs, Community Engagement and Service, Black Student Union and the Unity Team.
For more information, call Hollenbeck at 503-467-1918, shollen@linfield.edu, or Jason Rodriquez, director of multicultural programs, at 503-883-2574.
