ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Winthrop University will celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a 10-day service challenge.
This year’s community service options will be available from Jan. 17-27. There are no Winthrop classes and offices are closed on the King federal holiday, which is observed on Jan. 17.
Civic Engagement Coordinator Jessica Martin said prizes will be given throughout the week to keep everyone motivated to serve. The organization and individual who completes the most service hours during the 10 days will be recognized at the MLK Reflection lunch on Jan. 28.
The service projects include gardening, tree planting, care package assembling, food donation sorting, playground refreshing and more. For instance, on Jan. 17, weather permitting, there are Office of Sustainability service projects and chances to volunteer at the local homeless agency, Pilgrims’ Inn.
In all, there are multiple service opportunities on campus and with York County agencies, Martin said.
Students were asked to register for the challenge on Eagle Impact at: https://winthropstudents.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9MHfTp66Wrx8bFc
Also on Jan. 17, the Xi Phi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity will hold a vigil at 7:06 p.m. in Dina’s Place in the DiGiorgio Campus Center. The time for the event signifies when King died.
Since 2000, Winthrop has reserved MLK Day as a day of celebration, remembrance and service with a campus-wide event sponsored by various departments and organizations. Typically, it is Winthrop’s largest one-day community service event.
This year Winthrop is asking students to participate in a service challenge, so rather than only serving one day, organizers want to create a culture of service. Students will be challenged to see how many hours they can serve between Jan. 17-27.
“This event is a good reminder of what we can accomplish together,” Martin said. “Even with the pandemic, we are still able to pull together to help others who need our assistance.”
To follow Winthrop’s MLK activities on social media, search for #MLKServiceWeek2022.
The community service event is coordinated by Winthrop’s MLK Committee, which includes members from Residence Life, Student Engagement, Sustainability, Office of Accessibility, Greek Life, S.O.A.R. and students.
For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at 803/323-2404 or e-mail her at longshawj@winthrop.edu.
