MLK Day of Service

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service is a chance to turn a day off into a day on. Put on by Pay It Forward and the Frank W. Hale Jr. Black Cultural Center, this day of service attracts close to 1,000 students who participate in community service projects in and around the Columbus area. Projects include clean-up of the city, working with youth, literacy education, serving meals, office work, working in nursing homes or making crafts for people who receive hospice care.

Registration starts at 8:00 am in the Union where you will sign a waiver (just to make sure you know you are going off campus), receive a FREE breakfast (this year it was doughnuts!), watch inspiring speakers, singers and musicians in a kick off ceremony, receive a FREE lunch on return from your service site AND the item most every college student desires: a FREE T-shirt!

Upon arriving at the Union you will be put into a service project based of the size of the group that you are with. The student workers do everything they can to make sure your group stays together so you can volunteer with your friends. One of the most important things to remember is even though you are with friends or having fun, be respectful of your surroundings.

Often people get the idea in their head that community service is interacting with actual people. However, there is a lot of behind the scenes that is part of community service as well. Even though you cannot see the difference you are making someone somewhere will appreciate your work. My service project this year was making crafts for a hospice center to distribute to their patients. My first thought was no one is going to see me doing this so why does it matter? But in reality these patients will greatly appreciate the effort I put in even though no one was there to watch me do my service.

You are now a student of the city of Columbus. This is your city too, no matter where you are from; give back to the city that now hosts you and has welcomed you with open arms. Giving back is important in that it shows the community that you do care and it gives you a good feeling at the end of the day knowing you made someone smile.