While their peers enjoy a day off this Martin Luther King, Jr. day, 200 UO students gathered at the Global Scholars Hall to celebrate “Day On,” and give back to the community.
The event was hosted by the Holden Center. Holden Center community engagement assistant Phoebe Udo said this year’s event was more than a success.
“We are much more organized this year,” Udo said. “‘We filled up all of our projects, and we actually had to turn some people away because we can’t guarantee them a spot.”
This year, Holden center partnered with Willamette High School, Cascade Middle School and Shasta Middle School to help with landscaping, organizing and painting projects. This is the third year the Holden Center volunteered to help out at Willamette High School.
They also partnered with the Arc of Lane County Families Connected, a organization that provides programs and services to people with intellectual developmental disabilities. On this day, UO students had the opportunity to spend time with children that have disabilities and go bonding and bowling together.
Volunteer May Wu said this is her second year participating in the event.
“The ‘Day on’ doesn’t just mean today we have services and serve the community, we should do this from here on,” Wu said. “We should always try to better our community.”
At the event, a member of Rho Beta fraternity David Spencer gave a speech honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Don’t be afraid, be fearless. Don’t be afraid to care for one another,” Spencer said.
Udo believes the service day helps bring people with different perspectives together.
“This is an opportunity for students to come out and make an impact so that we are not just taking a day off and forgetting about (Martin Luther King, Jr,) legacy,” Udo said. “Services are very important, it’s what ties the community together.”
Joseph Hoyt contributed to this story.