Published Jan. 22, 2020
See Emerald McIntyre's photos from Day of Service here,
For a decade, the University of Louisiana Monroe and Louisiana Delta Community College
have partnered on MLK Day of Service to address a need in the Monroe area.
An initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service (), MLK National Day of Service is on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the third Monday
in January.
Volunteers at the DeSiard Street Shelter.
βThe two campuses come together for the benefit of the community,β said university
organizer Pamela Higgins Saulsberry, Ph.D., ΜμΣι΄«Γ½ professor and Social Work Program
Coordinator in the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences.
βThis was one of the best years for the support we had across ΜμΣι΄«Γ½βs campus community,β
said Saulsberry.
Giving their time and energy were members of the Warhawks womenβs basketball team,
beach volleyball and indoor volleyball teams, dental hygiene students, Greek organizations
Delta Sigma Theta, Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Phi, Omega Psi
Phi, Phi Beta Sigma and Kappa Sigma, student organizations, Circle K International,
Kitty DeGree School of Nursing, Student Social Work Association, ΜμΣι΄«Γ½ NAACP, TRIO,
and individual students and faculty.
ΜμΣι΄«Γ½ and LDCC volunteers assisted at Grace Place Ministries Inc., 1600 Jackson St.,
which operates a soup kitchen, clothes closet, and food pantry, and DeSiard Street
Shelter, 807 DeSiard St., which provides free meals and services to the homeless.
Strauss Hall served as a campus and community drop-off center for items donated to
Grace Place. On Monday morning, Strauss was buzzing with ΜμΣι΄«Γ½ volleyball players busy
packaging and loading the donations. ΜμΣι΄«Γ½ and LDCC volunteers then delivered and unloaded
the items at Grace Place. Volunteers from dental hygiene talked about oral health
and gave free dental care packages to individuals at Grace Place.
Charlie Olson, coach of the ΜμΣι΄«Γ½ beach and indoor volleyball teams, said 20 players
participated in the Day of Service.
βBeing a part of the university and the athletic department, you take a look at yourself
and you know it is imperative to give back. What better way to be a part of the greater
good than MLK Day of Service. We heard about the opportunity and any team member in
town jumped at the chance. They love community service,β Olson said.
Monday afternoon, 100-plus volunteers, most from the ΜμΣι΄«Γ½ community, arrived at DeSiard
Street Shelter to help organize and clean a warehouse in preparation for renovations
to expand the shelterβs services.
βIt was refreshing to see the number of students there helping. These students walked
three blocks to the warehouse. It was a festive, wonderful occasion,β Saulsberry said.
DeSiard Street director Billy Bonner was impressed by the enthusiasm of the students
and the accomplishments made in just a few hours. Thanks to the volunteers, immense
progress was made toward the expansion.Β
βIt made a significant difference in the time it will take to renovate the facility.
What they did Monday is going to benefit the community for years to come,β Saulsberry
said. βI am very, very proud of the ΜμΣι΄«Γ½ community and their service.β
ΜμΣι΄«Γ½ Warhawk womenβs basketball team head coach Brooks Williams said community involvement
is an important part of their program. Thirteen student athletes and graduate assistants
participated in the Day of Service.
βWe want to give back. We are here to serve the Monroe community and the ΜμΣι΄«Γ½ campus.
Weβre very fortunate in sports, and in a lot of organizations, that you have a drive
to work together and help others in a team setting,β Williams said. βIn a volunteer
setting, you come together, work together and complete a task for others. Community
service is fantastic team-building for us. Not only do we help them, they help us.β
Over the years, Saulsberry has noticed that when ΜμΣι΄«Γ½ students are aware of a community
need, they are eager to help.
βOften, students donβt participate because they arenβt asked. Once asked, they will
do it. I saw that exemplified on Monday,β she said.
#thebestisonthebayou #takeflight #DayON25
