“Martin Luther King, when he was alive, challenged everyone instead of staying inside and looking at what we could do to fix our society, to go out and do something great,” said Marissa Haynes, coordinator of service outreach.
According to Haynes, Seton Hill University has used Take the Day On as a way to honor Martin Luther King Jr. since 2000. Take the Day On is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 9.
“A lot of people all around the country have this phrase ‘instead of taking a day off, like Martin Luther King Day, use that time to take a day on,’” Haynes said.
There are currently 20 locations set for SHU students to visit for Take The Day On. Some locations include Blackburn Center, Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling Center and Greensburg Hempfield Public Library.
“I believe volunteering is important because it betters the community as well as yourself,” said junior Brooke Caldwell, who has signed up to help at the Blackburn Center for Take the Day On.
Caldwell said volunteering is also helpful for her future career in art therapy because both involve practicing social interactions and helping others.
SHU’s service opportunities are not limited to Take the Day On. SHINE now has a tab dedicated to service opportunities on campus, according to Haynes.
“Take the Day On is a good introduction to the volunteer opportunities that surround us every day. It’s also not the only time we should be volunteering,” said sophomore Phoebe Walczak, who will also be volunteering at the Blackburn Center. “As college students, we are in this unique position where our job is to work on bettering ourselves and volunteering can and should be a part of that.”
On SHINE, students can find both weekly and monthly service opportunities. Haynes is also trying to incorporate more Service Saturday events for students who want to spend their weekends volunteering.
Take the Day On Locations:
-American Architectural Salvage -Overly’s Country Christmas
-Animal Friends of Westmoreland County -St. Emma’s Monastery
-Blackburn Center -Stoneybrook Therapeutic Riding Center
-Caritas Christi -St. Vincent DePaul Store
-Christman Layman Store -Walnut Ridge Memory Care
-Faith Forward & Angel Arms -Welcome Home Shelter
-Greensburg Hempfield Public Library -Westmoreland
-Habitat for Humanity Warehouse Cleanways and Recycling Center
-Habitat for Humanity Build Site -Westmoreland Parks & Recreation
-Hempfield Township (Mammoth Park)
-Westmoreland Parks & Recreation (Twin Lakes)
-YWCA
Published By: Stephen Dumnich