3/12/2015 Campus community takes part in MLK Jr. Day of Service

http://www.elon.edu/e-net/Article/85692 1/2

Kim Lilienthal '14 (left) and Eryn Gorang '14 take part in the Martin Luther King Jr.

Day of Service.

From left: Jamie Butler (assistant director of Elon's Multicultural Center), Kiki Murrain

'13 (a graduate intern in the Multicultural Center) and Marilyn Slade (program

assistant in the Multicultural Center) sort through items at the Habitat for Humanity

ReStore on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

By Erin Turner '15

The Kernodle Center for Service Learning and

Community Engagement and the Multicultural

Center at Elon University sponsored a day of

service on Jan. 17 to commemorate the legacy of

civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

Members of the Elon community came together

Friday morning to help scrub doors, move tile and

clean donated material for the Habitat for

Humanity ReStore in Burlington, N.C. Other

students took part in service activites at nearby

Blakey Hall later in the day, spending time with

residents of the retirement community.

The biggest goal for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Planning Committee this year was to make sure that

students are able to connect with their community by challenging them to think critically about issues

going on in the community, said Melissa Jordan, interim director of the Multicultural Center.

Habitat for Humanity ReStores are nonprofit home

improvement store and donation centers that sell

new and gently used furniture, home accessories,

building materials, and appliances to the public at

a fraction of the retail price. Habitat for Humanity

ReStores are owned and operated by local

Habitat for Humanity affiliates, and proceeds are

used to build homes in the community and around

the world.

One of Dr. Kings many outstanding qualities was

his ability to bring people together to work toward

a common goal," said Bob Frigo, associate

director of the Kernodle Center for Service

Learning and Community Engagement. "We are

continuing this tradition today by having Elon students, faculty, and staff gather together to support the

Campus community takes part in MLK Jr.

Day of Service

Students, faculty and staff honored Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy on Jan.

17 by volunteering at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Burlington, N.C.,

and the Blakey Hall retirement home.

3/12/2015 Campus community takes part in MLK Jr. Day of Service

http://www.elon.edu/e-net/Article/85692 2/2

Morgan Fleming '16 (left), Tyler Stone '16 (middle) and Eryn Gorang '14 (right) wheel

supplies out of the Habitat for Humanity ReStore on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of

Service.

efforts of Habitat for Humanity of Alamance County to provide affordable housing for members in our

community."

Volunteers provide most of the labor, and

individual and corporate donors provide money

and materials to build Habitat houses. Partner

families invest hundreds of hours of labor - "sweat

equity" - into building their homes and the homes

of others. Their mortgage payments go into a

revolving Fund for Humanity that is used to build

more houses.

Ive been a part of Elon Hillel for a while and we

did a trip last year for a week working with Habitat

for Humanity ReStore, so when I was given the

opportunity to help out today, I felt that it would

be a great way to leave my mark on the

community, especially on a weekend as great as

MLK weekend, said Elon University sophomore

Tyler Stone.

The day of service was part ofa series of campus

events this month commemorating King.

Volunteers, are needed year-roundfor a variety

ofHabitat for Humanity projects. To volunteer in

the ReStore, call 336-222-8292. To volunteer in

any other capacity, call the Habitat office at 336-

222-8191.

Eric Townsend, Staff 1/17/2014 2:30 PM