On Monday, Jan. 20, Rhodes students will volunteer at local community sites to commemorate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King through service. Sites include Ronald McDonald House, Soulsville Charter School, Choices, MIFA, Planned Parenthood, Exceptional Foundation, Caritas Village, FedEx House, LeBonheur, Hope House and New Hope Farm.
Organizers of the Rhodes service plunge are Georgia Loftis ′14, Shawnecca Burke ′14, and Taylor Sieben ′15.
“Every year, the Rhodes Kinney Program participates in the MLK Day of Service to honor the enduring legacy of Dr. King, a man who dedicated his life to the service of others and who has inspired us to do the same,” says Sieben. “Dr. King once said, ‘Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?’ Our sincere hope is that MLK Day of Service will remind the Rhodes community to continue to ask ourselves this important question, and to always seek a more fulfilling answer.”
According to Sieben, last year there were 150-175 Rhodes participants.
“Like Memphis Community Service Day, MLK Day of Service allows students to experience a small fraction of what Memphis has to offer and to use this as a stepping stone for future service endeavors,” adds Burke. “But, I am always impressed by how willing and devoted Rhodes students are to going outside of their comfort zone and bridging a further relationship with the Memphis community around us. The best part about the experience is listening to students reflect on how much they′ve taken away from their service site.”
Loftis also adds, “Events like Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service emphasize Rhodes′ dedication to community service, and I can′t wait to be a part of this year′s service plunge. Every year I am amazed by the amount of progress that a group of college students can make for the community in a short span of a few hours. Often, days like these result in a continued relationship between Rhodes students and community sites, and it can be in the form of a regular volunteer commitment, internship or fellowship opportunity, or another type of involvement.”