For GW, a Day of Service

More than 600 volunteers spend day working on community projects, honoring King's life and legacy.

January 20, 2014

Volunteers building care kits for wounded veterans

White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and 45 GW volunteers packed 500 care kits for wounded veterans at Dunbar High School during a community service event honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

By James Irwin

More than 600 George Washington University volunteers spent Monday’s federal holiday working on community service projects in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Members of the GW community participated in a range of volunteer capacities at 12 sites throughout the D.C. metro area, working on 15 projects and providing more than 2,400 hours of service at the university's annual celebration of the civil rights leader.

"I think a lot of students choose to come to GW because of these service-learning opportunities," said Amy Cohen, executive director for the Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service. "And they serve in a wide range of areas -- we can help address military issues, poverty and education, just to name a few. Service is a way of doing things, and many students find this is a way for them to find their passion and do something positive."

 

MLK Day of Service began with a 10 a.m. program in the Marvin Center Grand Ballroom and featured welcome remarks from GW President Steven Knapp. Columbian College of Arts and Sciences sociology professor Fran Buntman, author of “Robben Island and Prisoner Resistance to Apartheid,” provided the keynote speech, drawing on parallels between Dr. King and former South Africa President Nelson Mandela.

“They both targeted racism,” Dr. Buntman said. “But for both of these men racism was a starting, not an ending point. They were dedicated not just to fixing racial unfairness but all unfairness in the world, and perhaps the most universal unfairness they challenged was poverty. They literally dedicated their lives to working for justice -- perhaps especially economic justice.”

At service locations throughout the city, George Washington volunteers put the legacies of Dr. King and Mr. Mandela into action. About 45 GW volunteers were among the 350 people serving at D.C.’s Dunbar High School, where they assembled 500 care packs for wounded veterans at an event hosted by Points of Light. More than a dozen partner organizations participated. Attendees included Dr. Knapp, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and Koby Langley, senior advisor for Wounded Warrior, Veterans and Military Family Initiatives, and the Corporation for National and Community Service.

"This is a great opportunity to help veterans," said Victoria Goncalves, a freshman political science major who participated in Freshman Day of Service last fall. "I think it's awesome to have service events like this all over the city and so well coordinated."

GW has strong historical ties to both the civil rights movement and support for veterans. Lisner Auditorium was the focal point of one of the city's earliest integration debates. The March on Washington took place blocks from the Foggy Bottom Campus. And the university awarded the country's first GI Bill tuition waiver in 1944.

“Dr. King said life’s most urgent and persistent question is: What are you doing for others?” Dr. Knapp said at Dunbar. “Among those who answer that question in a very powerful way are our veterans. Many of them are coming home in large numbers and looking for ways to reintegrate into civilian life, to renew or begin their education. We relish this opportunity to join all of you in reaching out to veterans.”

Other service projects included cleaning and organizing classrooms at three Mazique Child Care Centers, library improvement at Hyattsville Middle School, and assisting in a furniture warehouse with A Wider Circle, a Silver Spring, Md.-based nonprofit that provides support to families in poverty. A group of 45 GW participants worked on art projects with children at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, alongside Little Friends for Peace. They were joined by students from the White House mentees program and Peace Corps volunteers.

About 20 of the 50 GW volunteers painting fences, murals and hanging college banners in the cafeteria at Center City Schools (Capitol Hill campus) were from the George Washington University Alumni Association.

"One of our focal points that we've identified is we want to increase alumni engagement through community service," said GW Alumni Association President Steve Frenkil, BA ‘74. "And an event like this brings alumni and students together. You have an opportunity to exchange ideas, share experiences and give back to the community."

Monday's service projects concluded a week of events at GW honoring Dr. King, which included a march to the King and Lincoln Memorials and a series of speaking engagements hosted by the Multicultural Student Services Center.