Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebrations
The College of Charleston hosted a Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance Vigil on Monday night in the Stern Center Ballroom, which was filled to standing-room-only capacity. Students and faculty celebrated the life of Dr. King with musical selections, readings, and a candlelight tribute. The vigil also marked the culmination of the school’s fourth annual MLK Challenge. Armed with only $75, a van, and a faculty member, each student team had six hours to complete a service project that benefitted the local community.
Sample projects completed on Monday include:
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Trident Area’s mission is to inspire and enable young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens. The Boys and Girls Club focuses on academics, wellness, technology, leadership, and life skills. The MLK Challenge was to create and host a fun, child-safe carnival for kids aged 6-13 who spent the afternoon at the club.
The Carter-May Home/St. Joseph Residence is a non-profit assisted living facility for adults ages 60 and older. The mission is to provide compassionate care and assistance to meet the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs of its residents. The MLK Challenge included washing the residence’s walls, touching up the paint, preparing a cookout, and dining with the residents.
The Sustainability Institute is an award-winning non-profit established to educate community residents about the benefits of having a healthy, efficient, durable and comfortable environment in which to live their lives. The MLK Challenge was to help families in need reduce their energy costs. The students first attended an energy-conservation workshop to learn how to use energy-saving devices. Then, they used their new skills to weatherize the homes of three deserving families in the historic Liberty Hill neighborhood of North Charleston.
Meanwhile, on the other end of George Street, a collaboration between the Charleston Symphony Orchestra (CSO), CSO Chorus, CSO Gospel Choir, and the City of Charleston’s Office of Cultural Affairs produced a rousing evening of music, song, and narration in honor of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Gaillard Auditorium. The show was underwritten by the Ginn Company and offered free to the public; all of the complimentary tickets were claimed by mid Monday afternoon making the performance a “sell out.” Speakers included The Honorable Dr. McKinley Washington, Jr., Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham.
Ahead this week:
Fête Set Pick:
Friday, January 19
A Night in the Valley Auction
6:30 p.m.
$200
This premier wine and culinary event pairs the nation’s finest vineyards with the talents of the culinary and hospitality students at the Culinary Institute of Charleston. Enjoy a four-course dinner with wine pairings by vintners of prestigious wineries. Bid on jewelry, fine art, fabulous getaways, and rare and allocated wines during the live and silent auctions.
Trident Technical College main campus, 7000 Rivers Ave., North Charleston.
(843)574-6208
Caritas.
Ida
