Hundreds of RIC students volunteer on MLK Jr. Day

January 21, 2019 12:39 pm

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — While many had Monday off in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, for one group of students from Rhode Island College, it was a day of service.

Over 250 students gave up their final day of winter break and signed up to volunteer for the school’s second annual ‘MLK Day of Service.’

“It’s good to give back to the community,” said RIC freshman basketball player, Kyerstan Casey.

“You know, younger kids look up to us as a part of the basketball team,” he continued, “so we are here to help, help the campus, help everybody.”

Students volunteered at Kent County YMCA, and at Clothes for Kids RI, helping sort donated clothes.

Others wrote Valentines for veterans, thank you cards for servicemen and first responders, and made survival ‘para cord’ bracelets to be used by troops overseas.

“It’s really important to me to see Dr. King’s legacy being honored by our students,” said Dr. Jason Meriwether, Vice President for Student Success at Rhode Island College.

“Especially on a day where it is literally zero degrees outside, to see so many of our students come out and give — that’s the spirit of service that RIC embodies,” said Dr. Meriwether.

The frigid cold and icy roads did not stop many students from helping out.

“It was a bit of a commute for me and my sisters, but we managed the icy roads,” said RIC student, Katherine Lundin.

“It’s for a good cause and worth coming out here for,” she said.

“This is a great way to bring people together,” said Dr. Meriwether.

“Everything is so politicized right now. It’s really important to bring back to a spirit of service, a spirit of giving, and look at what unites us as a country far more than divides us.”

The 250 volunteers nearly doubled the amount at last year’s event. Dr. Meriwether hopes to see at least 300 students volunteering next year.